The Lighthouse and Fishing Village Walk, Pondicherry

The promenade on Goubert Avenue is the obvious starting point. Walk south from the Gandhi statue, past the Schoelcher bust on Port Road, toward the old lighthouse built by French engineer Louis Guerre in 1835. The old lighthouse is now a landmark rather than a working light (it was decommissioned in 1979) but its proportions are elegant: 29 metres tall on a circular white base, visible for 15 miles at sea in its working days.

Two routes, one clear recommendation

There are two ways to reach the new lighthouse. The direct route goes past the cricket stadium. The other takes you through a small fishing village and is longer — but for many people it turns out to be one of their favourite walks in all of Pondicherry.

Leaving the busy modern road behind, you enter a world of small square houses and narrow alleyways leading off in all directions. To either side of the dusty street, brightly coloured saris swing on washing lines while children cycle past. Goats wander everywhere, nibbling at anything within reach.

As you go deeper into the village, the contrast with the upmarket cafes and bakeries of the French Quarter becomes striking. The lanes eventually open onto fabric warehouses lining the street, traditional wooden looms visible through open doors. Watch women pull and feed large bolts of cloth through their looms, working in patterns that have not changed much in a century. The occasional sound of a mobile phone alert is the only reminder that this is still the 21st century.

From the fabric warehouses it is a short two-minute walk to the lighthouse entrance.

The lighthouse

The new lighthouse in Dubrayapet (2km south of the White Town) is a black and white striped tower built in the 1970s. It began guiding ships safely around the coast in 1979, when the old light was retired. Remove your shoes before entering — this is required before you climb.

There is no lift. The spiral staircase of 250 steps is worth the effort, and worth pausing on: look up or down as you climb and the stairs form an eye-pleasing geometric spiral. At the top, a 360-degree viewing deck takes in the whole of Pondicherry, the Bay of Bengal, and the low flat country stretching west. Entry is 5 rupees, plus 25 rupees if you carry a camera.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 6pm. Closed Mondays. Occasional maintenance closures.

Note on swimming: The beach along the Pondicherry promenade is not safe for swimming. The current is strong, warning signs are posted, and lifeguards are present. Auroville Beach, 30km north, is the nearest safe swimming beach.