Away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, Puducherry is a quiet little town on the southern coast of India. Pondicherry is the capital city and the largest city of the Indian union territory of Puducherry. Though very small, Pondicherry was the largest French colony in India. The city has a long and interesting history of trade and war. There is a strong French influence in the city, especially in the old quarters, with Rues and Boulevards lined with Mediterranean style houses and bakeries, although the city remains very much Indian. French is still understood, and the whole city makes for rather pleasant mix of East and West.