CGH Earth Residence de l’Evėché: Piquant colours of the Franco-Tamilian find life at the 200-year old villa

After a trip of nine hours, two flights and a long tiring layover, as I entered the French quarter of Pondicherry, the bright yellows and blues of the buildings felt like a breath of fresh air. The pink bougainvillaeas around the big curved doors and the symmetry of the houses set a beautiful tone for the next two days. 

Set in the French Colony, where once lived the French Governor, stands this 200-year-old, dusty pink building with a big blue door — Residence de l’Evėché by CGH Earth. Dating back to the 1790s, it is a restored private villa that comes with a single-key concept. A three-bedroom home with an open courtyard in the centre is decked up with vintage art, prints and sculptures.

From the wooden partition in the living room to the modular kitchen, the hint of bright blue remains constant. Each room had a homely feeling to it. The whitewashed walls create a surreal backdrop to the period furniture, combined with refurbished interiors of colonial grace. The “no-menu” notion aims at achieving a home-like feeling. Passed on from a French family to a Bengali family, Residence de l’Evėché is a perfect blend of cultures. 

The Tamil palate 

As I sat for my first meal at the property, Tamil cuisine is a palette I had never experienced before. The prawn curry, mint butter chicken, rice, kela upkari, rasam, pickle and papad left me craving for more. Rasam with breakfast, lunch and dinner was something I had only heard of, but now I know – just can’t get enough of it!  The on-call-skilled chef, specialised in preparing delectable dishes from the distinctive Franco-Tamilian cuisine certainly adds a memorable touch to the culinary experience.

Additionally, a short distance away from the villa’s picturesque quarters lies the famous Promenade Beach, which acts as a nice breather. A trip to Pondicherry remains incomplete without a visit to the experimental utopian township of Auroville, where one forgets about their phone, social media and all materialistic things because of how peaceful it is. 

The last morning, as I bid farewell to Pondicherry, my heart yearned for the comforting palette of authentic rasam and the vibrant hues that painted my soul. Until I visit again, I’ll cherish the memories and eagerly await the day I can return to its homely abode.

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