The buildings in French section of Puducherry are an enduring legacy of French history in India. It tells the story of a colonial adventure in a faraway land, fighting many odds, overcoming a new and difficult terrain and the historic rivalry between the European powers of the time including the Danes, the Dutch and the British besides the French.

The French Heritage walk takes you through streets that are laid out in a well-planned grid pattern. The buildings in the French section are easily recognizable by their ornate gateways arches, garden courtyards with multicolored bougainvillea’s and the buildings painted in pleasant hues of lime and peach. The grand French names through unpronounceable, adds a certain charm. Bon Voyage!!!

Starting Point:Puducherry Tourist Information Centre

Walk ends at: Puducherry Tourist Information Centre

Distance:2 kms

Destination.Heritage.timeTake01 hrs to 01.30 hrs

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus , situated on the south boulevard of Pondicherry in Puducherry, India, is an oriental specimen of Gothic architecture. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church.In recent years it has become one of the famous pilgrimage spots for Christians.

Distance from guest house700 ms

Time Travel from guest house700 ms

Rock Beach (or, known as, PONDICHERRY BEACH) is the popular stretch of beachfront in the city of Puducherry, India, along the Bay of Bengal. It is a 1.2-kilometre-long stretch in Pondicherry, starts from War Memorial and end at Dupleix Park on the Goubert Avenue.

Distance from guest house650 ms

Time Travel from guest house3 mins (approx)

The Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a spiritual community (ashram) located in Pondicherry, in the Indian territory of Puducherry. The ashram grew out of a small community of disciples who had gathered around Sri Aurobindo after he retired from politics and settled in Pondicherry in 1910. On 24 November 1926, after a major spiritual realization, Sri Aurobindo withdrew from public view in order to continue his spiritual work. At this time he handed over the full responsibility for the inner and outer lives of the sadhaks (spiritual aspirants) and the ashram to his spiritual collaborator, the Mother, earlier known as Mirra Alfassa. This date is therefore generally known as the founding-day of the ashram, though, as Sri Aurobindo himself wrote, it had 'less been created than grown around him as its centre.

Distance from guest house1.7 kms

Time Travel from guest house5 mins (approx)

Our Lady of Angels Church (also called Eglise de notre Dame des Anges, White Chapel, Kaps Koil) is the fourth oldest church in Puducherry, a Union territory in South India. The original structure was built in Greco Roman architecture by Napolean III in 1855, with the architect being Louis Guerre. It is the only church that offers mass in three languages namely French, Tamil and English.

Distance from guest house1.1 kms

Time Travel from guest house5 mins (approx)

The Botanical Gardens is spread over an area of 22 acres in the center of the city. The garden is a famous retreat for locals and tourists. It is spread with pruned trees, flower beds and fountains. Perrotet was responsible for transforming the place into a botanical garden. His memorial can be seen inside the garden premises. He introduced many exotic plants from all over the world. In 1960, after the Transfer of Power from the French, the garden became the hub of horticultural development in Pondicherry.

Distance from guest house1.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house5 mins (approx)

Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity.

It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as 'the Mother') and designed by architect Roger Anger.As stated in Alfassa's first public message in 1965

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

The French War Memorial in Puducherry, India (French : ‘’Monument aux combattants des Indes francaises morts pour la patrie’’) is a war memorial dedicated to residents of French India who died for the country during the First World War. It is on Goubert Avenue in Puducherry, located opposite to the Gandhi statue

The monument was erected in 1937 and inaugurated on 3 April 1938 by governor Crocicchia. A subsidy of 5,000 rupees was entered into the colonial budget and was granted "to the committee designated by the decree of 14 January 1936, for the erection of a monument to the memory of the inhabitants of French India who died for France during the 1914-1918 war." It was designed by the sculptor Gaston Petit and an architect named Delafon

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Charming White Town is known for the French colonial-era villas lining its leafy streets. Eateries from quirky cafes to upscale courtyard restaurants serve French, Indian, and Franco-Tamil cuisine, while small crafts shops dot cobbled lanes. The beachfront promenade is popular for evening strolls. Religious sites include the Sri Aurobindo Ashram meditation center and the ornate Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Police Museum in Dumas street in Pondicherry is one of a kind of Police Museum in India. It showcases the different uniforms and arms used by Pondicherry Police across the century. A nice place to spend some time here..

