History:
There are various references to the word Poduke, a port town on the coromandal coast, in history. The identification of a Roman trading centre in the immediate vicinity of Pondicherry adds weight to the equation of Poduke with Pondicherry. Although this has been suggested by more than one writer, the equation of Poduke with Puduvai the name by which the town was known in the early days, seems to be more acceptable. According to tradition, the town was once upon a time an abode of scholars well versed in the Vedas and hence came to be known as Vedapuri. During the days of Ottakoothar and Kambar in the 11th and 12th centuries, Puducherry was known in its shortened form as Puthuvai.
Joseph François Dupleix became the Governor of the French Territory in India on 15 January 1742 and brought Madras also under French control in September 1746; Madras continued under French rule for 30 years. An attack on Pondicherry by the British in 1748 failed. Dupleix's help to Chanda Sahib and Musafer Jung in 1750 added Villianur and Bahour, a group of 36 villages, to French control. This was the peak period of the French regime; thereafter there was a decline in their sovereignty.
Internal disturbances in Pondicherry gave the British the opportunity, in August 1793, to gain control of Pondicherry; it was administered as part of Madras till 1815. However, after the Treaty of Paris in 1814, the British restored the settlements, which the French had possessed on 1 January 1792, back to the French in 1816. French rule continued till 31 October 1954.

Geography:
Puducherry consists of four noncontiguous regions: Puducherry, Karaikal, and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahé on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry and Karaikal are by far the larger ones, and are both enclaves of Tamil Nadu. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, respectively.
The territory has a total area of 492 km2 (190 sq mi): Puducherry 293 km2 (113 sq mi), Karaikal 160 km2 (62 sq mi), Mahé 9 km2 (3.5 sq mi) and Yanam 30 km2 (12 sq mi). It has 900,000 inhabitants (2001).

Weather:
The tropical paradise of the union territory of Pondicherry with its exotic cocktail of the sun kissed white sands and the emerald green seas and plenty of bright sunshine is an irresistible attraction for tourists all across the world. The salubrious Pondicherry weather undoubtedly augments the tourism potential of the union territory. 
The archetypal tropical climate characterizes the Pondicherry weather. Searing hot summers and mild winters define the weather of the coastal union territory. Driving monsoon downpours when the overlooming nimbus clouds unfold to unveil a rich blue skies are also typical of Pondicherry. The months spanning between January to July are usually dry while October, November and December witness pouring rains that nearly wash away the coastal villages. Often, it also rains cats and dogs in the stretch extending from July to September. Seasonal showers brought forth by the northeast monsoon are also not an unusual affair.