the French

This former French town still maintains the charm and traditions of its erstwhile rulers to experience that mild Gallic air superimposed on a typical Indian background. Presences of French characters are evident all around. However, what impressively strikes the visitor is the physical layout of the ovalshaped townscape which depicts the emblematic French way of town planning, similar in essence to perhaps Nice or Cannes. The settlement bounded by a boulevard, expands westwards from the seaside promenade with all roads intersecting at right angles, dividing the entire district into small grids, thus making it almost impossible for anyone to lose their way. A grand canal earlier divided the land into two sections - one for the native Indians mostly Tamils called Ville Noire, or Black Town and the other known as Ville Blanche or White Town designed exclusively for the Europeans.

Parlez vous Francais?

That segregation still exists.

Ville Noire clogged with traffic, crowd, noise and chaos, has turned very much Indian and distinctly separates itself from the physical environment and ambiance of the impressive Ville Blanche that, to a large extent, has retained its image as it was under the French. This quarter is elegantly dotted with well restored 18th century office buildings flashing large French windows, grand mansions standing inside huge walled compounds, some overlooking the Bay of Bengal or a nice leafy park, while others flank clean and tidy roads made colorful by blossoming by the “Frenchness” of the atmosphere. With curiosity they look at policemen wearing red kepi, overhear vocabularies like bonjour and merci from passing residents who address them as Madame and baguettes from tiny bakeries, order French cuisine at local eateries and engage in conversation with some of the town’s 6000-odd French nationals, who affectionately call ‘Pondy - my home’.

Heritage and history

A strong French connection is sensed in the statues of French Governor Dupleix and Joan of