From masala chai to Croissants: Pondicherry’s French affair!
Close your eyes and picture this: pastel-hued villas with bougainvillaea tumbling down their walls, cobblestone streets that could easily pass off as a postcard from Paris, and the faint aroma of fresh baguettes mingling with the scent of filter coffee. This isn’t a romantic daydream: it’s Pondicherry, India’s own slice of France.
But here’s the kicker: once upon a time, this coastal town didn’t just have French architecture, French bakeries, and French street names—it had a French Mayor too.
Before it became the Union Territory we know today, Pondicherry (or Puducherry) was the proud jewel of French India. For over 280 years, the French weren’t just visitors here; they ruled, governed, and added their own flair to daily life. And yes, that included electing French mayors to run the show.
One of the most notable among them was Édouard Goubert, the last mayor before Pondicherry officially merged with India in 1962. Goubert was no ordinary politician; he was a man who could switch between Tamil, French, and English without missing a beat, and was equally comfortable sipping tea with fishermen or attending soirées with French dignitaries.
Imagine attending a local council meeting where the minutes were read out in French, the debates were sprinkled with Tamil idioms, and the solutions had a dash of Indian practicality. That was Pondicherry under a French mayor, an unusual but fascinating blend of European administration and Indian warmth.
(Pondicherry in 1962, after merging with Indian Government)
While governance had its serious side including trade, law, and city planning; the cultural exchanges were where the magic truly happened. Streets were named after French heroes, French schools flourished, and the idea of joie de vivre (the joy of living) seeped into the town’s soul.
Under French influence, Pondicherry became a melting pot of flavours, fashion, as well as festivities. Think masala omelettes served with a buttery croissant, Tamil sarees worn with Parisian flair, and Bastille Day celebrated with as much gusto as Deepavali.
Even today, if you stroll through the White Town area, you’ll see colonial-era houses with brightly painted shutters, bakeries offering perfect éclairs, and locals who can still greet you with a polite Bonjour!
You might wonder, why fuss about a mayor from decades ago? Because the story of Pondicherry’s French mayor isn’t just about politics, it’s about how two vastly different cultures can coexist, influence each other, and create something utterly unique.
In a world where differences often divide, Pondicherry stands as a reminder that blending identities can produce harmony and some heavenly food.
Even after the French officially left, they never truly left. Their footprints are still here. In the French lycées, in the mustard-yellow façades, and in the quiet streets named Rue Romain Rolland or Rue Dumas, French flavour is still intact
And if you happen to visit during the French heritage festival, you’ll see it yourself - local kids performing French plays, chefs whipping up coq au vin next to stalls selling biryani, and music that makes you feel like you’re at a café in Marseille, not by the Bay of Bengal.
If you’ve never been, pack your bags. Walk the streets where history speaks in more than one language. Try the seafood curry one day and ratatouille the next. Chat with locals about their French ancestry over a steaming tumbler of coffee.
Because here’s the thing, Pondicherry is not just a place you visit. It’s a place that makes you feel you’ve stepped into a living painting, where every corner has its own story.
Pondicherry’s French mayoral past isn’t just a historical footnote, it’s the heart of what makes the town so enchanting today. It’s where the French tricolour once flew proudly alongside the Indian Tiranga, and where even now, a simple stroll feels like a cultural handshake between Paris and Puducherry.
Or as they’d say in both worlds—Merci, Pondicherry. Nandri, Pondicherry.
