LIFESTYLE BALADE Fleurs fraîches et épices odorantes du grand marché couvert, maisons créoles colorées, austères bâtiments de l’ashram de Sri Aurobindo, effervescence des commerces de rue sur fond de klaxons des scooters… Pondichéry, cité des contrastes, est en revanche peu tournée vers la mer. Incontournable, pour- tant, la promenade du front de mer qui s’étire sur plus d’un kilomètre et demi. Mais pour une retraite plus nature, mêlant baignade, yoga et soins ayur- védiques, il faudra rejoindre Dune, à une demi-heure de route, resort éco- logique de 15 hectares de jardins conçu par le Français Dimitri Klein, avec ses bungalows construits en matériaux de récupération et ses séances de watsu, expérience subaquatique associant thérapie émotionnelle et méthode shiatsu qui vaut à elle seule le détour. There’s no need to tell the trishaw owe their existence—and appeal—to driver the address. Eyes shut, he the hotelier Segiyane Sylvain Paquiry, knows the way to Villa Shanti, in the a Puducherry native raised in Paris heart of the White Town district of who has a knack for blending the best Puducherry. From morning coffee to elements of the dual culture that makes cocktail time, travelers and locals min- his city, once the headquarters of the gle on the patio of this Tamil building French East India Company, unique. dating from the 19th century, now a Two other establishments celebrate contemporary hotel-restaurant. The the meeting of past and present in renovation by French architects Tina White Town: Maison Bombaly and Trigala and Yves Lesprit gives the hotel La Closerie, recently opened by two a timeless, cosmopolitan aura, with a French entrepreneurs, Nicolas Petraut décor featuring 1950s furniture and and Louis Marie Billot. The former is a Indian craftsmanship (tiles, woodwork, wonderfully quaint B&B with a chic bar, fabrics…). In the restaurant, chef Michel and the latter is a boutique hotel with Christmann offers a tasting menu seven rooms, a pool and an adjoining combining French classics (fish cooked shop offering local treasures: all-natural sous vide and simply flavored with skincare products, candles, antiques… thyme and garlic) with locally inspired No visit to Puducherry is complete dishes: vegetarian coconut curry, betel without a stroll along the Seaside leaf salad, tandoori-baked cauliflower… Promenade, stretching out along Christmann also oversees the the waterfront for more than a mile. kitchen at La Villa, a peaceful haven For an even more nature-oriented of six suites renovated by the same experience, with yoga and Ayurvedic two architects. Here as well, tradition is treatments, the place to go is Dune, remixed for contemporary sensibilities: an eco-resort founded by Frenchman menus printed on paper made from Dimitri Klein just outside the city. The scrap cotton, a hand-painted map of watsu aquatic therapy sessions alone Tamil Nadu on one wall… Both Villas are worth the trip. Y ALLER : Vols AIR FRANCEParis-Chennai, rens. au 3654. airfrance.com SE LOGER : VILLA SHANTI, 14, rue Suffren, Pondichéry. lavillashanti.com LA VILLA,11, Surcouf St, White Town, Pondichéry. lavillapondicherry.com MAISON BOMBALY,1, Evêché Street, Pondichéry. LA CLOSERIE,32, Dumas Street, Pondichéry. lacloseriepondichery.com DUNE ECO VILLAGE AND SPA, 70, East Coast Road, Pudhukuppam,Keelputhupet. dunewellnessgroup.com AIR FRANCE MADAME / 227