PONDICHERRY: Exploring French India 🇮🇳 Solo India Travel Vlog

In this India Travel Vlog, I make it down to Pondicherry (Puducherry). Pondicherry is a beachside city in South India which used to be a French colonial settlement. Due to that it still has a big French influence - from many people speaking French to the French architecture and lots of French food (including tons of French bakeries)! I decided to start my day off by trying out a few French bakeries! My first stop was Zuka Chocolate Cafe. I didn't realize that it was only a chocolate store as opposed to an actual bakery, so I picked up some chocolate truffles to save for later (they were delicious)! I then went to Le Petit Four Cafe for a pain au chocolat and iced Americano (my coffee of choice). They didn't have iced Americano on the menu, but they made me one. It wasn't amazing, but the pain au chocolat was soo good! My next stop was my favorite: The French Loaf. They had a huge assortment of baked good as well as fresh baked bread! I got another iced Americano and an almond croissant - both were AMAZING!!! I also wanted to go to Bouche Sucree Cafe, but I didn't want to eat anymore this morning (I went the next day and it was also really nice)! I then stumbled upon my first big church in Pondicherry as I walked toward the Rock Beach. While you can't swim at the Rock Beach, there are lots of other beaches close to Pondicherry where you can both swim and surf. Along the beach promenade there is a huge statue of Gandhi which was across from a handicraft exhibition. I then continued walking to the main park: Bharathi Park. It was really nice and full of people. On the opposite side of the park I visited the Puducherry Museum. Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures or videos inside, but it was a cool little museum to see lots of artifacts from the area. Next I went to Sri Aurobindo Ashram. You weren't allowed to use your phones inside the ashram, however I really enjoyed visiting it! It was the most peaceful place I had been in a while, even though there were lots of people there!! I then left the French quarters to go back to the main street and see some of the Hindu temples in Pondicherry. I passed two others on the way to the main Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple. I didn't enter the temple as there were a lot of people inside, but the outside of all three temples were gorgeous and so colorful! From there I walked along the main street, passing the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. I stopped for a great salad at the Pasta Bar Veneto before continuing on to the far side of Pondicherry to see the Sacred Heart Basilica. Unfortunately something was happening at the basilica so I also didn't enter, but the outside of the building is definitely worth seeing as well! That concluded my first day exploring Pondicherry. It did not disappoint!! Pondicherry is unlike anywhere else I visited in India! It was so easy to walk around and I felt safe everywhere on my own. I'm so happy I visited!!

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00:01 Pondicherry Intro
00:42 Walking in Pondicherry
01:04 Zuka Chocolate Cafe
01:45 Cute Streets in French Pondicherry
02:13 Le Petit Four Cafe
03:28 The French Loaf Bakery
04:57 More Cute French Streets
05:22 Bouche Sucree Cafe
05:47 Our Lady of Angels Church
06:15 The Rock Beach Pondicherry
06:57 Gandhi Statue
07:08 Pondicherry Handicraft Exhibition
07:34 Bharathi Park Puducherry
08:26 Puducherry Museum
09:24 Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam
09:46 Sri Aurobindo Ashram
11:16 Shri Easwaran Koil
11:25 Shri Vedapuriswarar Temple
11:44 Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple
12:34 Walking the Main Street Pondicherry
12:53 Immaculate Conception Cathedral
13:24 the Pasta Bar Veneto
14:08 the Sacred Heart Basilica
14:56 Thoughts on Pondicherry

#pondicherry #puducherry #indiatravel #solotravel #southindia