Pau is a common French, chief town of the department of the Yrénées-Atlantiques and located in the area Aquitaine.

Pau is the capital of the Béarn. It counts 82.500 inhabitants and his urban surface 216.830 inhabitants. Pau is the 3rd economic and university center great south-west after Bordeaux and Toulouse.

Its name in Béarnais is Pau (delivery), toponym which one initially wanted to attach to “stake” (pile) because the initial castle was surrounded by a palisade. In fact the name probably comes from the pre-indo-European root stake/ball meaning escarpé rock, which corresponds to the site of the initial establishment

Its inhabitants is called Palois and Paloises.

Its currency is Urbis palladium and gentis.

Geography

Pau is located at a hundred kilometers of the Mer (Atlantic Ocean) and at about fifty kilometers of the Montagne (the Pyrenees). The Spain - moved away fifty kilometers as the crow flies - is easily accessible, via Oloron, by the Col of Somport (1631 meters) and, via Gan, by the Col of Pourtalet (1794 meters).

The city, located at an average altitude of 200 meters, is crossed by the Gave of Pau - the gave is the name given to a torrent in the Pyrenees - taking its source with the Cirque of Gavarnie and the tributary main thing of the Adour, where it is thrown after having traversed 175 kilometers. The grounds of the commune are also sprinkled by the Luy de Béarn, affluent of the Luy, by the Ousse and the Ousse of Wood, affluents of the Gave of Pau and by the Uzan, affluent of the Luy de Béarn.

Its localization with the foot of the Pyrenees confers an exceptional panorama to him on the chain of the Pyrenees in particular since the Boulevard of the Pyrenees, long avenue of 1,8 km facing the chain of the Pyrenees. This single panorama will make say to Lamartine in connection with Pau: “Pau is the most beautiful sight of ground of the world as Naples is the most beautiful sight of sea”.

Pau is located at 198 km in the west of Toulouse, 30 km of Tarbes and Lourdes, 25 km of Oloron and 40 km of Orthez/Lacq. The agglomeration BAB (Bayonne-Rebated joint-Biarritz) is distant of 110 km; Bordeaux, Toulouse and Saragossa are distant of 190 km. Pau is served by the Aéroport the Pau-Pyrenees, the TGV Atlantique and the highway A64. The city is connected to the Spain by the Tunnel of Somport. The highway A65, whose completion is envisaged in 2010, will connect Bordeaux to Pau and should be prolonged towards Oloron-Holy-Marie by the highway A650.

Communes bordering

List districts

Principal districts of the town of Pau :

  • Center Town (Districts Castle-Hédas-Royal-Clémenceau-Thicket-Forail-Markets);

  • District of July XIV;
  • district of the Station (south-Bizanos-Nitot);
  • District of the Hamlet (is);
  • District gone of Morlaas (is);
  • District Trespoey (south-eastern);
  • District Berlioz (northern);
  • District Saragossa (northern);
  • Ousse District Of Wood (northern) (known also under the name of ODB);
  • District Verdun (western);
  • District Fair Expo (western);
  • District Alsace-Lorraine (mid-west);
  • District Mermoz-Saint Joseph (western);
  • District University (north-western);
  • District Bridge-Length (north-western);

Flowered city

Pau was rewarded for 4 flowers () to the Concours for the cities and flowered villages.

Climate and vegetation

Its geographical location, not far from the Pyrenees, confers on the city a Micro-climat rather soft. The average of the minima for the winter months is higher than 0 °C. The temperatures lower than -5°C are rare and those lower than -10 °C exceptional. Snow is also extremely rare there. In summer, the maximum ones are about 20 °C with 30 °C, and very seldom reach higher temperatures with 35 °C.

The Pluviométrie is strong, about 1100 mm per annum (to be compared with Paris, 650 mm, Bordeaux, 900 mm, Toulouse, 650 mm). The Brouillard S are not very frequent and hardly persist beyond midday. It is especially the absence of wind which characterizes the climate of the area paloise: in general they are zero or very low and the very rare strong winds.

This climate made it possible Pau to become, at the end of 19th century, a vacation resort snuffed by the English, Russian and Brazilian middle-class. To the 19th century, the British doctor Alexander Taylor, allotted, indeed, of the healing virtues “sedative” to the climate palois.

Thanks to this soft and rather wet climate, one also could decorate the gardens, the parks and public spaces of the town of plants coming from southernmost areas (Palmiers).

