Want to take home a stunning keepsake from sunny Pondicherry? Then, Cluny Embroidery Centre is a shopper’s dream come true. Housed in a stunning 18th-century building, the Cluny Embroidery Centre is run by a local convent and supports underprivileged women. Set up in a heritage bungalow that’s over two hundred years old, just roaming around the expansive property is worth your time. You can drop by and pick from a range of home linens with dainty, hand-stitched designs. Run by Catholic nuns, the workshop employs underprivileged women from around Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. They are trained in intricate needlework and you can actually watch the women at work on your trip here.
The embroidery facility is over forty years old (the French woman who donated the building insisted that it be used to help women in need). And while they do take orders from fashion labels, you are welcome to browse through and pick up their products at the centre. If you’d like to give your home a touch of vintage charm, this is the place. They do tablecloths and napkins with delicate designs like colourful birds or floral work. Butterflies, animals, and sea creatures are some of the other motifs you’ll spot. You can also purchase hand towels, kerchiefs, and other linen. The facility is open to visitors for only a few hours a day, so make sure you call ahead.
