Raj NiwasOnce the official residence of the French Governor Dupleix, Raj Niwas has a well laid out garden with a sculpture of Lord Vishnu (as Varaha avatar) together with Goddess Lakshmi at the centre. The building is a harmonious fusion of both French and Indian style of architecture. Now it is used as the official residence of the Lt. Governor of the UT of Pondicherry.

Statue of Mahatma GandhiStatue of Mahatma GandhiA statue of Mahatma Gandhi, 13 ft height stands on the beach front, surrounded by carved monolithic pillars built by the famous sculptor Roy Choudhary from Madras School of Art and Crafts. There is also the “French War Memorial” commemorating the sacrifice of the soldiers in the First World War.

Statue of DupleixStatue of DupleixJoseph Francois Dupleix, a great statesman was the Governor of Pondicherry between 1742 and 1754. His life was greatly associated with the people of the Pondicherry. He had tried his best to prevent British Supremacy from Indian Territory by making alliances with local princess. In the struggle for power between British and French, finally French was defeated in the Second Carnatic War. Hence Dupleix relinquished his Governorship and returned to Paris in disgrace. His memorial statue is located at Goubert Avenue.

French Institute of IndologyFrench Institute of IndologyThis classical colonial building is now called as the French Institute of Indology, a research institute that explores Indian civilization, history, society in ecology and environmental development in South and Southeast Asia. Established in the mid 1950s by an eminent French Indologist, Dr. Jean Fillozet, the institute was originally set up for the study of local language and culture. Now it has links with various French universities and research organizations in France. The centre is also dedicated in preserving palm leaf manuscripts and promoting the Indian languages. The building has a very well decked entrance gate with pediment, arched staircases, arcades and windows.House of Ananda RangapillaiLocated at Rangapillai Street, this house built in Tamil-French style was the home of an 18th century Indian nobleman – Ananda Rangapillai, the favourite courtier and chief Dubash (trade agent) of Francois Dupleix. The building represents an unusual fusion of French and Indian styles. This lavishly furnished house offered fascinating glimpses into a bygone era. Now it houses a museum that retains very little of its past glory. Prior permission is required to visit the mansion.