History

See also: History of Pau

Pau is a founded Castelnau on an unknown date, in second half of 11th or with the whole beginning of the 12th century, to control a ford of the gave which was used for the passage of the shepherds in Transhumance between the mountains of Ossau and the pastures of the plain Bridge-Length. A castle is built, dominating northern bank, at equal distance from Lescar, seat of the bishops and Morlaàs, capital of the Viscounts of Béarn.

The name of the city appears at the 12th century. In 1188, Gaston VI of Béarn joins together there its court majour , ancestor of the sovereign council. At the 13th century, Gaston VII of Béarn makes build a third turn.

At the 13th century, Gaston Fébus makes add brick a keep, an enclosure strengthened external with a tower of the Currency.

In 1450, Pau becomes capital Béarn , after Lescar, Morlaàs and Orthez.

In 1464, Gaston IV of Foix-Béarn, after having married Infante de Navarre, transfers its capital from Orthez in Pau . The city is equipped with a communal charter; fairs are held there, just like the States of Béarn. It makes transform the curtains of the castle into home. In 1512, it becomes capital kings de Navarre then is equipped in 1520 with a sovereign council and a room with the accounts.

In 1527, Henri d' Albret, king de Navarre and sovereign lord of Béarn, marries Marguerite of Angouleme, sister of François I {{er}}: she makes transform the castle in the style Renaissance and makes create splendid gardens.

In 1553, his/her daughter, Jeanne d' Albret, is confined there of Henri de Navarre while singing as inhabitant of Béarn, so that the future Henri IV is “neither timorous, nor balked”. The lips of the future monarch are baptized with wine of Jurançon and garlic.

The troops of Charles IX take the city, but Jeanne d' Albret takes it again in 1569. She massacres there the chiefs catholic S made captive with Orthez.

Catherine of Bourbon, sister of Henri IV, controls there the Béarn in its place.

In 1619, Pau revolts. Louis XIII occupies it and, in 1620, attaches Béarn to France and transforms the sovereign council into Parlement of Navarre, gathering the courses of Pau and Saint-Palate.

Pau counts a new enclosure in 1649, then a university in 1722. The October 14th 1790, it is declared chief town of the department of the Low-Pyrenees. This statute to him is removed the October 11th 1795 with the profit of Oloron-Holy-Marie, then definitively returned the March 5th 1796. Napoleon I {{er}} proclamation its interest and contributes to save the castle, a time become prison. In 1838, Louis-Philippe the fact of restoring with boldness, attempting to emphasize the characters medieval and Renaissance. Napoleon III adds a double turn framing a false entry, in the west.

After the Monarchie of July Pau becomes, between 1830 and 1914, one of the health resorts and sporting most famous of Western Europe. In 1842 the Scottish doctor Alexander Taylor (1802 - 1879) there recommends the winter cure. The success of its work is important and Pau becomes a vacation resort snuffed of the British. In 1876, one counts 28  there; 908 inhabitants. The English settle and benefit there from the first Golf of the continent, hunting for the Renard ( Pau fox hunt ) and of the races held on the hippodrome Bridge-Length. The boulevard of the Pyrenees, the sumptuous palate of winter - equipped with a Palm house - and hotels of international class - Gassion and France - offer a luxurious and majestic framework to the concerts and receptions which proceed there.

The first flights in balloon take place in Pau in 1844 and the first flights in Avion, starting from 1909, year during which the Frères Wright open there the first school of Aviation in the world. Pau accommodates only the seven world manufacturers of planes until in 1914 and becomes the world capital of aviation. The military academy of aviation, which forms the aces of the First World War, then the school of hunting of France, settle there. There fly the French Thénault, Simon, Codos, Bellenger, Garros, Nungesser, Guynemer, the Artigau Inhabitants of Béarn and Macé among so much on others and side American Lufbery, Thaw, Chapman, the brothers Prince, Mc Connell, among most famous.

Pau also sheltered the 18 {{E}} IH, 1 {{er}} and 18 {{E}} CCP (regiment of hunters parachutists) were stationed in the city. All took part in the various conflicts of the XXe century. The 18th CCP was dissolved in 1961, to have contributed to the putch of the Generals of Algiers. It had contributed before to the takeover by force of 1958 which put an end to IVe République. The 1st CCP was always of barracks in 1983 with the Camp of Idron when one of its elements was struck in Beirut by the attack of the Drakkar building, which made among its troops 58 victims.

In 1957, the exploitation of the layer of gas of Lacq, discovered in 1951, gives a new rise to the area. Pau strongly develops its cultural activities, sporting and university.

