When the fam headed to the Paris of the East

Puducherry formerly known as Pondicherry greets you at its own pace I visited in the offseason with my family when the humidity lingered in the air but coming from Mumbai it felt like a gentler The abundance of trees calmer streets and noticeably cleaner air made the weather far more bearableEven though a trip like this is famous for a solo or friendsrsquo travel Puducherry can also give you a warm relaxing family time as well The place has a bit for everyone For my father who enjoys taking things in slowly the walking space at Rock Beach was his calling My mother a fan of French cuisine and photogenic places every nook and cranny of White Town served as a beautiful backdrop to her pictures Similarly for my brother and I always itching to walk around and explore the streets and buildings this was a perfect rendition of everythingWe spent five days between White Town and Auroville White Town the cityrsquos iconic French Quarter feels like a slice of Europe preserved in India Colonial buildings heritage faccedilades and streets bearing French names such as Rue de Bussy and Rue Suffren transport you to another era We stayed at the heritage Grand Hotel drsquoEurope The vehiclefree promenade stretching along Rock Beach offers one of the cityrsquos most charming experiences remaining open to visitors around the clockHow to get thereThere are flights from Mumbai to Chennai from where Puducherry is 3 hours away by road Hotels range from Rs 9000 per night for one roomA hidden gemCutlery at Paris RestaurantHidden away on the edge of White Town is The Paris Restaurant Open since 1978 this modest eatery has built a loyal following for its Vietnamese cuisine The chicken noodle broth is comforting while newer additions like the Vietnamese Chaiyo and Beef Steak are worth it Unlike White Townrsquos polished cafeacutes it is small dimly lit and tucked away in a shady area The prices are budgetfriendly and the Vietnamese artwork and chinaware add to its oldworld charmWhat you need to knowOne of the misconceptions about Puducherry is that it is simply ldquoanother Goardquo It isnrsquot Most restaurants wrap up by 10 pm with very few open beyond 11 pm The dress culture is relaxed but not as carefree Women may prefer to dress with some awareness to avoid unwanted attention Or you can just live your vacation the way you want which is what I didA quiet respiteAuroville replaces colonial streets with dense greenery Even if you spend a day here the town offers you a welcome pause The Auroville Matrimandir is worth seeing but be prepared to walk for 40 minutes to just catch a glimpse of the meditative templeSeashell huntingGreek Bay Hotel at AurovilleThe most unexpected joy of our trip came from something so simple like collecting seashells Paradise Beach reached by a short ferry ride was scattered with enormous shells while Auroville Beach became a treasure hunt for the big quirky ones The waves never made it easy It felt like playing kabaddi with the sea Before long my dad joined in and together we spent an hour or two chasing waves and comparing our finds We returned with pockets full of shells a few bruises from the rocks and memories Irsquoll always treasureAll the fish in the seaChicken Chettinadu at Cafeacute Cherrypond right Our gracious elaborate meal at Virunthombal Chettinadu Restaurant PicsTanisha BanerjeePuducherryrsquos food scene is best enjoyed with curiosity rather than a fixed itinerary Our seafood trail began even before we reached the city at Sanatana Beach Restaurant in nearby Mahabalipuram formerly known as Mamallapuram where we had a whole red snapper fresh and beautifully cooked Over the next few days we worked our way through seer fish squid prawns and an endless variety of crab The flavours were layered with aromatic local masalas that looked fiery but never overpowered the taste of seafoodA French dish called prawns bagel and cheeseFor something different Cafeacute Cherrypond serves an inventive blend of French and Tamil flavours while Cafeacute des Arts is perfect for breakfast with charming heritage interiors and crecircpes worth returning forThe red snapper fishThe standout moment came at Virunthombal Chettinadu Restaurant on the Puducherry to Chennai highway We asked for local food and the server smiled ldquoYou rest Irsquoll give you what you wantrdquo What followed was a feast that extended well beyond the menu mdash fried squid chicken fry prawns tiny river fish crab rice sambar rasam and seasonal vegetable preparations Four of us ate until we could barely move yet the bill came to around Rs 4000 My father the biggest foodie among us left with a broad smile and a generous tip for the attentive serverThe big five we collected at Auroville beachWANT TO HEAR FROM YOUWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experience review write to us at smdmailmiddaycom