Ecole Francais - in India?

This weekend I went with a friend to Pondicherry, a coastal town about 162 km south of Chennai. Our 200 year-old hotel, once a spacious house with high ceilings, was located within the area once known as the "Ville Blanche," meaning "White Town". When wandering through this French section, one could almost be mistaken in thinking that they were in France. Street signs, the characteristic blue metal background with white letters, are written in French. Names of hotels, restaurants, and even schools also bear French names. A pleasant park is a short walk away from the beach promenade, replete with benches, a central stately white colonnaded government building, and leisurely strollers. Near our hotel was the Ecole Francais d’Extreme Orient, one of many grand French buildings painted in bright hues. Even the streets were cleaner in this area.
Pondicherry was actually one of several French colonial settlements throughout the country, part of a scheme to gain dominance over India and possibly oust the British. In the late 1600’s, the French began building up Pondicherry, transforming it from a small fishing village into a town with a strategic port. The English and French fought for control over the town until 1816 when the French regained control, lasting until 1954 when the French handed over the city. Although the city’s grand buildings were destroyed during the French-English bickering, the French stubbornly rebuilt on top of old foundations.

Today Pondicherry is a popular destination for French tourists. Ties to France continue to be strong.

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