Heraldic

Administration

Second town of Aquitaine, Pau is the capital of Béarn, the prefecture of the Yrénées-Atlantiques and the chief town of six cantons (even if only five of them bear its name):

Mayors

Chairman of the board of the Pole of Santé
(Hospital) François Mitterrand of Pau

André Labarrère dies the May 16th 2006 of a cancer. He succeed Yves Urieta, elected by the municipal council the May 30th. Meanwhile, the duties were taken over temporarily by Martine Lignières-Cassou, first associated and appointed 1st district of the Pyrenees-Atantiques.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Pau consists of 14 assistant and 34 city council men.

  • to note the death of Yves Baradat, 5th assistant of the mayor on September 12th, 2007.

Intercommunality

The town of Pau belongs to four inter-commune structures:

  • the Community of agglomeration of the Pau-Pyrenees which gathers 14 communes of the agglomeration paloise.
  • hydraulic trade union of installation of the basin of Ousse
  • intercommunity association of the recreational center of Narcastet
  • intercommunity association of defense against the floods of the gave of Pau.
  • council of development of Large Pau

History of the logos

. Research in géosciences also puts back on Université partnerships/undertaken in particular with the Federation of Applied research to the Oil Genius (IPRA), made up mixed teams of CNRS/Université research of Pau and Countries of Adour (UPPA) and TOTAL (the IPRA represents 130 teachers, researchers and allocatees, an annual budget of 1,5 million euros and 6 Masters scientists). Research and engineering in géosciences are also present through specialized companies (CGG, Paradigm Géophysical, TTI, VERITAS…) established, for the majority, on the site of the Hélioparc Technopolis and the specialized training centres (IFP Training, NExT-Schlumberger, Wellstaff, Baker Hugues…).

The basin of Pau and Lacq was also directed towards fine chemistry (Acetex, Celanese) and new materials. An high technology of composite materials and the nanomatériaux ones gradually developed in Béarn with the Company of carbon fibers (SOFICAR) and the GRL (Grouping of Searchs for Lacq), one of the principal research centres of ARKEMA.

Also developed recently the investments around new energies and other energies: the bio-fuels (site of manufacture of bioéthanol of company AB Bioenergy France, investment of 150 M€), the biomass (cellulose) and electrical production starting from gas (production site of the SNET, investment of 400 M€). A single pilot in the world of process of collecting and sequestration of the east also in progress (industrial investment of 100 M€).

In the long term, these activities of fine chemistry and specialities, will make it possible to ensure the reconversion of the traditional activities of extraction on the basin of Lacq.

The whole of the energy complex (Chemparc) represents 12.000 direct uses today.

Pau belongs to the world pole of competitiveness in the sector of aeronautics Aerospace Valley with Toulouse and Bordeaux. The aircraft industry is represented by great industry groups (SAFRAN, Turboméca, Messier Dowty, Examéca, MAP…), and a big number of subcontractors. With Biarritz/Bayonne (Dassault) and Tarbes (EADS Socata, Tarmac), the zone of the Countries of Adour is an area strongly directed towards aeronautics (12 000 employment). These companies intervene on the programs Airbus A380/A300/A330/A320 (landing gears, carbon fibers, tack welded, aérostructures), Eurocopter (driving, parts of machining), Boeing (landing gears) and Embraer. Pau also accommodates the center of maintenance of the helicopters Tigre of the Army ( ALAT ). The airport zone in particular (Aéropole Pau the Pyrenees) is in full expansion and gathers under treating aeronautical and automobile.

The sector of the drug company is in rise and is represented by the companies Pierre Fabre, Boiron, Sanofi, Finorga. A gathering pole Bio-health of the industrialists of pharmacy and biology is created in 2006 around the companies Pierre Fabre and DBI.

The economy paloise also rests on industry Agro-alimentaire in the fields of the Maïs, the processed products (dairy products, canning facilities, meats) and of wine industry (Group Euralis, Candia, Bongrain, 3A, Michaud, Miot). With 400 researchers, Pau is the first European research center on maïsiculture.

The sector of electronics and electromechanics counts also several industrial sites in the agglomeration paloise (Legrand, Arelec, Aquitaine Electronique, Siemens).

Services

Pau also concentrates the regional seats of many services companies as a capital of the area " Country of Adour" : banking environments (CA the Pyrenees Gascogne, Banks Pouyanne…), insurance (MIF, MSA.), BTP (FARMHOUSE Group, Cance.) and services with companies (APR, YSA, Vitalicom…).

