MAISON TWENTY SIX

Hidden away on a quiet street in the French Quarter of Pondicherry, Maison Twenty Six is a gorgeous 120-year old historic garden house that was lovingly restored by its current owner to win the prestigious Vieilles Maisons Francaises (VMF) award for preservation of French architectural heritage, a rare honour for houses outside of France. Originally constructed in the early 20th century by a rich Franco-Tamil merchant named Xavier Condappa, who made his fortune in Vietnam (there is a road in Saigon named after him!), the house was bequeathed to his sons, and subsequently found its way to the current owner, who with the help of restoration architects, lovingly transformed this once neglected home into a beautiful expression of decadence, romance and rustic luxury set in a magical garden of greenery.

Built on two levels, Maison Twenty Six is set around a lush foliage filled courtyard with a central pillar of green trees, climbing tendrils, and tropical plants symbolising the Tree of Life, a theme that recurs in all of the house’s four bedrooms. Winding slate pathways lead to, arguably, the central gathering point of the villa – the courtyard verandah. Covered by a Madras Terrace roof and bolstered by two enormous Franco-Tamil columns and a series of teak pillars, a large carved pink mirror surrounded by five exquisite giant carved Kerala bull heads greets you. Tropical summer furniture makes for a lovely setting for drinks and meals, and you will find yourself inevitably spending most of your time here.