Inside it there are uniforms worn by policemen across generations are displayed. Also caps and arms used during this period. It is in the Dumas Street in the White Town area of the city.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Landscaped park featuring a Greco-Roman arch structure, plus flowers, a play area & fountains.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Landscaped park featuring a Greco-Roman arch structure, plus flowers, a play area & fountains.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

This is largely perceived to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Pondicherry. Its pristine golden sands, playing hide and seek with the shimmering waters of the Bay of Bengal; its secluded and quiet ambience are unbeatable and attracts thousands of visitors every year. The beach is fringed by lovely palm trees which wonderfully frames this excellent site. Visitors and locals love to spend moments of repose and relaxation here as the beach is also not over-crowded.

Situated at about 10 minutes’ drive from the northern quarters of the town, the name “Serenity” is completely apt for this beach due to its peaceful surroundings. One of the most popular activities here is surfing which is enjoyed by youngsters to the full.

A surf school and a weekend flea market will entertain you no ends. It is a great calming experience to take morning and evening walks here. You can also witness a large number of fishing boats and some greenery in the form of creepers as you explore the beach.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Arikamedu is an archaeological site in Southern India, in Kakkayanthope, Ariyankuppam Commune, Puducherry. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the capital, Pondicherry of the Indian territory of Puducherry.

Significant findings at Arikamedu include numerous Indo-Pacific beads, which facilitated fixing the period of its origin. Red and black ceramics—known as megalithic stones or Pandukal in Tamil meaning "old stones" and used to mark graves—have existed at the site even prior to dates of the trading post, and also in later periods.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Arikamedu is an archaeological site in Southern India, in Kakkayanthope, Ariyankuppam Commune, Puducherry. It is 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the capital, Pondicherry of the Indian territory of Puducherry.

Significant findings at Arikamedu include numerous Indo-Pacific beads, which facilitated fixing the period of its origin. Red and black ceramics—known as megalithic stones or Pandukal in Tamil meaning "old stones" and used to mark graves—have existed at the site even prior to dates of the trading post, and also in later periods.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

This four-meter square statue, the biggest Mahatma Gandhi statue in Asia, is surrounded by eight magnificent granite pillars which were brought from Gingee, a fort some 70kms from Puducherry. The pillars were erected in 1866, while the statue, placed opposite the old Pier, was inaugurated on January 26, 1965.

The square in front of the statue, referred to as Gandhi Thidal, plays host to various cultural, musical and commercial activities through the year.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

This four-meter square statue, the biggest Mahatma Gandhi statue in Asia, is surrounded by eight magnificent granite pillars which were brought from Gingee, a fort some 70kms from Puducherry. The pillars were erected in 1866, while the statue, placed opposite the old Pier, was inaugurated on January 26, 1965.

The square in front of the statue, referred to as Gandhi Thidal, plays host to various cultural, musical and commercial activities through the year.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

This four-meter square statue, the biggest Mahatma Gandhi statue in Asia, is surrounded by eight magnificent granite pillars which were brought from Gingee, a fort some 70kms from Puducherry. The pillars were erected in 1866, while the statue, placed opposite the old Pier, was inaugurated on January 26, 1965.

The square in front of the statue, referred to as Gandhi Thidal, plays host to various cultural, musical and commercial activities through the year.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Raj Niwas (translation: Government House) is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. It is located in Puducherry's capital city of Pondicherry. The present lieutenant governor of Puducherry is Dr. Kiran Bedi. Once it was the official residence of the French Governors.

The new House of the Governor was built on the former site of the Hotel de la Compaigne which was the origin of the present Raj Niwas. Initially, the Governor's House was built in the French Baroque style but it was destroyed in the year 1761 by the British. Later, the building was rebuilt in the Rococo style from 1766 onwards. The Raj Niwas was a rectangular, single storied structure running east to west with porticoes on either side of the flanked by two other rectangular wings on the east and west. It was later converted into a double storied House.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)

Vedapureeswarar Temple in Puducherry, in the South Indian union territory of Puducherry, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple was demolished by the French troops in 1748. Shiva is worshipped as Vedapureeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Tiripurasundari.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower. A Dewan named Dewan Kandappa Mudaliar expanded the temple with the help of public contributions in 1788.

Distance from guest house13.5 kms

Time Travel from guest house31 mins (approx)