An enclave enclosed by the state of Tamil Nadu, the city of Pondicherry lies on the Coromandel Coast south of Chennai. It began life as a French trade centre in 1674, when it was purchased from a local ruler. Long the capital of French Colonial India, and now something of a seaside resort, it preserves many French characteristics, with neatly laid roads, a wide and vibrant beach promenade and echoes of French colonial history that include the French names, handsome churches and public buildings of an unique bygone era.