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South India

Day 1: Paris-Chennai. Arrival in Chennai. Welcome by our guide at the airport, transfer and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 2: Chennai – Mahabalipuram (140 km). After breakfast, drive to Mahabalipuram. On the Tamil coast, the Pallava dynasty established a trading port in Mahabalipuram between the 7th and 8th centuries to export goods to Cambodia and Vietnam. The city is full of charm with its stonemasons, its tranquility, and the friendliness of its inhabitants. The morning will be dedicated to visiting the Shore Temple, one of the most famous and oldest temples in South India. Lunch. Afterwards, you will discover the Descent of the Ganges, also known as "Arjuna's Penance," a magnificent bas-relief fresco carved into a rock face. The entire hillside is covered with monolithic temples hewn directly from the rock. You will also see the Shore Temple, an iconic image of Mahabalipuram, built of granite by Pallava and erected on the seashore, from which it is separated by only a few dozen meters and protected by trees from the corrosive sea spray. A rocky breakwater was also constructed to protect the temple from strong tides and erosion. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 3 :Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry (140 km). After breakfast, drive to Pondicherry. This city was French for nearly three centuries. A certain nostalgia still lingers here today. From its founding, Pondicherry was divided in two: the White Town and the Black Town, separated by a canal. Lunch opposite the Alliance Française and near the annex of the Pondicherry Law School. This restaurant offers a wide variety of Indo-Chinese-Italian-French specialties. There's something for everyone. Then, a tour of the city. First, explore the old town, reminiscent of the French Belle Époque: the Lycée des Anges, the French school for the Far East, then Joseph's Workshop, a Cluny embroidery workshop, the war memorial, the monument dedicated to Gandhi on the waterfront, and the Dupleix statue. Then, a visit to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Originally, it consisted of only a few buildings, then it gradually expanded in many directions. The central point of the community remains the house where Sri Aurobindo and "the Mother" resided, on Marine Street. Sri Aurobindo, the Bengali philosopher and poet, founded the community that now bears his name with a French woman known as "the Mother." He envisioned a university town, "Auroville," to welcome scholars and artists of all nationalities. He abandoned his "outer" activities to dedicate himself to his "inner" pursuits. His tomb is a place of contemplation and veneration, where a true fervor reigns. Finally, a visit to the Manakula Vinayak Temple and a stroll through the market. You will participate in a game of pétanque! Continue to Auroville. Visit Auroville, which was founded by "the Mother," Sri Aurobindo's companion.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 4 :Pondicherry – Chidambaram – Tanjore (180 km). Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Chidambaram where you will visit a remarkable sacred complex, very characteristic of Dravidian India: the Temple of Nataraja. Shiva is worshipped there in the form of the god of cosmic dance. Two of the gopurams are adorned with sculptures illustrating the 108 positions of the Natya Shastra, the treatise on the dramaturgy of Hindu ritual dances. Lunch. Departure for Tanjore. Check-in upon arrival. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 5 : Tanjore – Trichy (100 km). Breakfast at the hotel.
Explore Tanjore with a visit to the still-active Brihadishwara Temple, dedicated to the god Shiva and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the largest in the world.
Then, visit the city, the former capital of the Chola dynasty, including the Saraswati Mahal Palace, built in the 17th century, which houses a superb collection of Chola bronze statues dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries, as well as the Saraswati Mahal Library, which displays 30,000 drawings on palm leaves.
Continue to Trichy. Lunch.
Visit the Rock Fort (437 steps!), from which there is a magnificent view of the walls and 21 towers of the Srirangam Temple, followed by a visit to this Dravidian-style temple. Stroll through the Chinatown Market, located at the foot of the Rock Fort.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 6 : Trichy – Madurai (190 km). After breakfast, departure for Madurai. Visit the city, famous for its production of Malligi (Jasmine) flowers, harvested within a 25 km radius of the city. Jasmine is the city's primary industry, and its extract is the base ingredient for a majority of perfumes worldwide. India produces nearly half of the world's jasmine. France is one of the main importers. Lunch

In the evening (around 8 pm), you will travel by tuk-tuk to the Sri Meenakshi Temple for the Shiva bedtime ceremony. Before returning to the "Holy of Holies," Shiva is carried by Brahmins to bid goodnight to his two sons, including Ganesh, the elephant-headed god. A truly moving experience! Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel..

Day 7 : Madurai – Periyar (165 km). After breakfast, continue to Periyar. En route, stop at a brick factory and have the option to visit a school (outside of Indian school holidays). Upon arrival in Periyar, check into your hotel. Lunch. In Periyar, you will have the opportunity to enjoy Ayurvedic massages, and in the evening, you can attend a Kalaripayattu martial arts performance. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8 : Periyar – Alleppey (195 km). Early in the morning, you will depart for a walk in the national park with an English-speaking nature expert, then return to the hotel for breakfast. You will continue your day with a visit to Periyar, nestled in the heart of the mountains, in part of the Western Ghats. It is one of the most important wildlife reserves in India (777 km²). Periyar boasts a splendid artificial lake with forests teeming with waterfowl such as the darter, heron, egret, and the agile kingfisher. You will then visit spice plantations, typical of India. Next, you'll embark on a boat safari on the lake for a better view of wild elephants, gaur, antelope, and monkeys, but be aware that the animals tend to be quite elusive. Lunch will be followed by a drive to Alleppey. The route winds through the Cardamom Mountains and past tea, rubber, and spice plantations (pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, etc.). A stop will be made at a tea plantation. Upon arrival in Alleppey, you will board traditional houseboats called "Kettuvallam" for a cruise on the backwaters. Houseboat amenities include air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms. A cooking session with a traditional Puthenangadi cook, a navigator/guide, and a viewing platform. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

Day 9 : Alleppey – Cochin (100 km). Breakfast on board. Morning sailing on the backwaters towards Alleppey. Peacefully, you will cruise through the countryside, along the banks, canals, and lagoons shaded by coconut palms, where traditional boats glide by. After disembarking, you will take a short tour of the city, also known as the Venice of India. Departure for Cochin. Lunch. Afternoon free time to stroll through the waterfront district, where you will see the immense Chinese fishing nets in action, evoking the memory of the first sailors. In the early evening, transfer to the theater where you will watch the actors' makeup being applied, followed by a Kathakali performance, featuring extraordinary characters in impressive masks who recount, in a unique dance and mime theater, the sacred legends of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Day 10 : Cochin. Breakfast.
Visit Cochin, also known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea." It is India's largest natural harbor. Cochin refers to a collection of islands and cities. It was here that the first European settlers arrived in India around 1500, led by Vasco da Gama, who died here with the title of Portuguese Viceroy of India. His tomb exists, but his remains were actually taken to Lisbon. Your visit to Cochin will begin at the Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays), or Mattancherry Palace, where you will see some of the finest murals, as well as artifacts that belonged to the ruler of Cochin, Raja Veera Kerala Varma (1537-1561). You will also see Cochin Fort, as well as St. Francis Xavier Church, the oldest European church in the country. It was built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan monks who accompanied the expedition led by Pedro Alvarez Cabral. Originally made of wood, the church was rebuilt in stone around the mid-16th century. Lunch, free time, dinner, and transfer to the airport according to your return flight schedule. End of our services.

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