Urban stroll in Pau, royal capital

Pau
Culture and Heritage

Royal, English, cosmopolitan, illustrious and modern at the same time, Pau is a surprising city that offers its visitors a summary of nine centuries of history at the foot of the Pyrenees. Pau is a city on a human scale that lends itself pleasantly to strolling, to discovering its majestic heritage, its green parks and its lively shopping streets. So what to see in Pau if you are passing through for a day or just for a few hours ?

The city is quickly tamed and reveals the richness of its heritage step by step by giving a taste of the charms of the Béarnese capital. Let yourself be carried away by the gentle way of life, stroll through the heart of the gardens, visit the superb castle and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the city center. Enough to make you want to come back for longer!

Pau, heir to a unique art of living in a garden city.

Nestled in the heart of the Gave de Pau valley, at the crossroads between the Pont-Long plain and the trans-Pyrenean paths, Pau is a city where life is good ! Combining history and modernity, Pau often tops the list of the most pleasant cities to live in France. For a day, I venture into its alleys in search of historical monuments to admire and soak up the atmosphere of this true balcony over the Pyrenees. The history of Pau is fascinating. Perched on a rocky promontory, the city was founded in the 12th century by the lords of Béarn who built a castle there to strategically monitor the river, commonly called the " gave ". In the 16th century, Pau became the seat of the Kingdom of Navarre, a leading political and intellectual center. The history of the city is marked by the birth of the future King Henry IV in 1553 in the royal castle. During the Belle Époque, the city of Pau evolved into a real holiday destination for the bourgeois elite who had superb villas built there. These wealthy winter tourists from England, the United States and Russia came to enjoy the city's mild climate, its casino, its baths and the nearby Pyrenees ! An original glorious past, a strange destiny that the city's architecture fully reflects today, to the great delight of its visitors.

Pau Castle dominates the city

Pau: history, gardens and a breath of fresh air!

Rainy day in Pau

A stop at Maison Constanti to start the day off right!

A visit to Pau is a must during my trip to Béarn-Pyrénées, but today the sky is overcast! No matter, the weather won't spoil my pleasure of discovering this ancient royal city. I put on my rubber boots, wrap myself in my coat, and take out my hat to brave the elements. To keep my feet dry, I push open the door of Maison Constanti, a charming tea room located on Boulevard des Pyrénées, to enjoy a moment of relaxation and meet a friend to plan our visit to the city. In this Pau institution founded in 1923 by the grandfather of Jean-Luc Constanti, who now runs the shop, a gourmet break is a must. The menu is full of classic and original teas and delicious coffees of all kinds. To accompany a hot drink, the temptation is great between the (very) soft lemon cakes, the macaroons, the warm croissants, the spicy corn bread and a variety of sweets from Béarn! An address not to be missed! Well restored, we set off to conquer the city to explore the essentials of its heritage and its tourist attractions in record time.

1. The Pyrenees Boulevard

The famous Boulevard des Pyrénées, the Croisette of Pau

The sky is clearing! We begin our visit to the city by walking along Pau's 2km long "Promenade des Anglais" : the Boulevard des Pyrénées. A symbol of the city's tourist craze since the 1840s, this boulevard is a showcase of Pau's elegance, offering a superb panorama of the Pyrenees as far as the famous Pic du Midi d'Ossau and the mountain slopes. An exotic feeling takes over us as we walk along this long boulevard lined with magnificent palm trees. In 1891, engineer Jean-Charles Alphand estimated that Pau lacked a long promenade suitable for peaceful strolls, for strolling and strutting. Built between 1894 and 1896, this promenade overlooking the city and beautiful gardens below is a remarkable technical feat for the time, built on the large arches of the viaduct supported by 49 pillars. Going up the Boulevard des Pyrénées truly embodies the history of the capital of Béarn in the 19th century, a popular destination for the wealthy where high society and luxury were displayed in all their splendor!

2. The funicular

Built on a rocky spur, Pau welcomed its first train in 1863 to its station in the lower part of the city, bringing visitors from all over the world. However, the bourgeoisie had to be able to easily reach the Upper Town where the villas and private mansions were located. A direct and effortless connection was needed to transport passengers from the central station to the Boulevard des Pyrénées, the Place Royale and the Palais d'Hiver in Parc Beaumont. The funicular was inaugurated on February 15, 1908 to climb the 30-meter drop, a journey costing 10 centimes at the time. Today, this century-old facility is free and welcomes nearly 650,000 travelers per year, both residents of Pau and tourists who appreciate its practical and folkloric side.

3. The Château de Pau and its Renaissance-style gardens

Head to the Domaine national du Château de Pau, home to the famous birthplace of Henri IV, protected as a Historic Monument. During a guided tour, we delve into the history of the birthplace of "our good King Henri", King of France and Navarre. A feudal castle initially built in the 12th century, this emblematic monument of the city has become over the centuries a royal, imperial and national palace and today a museum! A poignant testimony to more than nine centuries of rich and eventful history.

Leaving the castle, we enjoy a walk in its Renaissance gardens, characteristic of medieval techniques and an ancient garden art that combined the useful with the pleasant. At the time, vegetable plantations rubbed shoulders with flowers, medicinal herbs and vegetables of all kinds. Meticulously maintained, squares of ornamental plants in flamboyant colors make it a little corner of paradise for all lovers of nature and plants!

3. Beaumont Park

At the end of the Boulevard des Pyrénées, in the heart of the city, Parc Beaumont is the next stop on our visit. In this same place, the Palais des Congrès and the Casino de Pau, closed since 2019, proudly stand. A true haven of peace, you will find in this park, emblematic of Pau's history, bodies of water, winding paths, shaded lawns, a theater, and a whole range of flora and fauna that flourish far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many species representing the exotic plants introduced in the 19th century can be found in Beaumont Park: Himalayan cedars, Californian green sequoias, catalpas, paulownias, magnolias, palm trees, Judas trees, bald cypresses, etc. Acquired by the city in 1878 from the Count of Beaumont, a Winter Palace was built in 1899 to serve as a high place of social life and entertainment for the bourgeoisie. Don't miss the superb palmarium with its neo-rococco Belle Epoque style structure in glass and metal characteristic of the end of the 19th century. This splendid building now hosts conferences and congresses as well as the stage of the Pau Pays de Béarn Symphony Orchestra.

4. Stroll through the historic center and do some shopping

Around the castle, the historic heart and its pedestrian streets await us for a journey through time. Reserved for pedestrians, Rue Joffre and Rue Serviez offer beautiful boutiques, Rue des Cordeliers presents pretty houses with colorful facades... In the République district, the Halles de Pau are the meeting place for gourmets and an incredible range of local know-how. And if we took advantage of our stroll in the city center to do a little window shopping ? We have the choice with a concentration of good addresses for shopping in a small perimeter. Everything is done on foot in Pau! From Place de la Libération to Place Clemenceau, from Place d'Espagne to Place Royale, the district is a concentrate of heritage and the art of living in Pau with its cafes and restaurants, its lively and friendly atmosphere.

But still…

A few hours in Pau passed quickly, but certainly aroused the desire to deepen our knowledge of this city with its prestigious heritage: the Museum of Fine Arts houses one of the most beautiful collections in Aquitaine, the Saint-Martin church dates from 1871 and has flamboyant interiors, the Tower of the Giants tells the story of the Tour de France, the Bernadotte Museum illustrates the story of a soldier from Pau who became king of Sweden!