The NTIC experienced an important development with the deployment of the Fiberoptic in the agglomeration and the establishment of specialized companies in data processing, the networks and the image processing. The technopolises Helioparc (near to the University, 1.000 employment), Multi-media Quoted Pau (technopolis in the north of the city, 700 employment) or the @LLEES (old head office of Elf) concentrate a great number of software firm and schools of computer engineers. Pau would have, in the long term, being entirely connected to an optical fiber network ( Pau Broadband Country ) which allows a flow from 10 to 100 Megabits (and 1 Gigabit/s for certain companies) and of the applications of the telephony types on IP, online services, webTV . Pau is the third town of Europe, after Stockholm and Milan, to have developed an high banc network very (THD) out of fiberoptic: the project cost 30 million euros and was spread out over five years. This network encouraged the installation of French companies and foreign specialized in imagery, services or design on line.

Pau, gathers all the functions and administrative seats of an agglomeration with regional vocation: Court of Appeal for the departments within the competence of Pau (the Pyrenees Atlantic, of the Moors and Gers), Regional Hospital, Chamber of commerce and of industry Pau Béarn, Guild chamber of the Atlantic Pyrenees, Room of Agriculture of the Atlantic Pyrenees, SDIS 64, University of Pau and the Countries of Adour etc the Chamber of commerce and of industry of Pau Béarn manages the Airport the Pau-Pyrenees, Group ESC Pau, the Consular Hotel, the CNPC and the IPC of Pau.

In 2006, the Chamber of commerce and of industry Pau Béarn whose seat is in Pau counts 11.000 industrial society and commercial recorded.

Pau is also a town of congress, conferences and of tourism of businesses with infrastructures which make it possible to accommodate national events and international: centers of congress of the Beaumont palate, a casino, an exhibition site and hotels 4 stars (hotel Beaumont Park, hotel Navarre Villa).

The town of Pau shelters several army corps: the 5th Regiment of Combat helicopters (RHC) which will be the first regiment of France to being equipped with the new apparatus " Tigre" , the School of the Airborne Troops (ETAP), the State Major of the Brigade Special force Ground, like its air component, (DAOS), and the central office of military administrative files (Bernadotte Barracks). The sector of Defense represents a little more than 2.000 direct uses on Pau.

Transport

  • Pau is served by the Pau-Pyrenees airport, the TGV Atlantique (which put Pau at 2 hours of Bordeaux under the best conditions of comfort) and the highway A64 from Bayonne to Toulouse. The city is connected to Spain by the tunnel of Somport. The highway A65, whose completion is envisaged in 2010, will connect Bordeaux to Pau and will be prolonged towards Oloron-Holy-Marie by the highway A650.

  • the international airport of the Pau-Pyrenees is connected directly to the airports Paris Charles-of-Gaulle and Paris Orly (10 return tickets per day), to Lyon (3 to 4 return tickets per day), London (1 return ticket per day), Brussels - Charleroi (3 to 4 connections per week), Amsterdam (3 to 4 connections per week), Bristol (3 to 4 connections per week) and towards 30 destinations in correspondence. It accommodates 750.000 travellers per annum. Connections towards Barcelona, Rome, Stockholm and Oslo are being studied for 2008. The airport of Pau projects to accommodate 1 million passagers/an within 3 years. The airport of Pau mainly has customers of business related to the large companies of the area (Total, SAFRAN, Arkema, Lindt.) but see its customers of tourism increasing (ski stations of the Pyrenees, Lourdes, cultural tourism) while being based on the connections towards London and Amsterdam. The airport of Pau belongs to the 3 airports of south-west (with Bordeaux and Toulouse) to being equipped with a lander all times (ATT).

  • Two construction projects railway are being studied: prolongation and the restoration of the line Rail network of current France on line at high speed TGV since Bordeaux towards Spain via the east of the Moors (which will put Pau at approximately 3:00 of Paris) and the reopening of the transborder connection Pau-Canfranc (Spain) which will connect Pau to Saragossa.

  • the funicular ensures, on a purely free basis, the connection between the district of the station, either the low city, and the boulevard of the Pyrenees, or the high city. After one year of work of handing-over to the standards, the service took again on November 25th, 2006.

The correspondences between all the lines of bus take place to the Pôle Thicket since August 2006.

    • the quays has and B are on the Place of Spain.
    • the quays C and D are with the Course Thicket.
    • the quay-Station is in front of the post office.
    • the quay-Gambetta is located street Gambetta.

