Pau and Surrounding Area
Pau Castle courtyard
Restaurants in Pau's castle quarter
The Palmeraie
Pau Castle - a gargoyle
Pau Castle
Jurançon
vinyards
Pau
Pau is a pleasant town ideally situated in south-west France, and renowned for its wonderful climate and its blue skies. In winter, the temperature can reach 25°C on a sunny day, ideal for lazing on the terrace of a café!
The palm tree-lined boulevard des Pyrénées, with its panoramic view of the mountains, is a delightful stroll from the castle to the Palais Beaumont and Beaumont Park.
Pau is an hour's drive from Biarritz, the Basque Coast and Spain, and only 40 minutes' drive from the nearest ski resort.
Pau,
the garden city
Pau, the "City of a thousand palm trees" is reputed to have one of the highest ratios of greenery per inhabitant per square meter in Europe. Palm trees, magnolias and flowers are ever present. Banana trees and other exotic trees and plants can also be seen in many of Pau's public and private parks and gardens.
Pau,
"the English city" in the 19th century
Pau was "discovered" in the early 19th century by the British who were attracted by its climate. The town became a popular resort with the British aristocracy who built many mansions ("villas anglaises") surrounded by large parks and gardens.
Some of the most beautiful buildings in Pau are a legacy of this period: villas, former luxury hotels transformed into apartment buildings. The Winter Palace, originally built in 1900 and situated on the edge of Beaumont Park, underwent extensive renovation and is now known as the Palais Beaumont.