Puducherry (population about 221,000) is a charming seaside town on the Coromandel coast on the Bay of Bengal, located about 160 kms south of Chennai (Madras). Because the French ruled this territory for almost 300 years (1673 - 1954), they left a profound & lasting influence in the city & region, & today, the city stands as a living monument to that French culture, something quite unique in India. Many French families still live there, & many visit there as tourists, which explains why Puducherry is sometimes referred to as ‘India’s Little France’ or ‘The French Riviera of the East’.

In the French Quarter of the city it is said that "you could spend all your time there & not know you were in India. It is a quarter that "has a style & sophistication that borders on the chic, a word not often used to describe Indian towns". It is here you’ll find boules, boulevards & baguettes; elegant French buildings, grand colonial mansions, imposing Catholic churches, French street names & signs, policemen wearing the gendarme’s kepi, fine French restaurants serving coq au vin & crêpes Suzette, & shopkeepers who will greet customers with a jaunty “Bonjour”. [The city has two main quarters, separated by a canal - the Tamil (Indian) Quarter, known as Ville Noir (Black town), & the French Quarter, known as Ville Blanche (white town).]

At one time, the territory had numerous palm-fringed beaches, splendid seafront resorts, magical backwaters, quaint fishing villages & hamlets, & a handy harbor that made it a much-beloved tourist spot. However, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami did a lot of damage here so the area is in recovery mode. Today, the main attractions are the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, its associated new-age township of Auroville city, & its internationally acclaimed Yoga centers.

The European history of the area goes back to the 16th century when the European maritime powers - the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danes, & most importantly, the French, began arriving. The French established the French East India company at Puducherry in 1673 & transformed this once tiny fishing village into a grand port city & flourishing trading center. In the ensuing years, the European powers & Britain, who also wanted to establish trade with Puducherry, fought the French for control of the area. That control changed several times until 1814 when it reverted back to France for the final time until 'independence' in 1954.

When the British gained control of India in the late 1850`s, the French were allowed to retain their settlements in this area. Although the rest of India gained independence from Britain in 1947, it took 7 more years before the French handed their territory to India 1954. When they left, citizens were given the option of French nationality & several thousands did take up that offer. Today, nearly 20,000 Puducherry people live in France & nearly 10,000 French citizens live in Puducherry & area.

More detailed info here: http://www.pondichery.com/english/histoire.htm