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English
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Capital of Béarn and Prefecture of the Pyrénées Atlantiques
Pau and its agglomeration of nearly 150,000 inhabitants benefit from an exceptional geographical location, between the sea and the mountains. Life is peaceful in this pretty city of Paloise, always with the Pyrenees chain as a grandiose backdrop... This art of living and this atmosphere have inspired many poets and men of letters.
Pau of yesterday and today:
While until the 14th century it was only a small town, Pau will first develop under the impetus of Gaston Fébus but will only become the Capital of Béarn (after Lescar, Morlaas and Orthez) under Jean d'Albret and Catherine de Navarre returning from Spain.
The construction of the castle, first under the impetus of Gaston Fébus, then transformed into a Renaissance residence by Henri II d'Albert, marked a turning point. The castle became a place of artistic and intellectual life of the first order under Jeanne d'Albert who gave birth in these places to her son, Henri III of Navarre, who would become Henri IV of France. Béarn was then a small state.
After the death of Henri IV, the city will have great difficulty in recovering from the departure of its child, born within its walls and will only become influential again long after, when the revolution will make it the capital of the Basses Pyrénées later renamed Pyrénées Atlantiques .
But it was in the 19th century that modern Pau began to take shape under the Anglo Saxon impulse. The English troops present in Béarn after the battle of Orthez will discover in Pau a place with an ideal climate, a huge wave of immigration will thus lead to the construction of sumptuous villas and parks, which will model Pau to make it a harmonious and elegant. Let's not forget that the oldest 18-hole golf course in Europe is still today in Pau...
One of the modern turning points in the history of Pau is undoubtedly the discovery in 1951 of a very large natural gas deposit in Lacq which alone will lead to the economic development of the city, University, Grande Ecole of Commerce, Research Centers, Palais des Sports, Zénith, sports teams in the foreground, Formula 3000 Grand Prix each year... the second city of Aquitaine now has little to envy to its neighboring rivals which are Toulouse and Bayonne-Anglet and Biarritz, especially since the art of living is still cultivated there, it is good to live in Pau in the 21st century, Pau is the European city offering the most Green Spaces per inhabitant and let's not forget that Sea and Mountain are less than an hour's drive from the city center!
Visit in Pau:
The Castle of course, a mixture of several influences over the centuries, and its surrounding medieval streets.
Sully's 17th century residence opposite the castle
Place de la Monnaie, its tower and its beautiful residences
Place Royale, a splendid tree-lined square opposite the town hall and the Tourist Office.
The majestic Boulevard des Pyrénées, for its view of the Pyrenees chain and its orientation table.
The Palace and Beaumont Park, Restaurant, Brasserie, Gardens and Lounges, a privileged place to start your walking tour of the old town.
The Museum of Fine Arts, the Bernadotte Museum...
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Capital of Béarn and Prefecture of the Pyrénées Atlantiques
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Discover Béarn Pyrénées
