The housing market in Pondicherry is a study in contrasts. The highly sought-after "White Town" features colonial-era French villas with high ceilings and internal courtyards; real estate here is extremely expensive and largely dominated by boutique hotels, wealthy expatriates, and heritage conservationists.
In the "Tamil Quarter" (Heritage Town), traditional Tamil row houses with *thalvarams* (street-facing verandas) are common. Moving outward to areas like Lawspet, Reddiarpalayam, and Ariyankuppam, the housing shifts to modern single-family homes and mid-rise apartment complexes. Rapid urbanization and the city's popularity as a retirement and tourist destination have driven property prices up, leading the government to pursue affordable housing schemes on the city's peripheries.
