White town-Pondicherry: Complete Guide

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“White Town” in Pondicherry is the first thing tourists visit when they visit Pondy. As the name suggests, this part of the Boulevard is reserved for the White French ruling Pondicherry. Pondicherry is often called “India’s Little France” or “Window of France “. You can see their impressions of the beautiful buildings on the Boulevard. They built the “Boulevard town” in an oval shape and divided it into a European side known as “Ville Blanche or the white town” and a Tamil side called “Ville Noire”.

These elegant buildings have open inner courtyards, which allow natural light inside the building. You can see these architectural styles in hotels like L’Orient and Le Dupleix. The interiors of the houses are usually more ornate than the exterior. High ceilings, tall arched doors and windows are the features. But the old buildings of “Ville Noire” are disappearing fast, and only a few are still standing on the Boulevard. All the streets on Boulevard are in straight lines, and all the streets would lead to the promenade beach road in the east.

Things to do in White Town

Explore the streets of the white town:

Tourists love travelling in the city on a bicycle or a cycle rickshaw to thoroughly explore the white town. Many of these rickshaw owners speak good French, but the trend is changing, and very few rickshaws are seen on the streets of Pondicherry. Nowadays, Only very few tourists prefer Cycle Rickshaw rides (Rickshaw Tours). In fact, at one time, Pondicherry was the state with the highest per capita bicycles. I firmly believe that one can savour the beauty of the white town in Pondicherry’s streets only on a bicycle! You can book our BiCycle Tour to learn about the heritage of the white town. Streets of white town give you Instagram-worthy photos. Many advertisements and Films were shot on these streets, like St.Gilles St., Francois Martin St., Dumas St., etc. 

Puducherry is a charming coastal town that beautifully combines French and Indian cultures. From the picturesque Promenade Beach to the lovely French Quarter, Pondicherry offers a delightful experience. To make the most of your visit and conveniently explore attractions like Auroville and Paradise Beach, consider renting a car in Pondicherry. With a car, you can embark on exciting day trips and create unforgettable memories in this enchanting town.

Hotels in White Town

To experience French architecture, you must stay in the white town hotels. From the architecture, wooden furniture, French windows or the vast doors, every piece of the building tells a story about the olden days.

“Palais De Mahe“, “Le Dupleix, “La Villa“, and “Grand Hotel D’ Europe” are some of the heritage hotels in White Town Pondicherry.

Booking.com

Aurobindo Ashram

Another landmark of Pondicherry is the Aurobindo Ashram, founded by the philosopher, spiritual preacher and freedom fighter “Aurobindo Ghosh“. He says, “There is no shape to God; whatever you feel is God,” and I believe in this philosophy. Aurobindo Ashram opens at 8 A.m. and Closes at 11:30 Am. In the evenings, it opens at 2 pm and closes at 6 pm. Aurobindo Ghosh’s spiritual collaborator Mirra Alfassa, known as The Mother, later founded Auroville. Auroville (Sun City) is an international city located 20 km from Pondicherry, with visitors from all over the world searching for peace and harmony. The residents cultivate organic food and use renewable sources of energy. 

Churches

The Pondicherry landscape is dotted with churches. Each church in Boulevard has a unique colour palette; churches like Domus Dei (Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges) in Rue Dumas are in pink colour, while St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mission Street is in White, St. Mary’s Catholic Church in South Boulevard is in Red palette. Domus Dei (House of God) is my favourite and most beautiful church.

Each church is constructed based on the Cross (+) if you look at it from a bird’ s-eye view. The church’s main entrance is at the bottom end of the Cross, and the tiny openings to the left and right arms of the Cross, while the top end is closed, and the statue is situated in the centre of the Cross, facing the main entrance. The other famous church is the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, located in Villianur, which was constructed as a replica of the Basilica in France. 

French Cuisine in White Town

Pondicherry is famous for French cuisine. Some of the best-known restaurants are Rendezvous, Satsanga, L’orient, Le Dupleix, and Carte Blanche. You can try authentic French dishes like Crepe, Croissants, etc. in these. 

Café in White Town

Cafés in white towns started to bloom in the last decade or two. You can try a few famous cafés in White Town: Coromandel Café, Café de Arts, Bread and Chocolate, Le Petit Four etc.  

The Conde’ Nast Traveller has rated Coromandel Café as the 5th Best New Cafe in the World. It was called “La Maison Rose”, synonymous with its name; the café has pink-hued architecture and a palm tree at the entrance. It was home to a French judge and is now turned into Coromandel Café.

Café de Arts is famous for its murals and architecture from the 19th Century. They have an iconic mural on the walls of the café; now, it has become the symbol of Pondicherry. 

Rock or Promenade Beach:

Rock Beach, or Promenade Beach, is the famous beach in Pondicherry. Beach has been given a new lease of life for the past few years with government initiatives. They brought the sand from the thengaithittu estuary to trap it in the rock beach. I used to play around on the sandy beaches on the promenade; due to lack of planning, sands were eroded, and rocks were deposited to protect against erosion, hence the name “Rock Beach”.

Street Foods in White Town

The government has restricted small food stalls behind Promenade Hotel to reduce littering. Earlier, we can see food stalls everywhere in the white town. You can try Pondicherry’s iconic hot “Thatha Sundal” in this place. This place all the local street foods and juices like masala poori, cane juice, etc.

Crafts shops in White Town

Pondicherry artisans have good crafts, which are unique in their way. You can find the local arts in the crafts bazaar next to Gandhi Tidal. 

“Navan Vihan” has handcrafted and innovative educational items which belong to Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Restrooms in White Town

Restrooms for the public are available at both ends of the promenade beach and opp to le café. 

Things to do in Pondicherry:

1. Heritage walk / Cycle Tour in White Town

2. Kayaking in Mangrove Forest

3. Surfing on Serenity Beach

4. Sailing in the sea of pondicherry and lagoons

5. Scuba Diving