There are popular weekend getaways from each Indian metro, which have their own charm and lure. The prospect of some peace and quiet, a bit of green to soothe tired city eyes, a chance to explore a historical site or a relaxing drive up the hills are very often just a few hours away by road.

Delhi has got Jaipur or Dehradun, Mumbaikers can head up to Lonavla or Nashik, and Bangaloreans can choose between Coorg, Nandi Hills or Hampi. But, for Chennai-ites, the most obvious choice is heading out to Pondicherry, the laid-back ex-French colony that is just three hours away by road from Chennai.

More than touristy

Like Goa on the West coast, Pondicherry too is more a ‘State-of-mind’ rather than being just a tourist town. And very much like Goa, there are small quaint corners of Pondicherry that are waiting to be discovered. And, for those who are passionate about driving, the East Coast Road or ECR can be equally relaxing and engaging all the way to ‘Pondy’, a distance of about 150 kilometres.

The ECR is a simple median-less dual carriageway for the most part and it doesn’t even have the kind of spectacular sights of the sea that the Great Ocean Road in Australia offers. But, it still manages to pack in the satisfaction of driving on smooth tarmac (for the most part) and one can also get to visit some touristy places like the Crocodile Bank and historic temples like the ones in Mamallapuram.

Having a good car at hand for enjoying the trip can be crucial. A long week-end a few weeks ago presented the opportunity and we picked out the BMW 320d Luxury Line to make the trip. The new 3-Series is the right size for a fairly crowded two-lane stretch like the ECR, the torquey 2-litre diesel engine will provide much needed low-end pulling power for quick overtakes and the Luxury Line provided all the creature comforts that we sought. The big boot is also a help if you have to carry a lot of luggage for the weekend party.

Coasting along

Starting from the Marina beach in Chennai was just coincidental, but served to be a kind of teaser of more run-ins to come with the sea. Almost 30 kilometres of the ECR is just Chennai’s suburbs and can be a bit frustrating with chaotic traffic. But once you cross Mamallapuram, the traffic eases up and you can hope to stretch the car’s legs. The tree-lined ECR is now lined with new hotel properties and quite a few of them are of good quality with a clean stretch of the beach by the side too.

However, we chose to stay closer to Pondicherry town in a charming, little-known boutique property called Gaia’s Garden run by a French couple. Auroville and the Mathri Mandir were just a few kilometres by road on either side of the property. Pondicherry’s usual attractions are the beach, the promenade and Auroville. But, for the curious there is much more to see and experience in its old churches, artisan villages, cheese farms and the small French restaurants that serve fresh gourmet food. Our favourite was the pizzeria Tanto’s that is located on the road leading up to the Mathri Mandir. Want to check out the beautiful giant golf-ball-shaped Mandir, remember to take an appointment at least a week in advance.

To really awaken your senses, an early morning trip to the beach, especially on the outskirts of Pondy to witness the fishermen in trawlers bring in the catch can be a cathartic experience. Set against the glowing morning sun, the simple sight takes on a surreal hue.

To make the weekend more eventful, we decided to take the other route back to Chennai on the return. So, after the twisty and narrow ECR, the Grand Southern Trunk road or GST or National Highway 45 was more of long straight stretches of 3-laned highway. The other reason for taking this route was of course the possibility of our packing in another interesting stopover.

Just a short detour from the highway about 70 kilometres before Chennai is Vedanthangal. This is one of the oldest water bird sanctuaries in India and is home to some 40,000 migratory birds during peak season. Though March-April is late season, the sanctuary’s many lakes can still be seen dotted with water birds.

While there, we were reminded about our environmental responsibility and we were happy to note that the BMW 320d’s 2-litre diesel engine is the company’s most efficient with a carbon-footprint of just 141 gms of CO2 per km and a fuel economy of 18.9 kmpl.

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