The French first set foot here in 1670 and left a part of them when their undisturbed rule finished in 1954. Not much has changed since. The air filled with nostalgia and the present is living up to a heritage that speaks so much. A trip to puducherry is like a journey in time with a vibrant present celebrating its interesting past. “Puducherry” is the French interpretation of the original name “Puducheri” meaning “new settlement”.