The correspondences between the departmental and regional lines take place with the Pôle Thicket since August 2006.

    • Street Mathieu-Lalanne
    • Boulevard Joseph-Barbanègre

See also: Lines of bus of Pau

, “festival of the musics and cultures of the South” created in 2005;

  • Festival images mountain;
  • Festival Zébullitions;
  • Mosaïka Festival;
  • Festival Russian Pau city;
  • Festival urban session;
  • International forum of the plain people autochtones (of which the single service in June 2006 was completed by voluntary liquidation and the setting in liquidation; one year later the judicial enquiry follows its course);
  • Meetings of the French cinema.

Sport

City since always very sporting, Pau is equipped with many important infrastructures and several clubs of high level sport.

Clubs

  • Basketball: the club of the Élan inhabitant of Béarn Pau-Orthez is the one of most prestigious French club and account nine championships of France (1986, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004), six cuts of France (1991, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2007), three Tournament of the Aces (1991, 1992, 1993), one Week of the Aces (1993) and a title of winner of the Cut Korac in 1984 (Cut of Europe). In 2007 the club rose in the signal 16 European;

  • Canoe-kayak: the Pyrenees-Water-Sharp club counts three Olympic champions: Patrice and Tony Estanguet, Fabien Lefèvre;

  • Fencing: the Section paloise fencing is one of the most prestigious clubs of France. Since its creation, in the district of Hédas, of many Olympic champions and world are resulting from the club. Since 1959, the Section ensures the continuity of this Olympic discipline with its credit, three world medals, several places of finalists out of world cup and 26 championships of France. The six disciplines are taught: the sword, the foil and the saber for the men and the women under the crook of the fencing masters Alain Coicaud, Laurent Vicenty and Michel Salesse. The Section is classified first of the clubs of South-west to the three weapons and among the best French clubs. The season 2005-2006 was an exceptional vintage which saw several candidates palois, carried out in particular by Julien Medard, Timothé Lallement and Romain Miramon, to gain national and international titles into individual and team;

  • Handball : club of Pau Nousty (National 2);

  • Baseball and Softball: the Pumas of Pau were champions of France in 2004 and finalist in 2006;

  • Sports of mountain (ski, climbing…) : Pyrénéa Sports (club of mountain, ski and fencing).

  • air Sports: The flying-club of Béarn, the oldest flying-club of France, dark by Paul Tissandier in 1909 following the stay of the Wright brothers in Pau, where they had founded the first flying school in the world.

  • alpine Club French: the section of Pau was created in 1886 (Alpinisme, Randonnée, Ski of mountain, Canyoning…)

  • Parachuting: the area of Pau, famous for its weak exposure to the wind, is a high place of parachuting and concentrates several clubs. Pau accommodated besides several championships of the world and is the seat of ETAP.

  • Rugby:

    • the Section paloise, club created in 1902 is one of oldest and the most prestigious club of French Rugby. The Paloise Section gained three championships of France (1928, 1946 and 1964), three Cuts of France (1939, 1952, 1997) and a Challenge European (2000). Recently, the club took part in 2 semi-finals of the French championship (1996, 2000) and a semi-final of H Cup (1998). The club appeared in the elite, '' signal 16 '' become '' signal 14 '', until 2006;

Equipment

  • the stage of water-sharp, in construction, will probably open in 2008. It accommodates in particular the pole elite of the team of France of Kayak. Based on the model of the basin of the Olympic Games of Athens, it will accommodate the championships of the world cayak in 2009;
  • the nautical stage: the external swimming pool shelters two basins, including one Olympic, and a pit with dive;
  • Horse relaxation of the banks of the gave: riding school equipped with a pony club, for initiations, training courses, stroll;
  • the hippodrome Bridge-Length: it is the second horse center of France, behind Chantilly and in front of Houses-Laffite for the obstacle race. It disputes there twenty-eight meetings of obstacles and dish per annum. The course of steeplechase is one of most frightening of Europe. The center of drive of Be useful shelters six hundred horses;
  • the road racing set and motor bike of Pau-Arnos located at Arnos;
  • the jaï-alaï (Basque ball), inaugurated in 2006. It is more the Basque big room of ball in Europe (2 600 places) and only (in France) where are held sporting bets. The championships of the world of Cesta Punta (Basque sport) should have proceeded there in 2006;
  • two golfs are located close to Pau: the golf of Artiguelouve and Pau Golf Club 1856, located at Billère. Created by Scot in 1856, it was the first of the continent and one of oldest of the world. It offers a course of 18 holes and its club-house of style victorien shelters a restaurant and a bar with British environment;
  • the Sport hall of Pau: one of the most beautiful rooms of Europe, with 7.856 sitted places. It is the 2nd more big room of France after Bercy. Sit of the Dash inhabitant of Béarn, it is also used the proof Coupe Davis, with the championships of the world of handball or the championship of France of gymnastics;
  • the plantier of Pau: , the ancestor ninepins of the bowling, are practiced there with a ball of 6,2 kg and nine skittles of 96 cm;
  • the Stage of the Hamlet, stage of 13.966 places located at the east of the city, sits of the Section paloise Rugby and Pau football club. The stage has 2 covered platforms, a room of back in shape and a club house;
  • the stage of Rugby of the Cross-of-Prince, historical seat of the Section paloise;
  • the stage Andre-Lavie, stage of athletics of Pau and place of drive of the university sporting teams. This site will be with the honor to receive the competition Interville Pau-Saint Jean de Luz on August 13rd, 2007;
  • the wall of climbing of the SUAPS: higher wall of climbing of Aquitaine and the Midday-Pyrenees, it is a high place of drive of climbing Pyrenean.

