Pondichery, INDIA
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A laid-back destination on the South-Eastern coast of India resounds with reminders of a colonial rule that lasted for 280 years. In Pondicherry, a slice of France lives on thanks to an intriguing intermingling of cultures, best epitomised in the colonial-style French villas that line the tree-shaded narrow streets. Pondy’s diaspora is also showcased in its Creole cuisine, which is a fascinating fusion of Tamil and French cooking. Get your culture fix with a food tour that takes you deep into the heart of native flavours with a local Pondicherrian family.
Nearly three centuries of French colonisation has left a lasting impact on the culture of Pondicherry, as is apparent in the native cuisine. A mix of French and Tamil cooking styles showcases itself in slow-cooked dishes delicately spiced with fragrant curry leaves, bay leaf, cinnamon and clove. Thin and creamy gravies are cooked in coconut milk to balance the chilly quotient and raw mango is added for sourness.
Crepes and baguettes are more of a rule than an exception, often preferred over the regional staple of rice. Many recipes like Ragou Papillote still retain their French names. The most interesting element of Creole cuisine in Pondicherry is that it borrows heavily from multiple food legacies including Portuguese, Dutch, Vietnamese and Bengali. Dig into this unique melting pot of gastronomy with a meal at the home of a local Pondicherrian family.
Start with a culinary walk to the market with your host to select seasonal vegetables and meat or seafood. Over a live cooking demonstration in the kitchen, witness Creole cooking in action, while you help your host stir up a storm. Conversations can move to food traditions and regional tastes, so feel free to interact and indulge your curiosity. Learn about heirloom family recipes or secret techniques that have been passed on for generations. Finally, join your host at the dinner table to enjoy the fruits of labour as part of your personalized holiday in India.
Transport: Private Car + Walking 
Activity level: Easy
Accessible to wheel chair: Yes 
Kid friendly: Yes 
Languages: English and Local Language 
Inclusions: Guide (English) / welcome drink / Cooking demo / lunch or dinner / 3 course menu (veg / non-veg) / Dessert / tea or coffee 
Exclusions: Personal Expenses and Souvenir. 
Gratuities: Not included in tour cost;payable at guest's discretion 
Meet up location: Hotel Pick Up 
End of tour location: Hotel Drop Off Duration: 5 Hours Price: upto 2 adults ₹4200 | Price upto 2 adults | : ₹4,200 |
| Children | : Complimentary for children below 10 years |
25% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 15 to 10 days prior to the tour date.
50% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 9 to 5 days prior to the tour date.
No refund if cancelled less than 5 days prior to the tour date.
For group size more than 4 adults, write to us at info@footprintholidays.com
We can arrange other language speaking guides based on your request and availability
The tour can be customised to suit your needs like change of time, change of pick-up point, etc. You can write to us to info@footprintholidays.com customise your tour as per your preferences.
I will begin by saying that I had a FANTASTIC time in India. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken and I'm truly looking forward to hopefully having you book other trips for me in India.
I must say everything was planned to perfection. Each guide in every city was knowledgeable; especially the guide you arranged for us in Udaipur. We really enjoyed getting to know our guides Musheer and Kishore. We experienced the real India and appreciated the detailed itinerary your team created for us. The hotels were fantastic! In every hotel, the chef paid us a visit to make sure that we had meals suitable for us. We also enjoyed all the extra shopping excursions that were suggested.
The trip was a mega success and your team did a great job. Thanks to Footprint for everything. The entire family had a great time! The exclusive kalaripayattu demonstration was absolutely engaging and we loved every bit of the special private stand-up by Alex Babu (of Alex in Wonderland fame).
Thank you for a great trip! We especially enjoyed driving through the desertland into Jaisalmer; we also thoroughly enjoyed Bikaner, its Havelis and the Fort. Catching the daily life in Mumbai was a unique and eye-opening experience! All the hotels chosen are excellent with wonderful staff. Thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful trip to Kerala. We loved the village life walk and Fort Cochin walk. The backwater cruise in a traditional country boat was an incredible experience. A meal with the local family, living on an island in the backwaters, offered us an excellent opportunity to interact, learn and share. We loved every minute of our holiday! Thanks!
As a solo traveller, I felt safe and was exceptionally well taken care of. The cooking class in Jaipur was extremely enjoyable. The food, chef, and his wife were all exceptional and made for a lovely evening. Also, our expectations were definitely exceeded at a private residence, spending time with the elephants and lunching. Thanks!!
I loved India and thank you very much for arranging everything. It was a fabulous trip. Big kudos to you and your team. The tour guides and drivers were excellent. I loved the artisan walk, discovering the artistic treasures of Udaipur, meeting local potters and painters.
Thanks for arranging everything to precision – it was super smooth and we had a very good darshan!
Thanks for organising a great trip to Lucknow and Varanasi. The hotels at both the places were excellent; we had a great guide in Varanasi who went beyond the designated tour route and showed us around. The food tour in Lucknow was amazing and re-discovering the Awadhi Cuisine was a great experience – the kebabs were out of the world!
It was a terrific experience to spot the King of the jungle in all their glory at Gir. We had a very good experience overall.
It was a perfect leisure getaway – thanks for organising this! We loved the French Connection Trail; the guide took us through the French quarter sharing some incredible stories from the colonisation. We enjoyed the hotel and the service!