dominate the gave. Its two turns oldest date from the 12th century. The quadrangular brick keep has raised him by Sicard de Lordat at the 14th century. The fortress thus made up was transformed into palate rebirth by Marguerite of Angouleme then restored under Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III. In short, the castle was thus fortress of the Viscounts of Béarn, strong Château of Fébus, cradle of the good king Henri IV ( Nouste Enric ) and royal residence with the rebirth.

See also: Castle of Pau

  • Initially turn of guet defensive below desired the castle by Gaston Fébus, then a time known as " turn of Moulin" , the channel skirting it actuating as of the 15th century the flour mill of the castle, the tower of the Currency owes today its name in Henri II of Albret which, in 1554, in fact a monetary workshop. Today pretext with the establishment in its center of an elevator, one beat there currency until the Révolution.

  • Near the castle, the Parliament of Navarre , thus named, sees its origins in the fastening of Béarn to the crown of France under Louis XIII in 1620. But, it is established, in fact, in older law courts which had been built since 1585 in particular instead of the house of the bishop of Lescar. Set fire to in 1716, it is rebuilt but very quickly abandoned with the profit of the current law courts. The General advice settled there and always holds its sessions to with it.

See also: Parliament of Navarre

  • However, inaugurated in 2000 at its feet, the Hotel of Department , building of glass on which reflects certain masonries of the boulevard of the Pyrenees, gathers today the totality of the administrative services which are dependant for him.

  • the current law courts , was built on the territory of the old convent of Cordeliers. The place of the Release takes part today in the majesty of this building whose frontage is classically decorated overhung columns themselves of a white marble pediment. Its construction began in 1847.

  • the municipal services implantairent in the current buildings of the town hall only in 1878. The building, located at the north of the Royal place, is in fact an old theater going back to 1862, the project aiming at building the Saint-Louis church there launched in 1685 and started again in 1788 not having never succeeded. Thus, is explained the statue of Thalie, MUSE of the Comedy to the spangled face, which decorates its pediment.

  • Old de luxe hotel of the Beautiful-Time in direct competition with the hotel Gassion , the hotel of France , located at the east of the Royal place, shelters from now on the services of the Communauté of agglomeration of the Pau-Pyrenees and is the second decisional center palois.

  • the station , of style Eiffel, is inaugurated in the 1871 below downtown area.

  • the funicular , which ensures the connection with thehigh one, historical center, accommodates since 1908 the travellers come from the station or setting out again towards it.

See also: Funicular of Pau

  • the Palate Beaumont , originally called Palate of Winter, is born at the end of the 19th century. Mixing the architectural styles, it is several times altered and must be rehabilitated in 1996 after one half-century of lapse of memory. It accommodates a casino but is especially a center of congress theater of various demonstrations such of the seminars, living rooms…

  • It is quite naturally that of 1825 to 1875 a barracks in Pau is built gradually, prefectoral city near to the border. The barracks Bernadotte , where the public records of the Army are located today, thus has acceuillie since 1830, two regiments. The current place Verdun become carpark and called in the past Napoleon place, was, in fact, a closed zone of exercises.

  • This barracks owes its name in Bernadotte, French warrant officer born in Pau and become king of Sweden under the name of Charles XIV. the native house of Bernadotte , shelters today a museum in particular impossible to circumvent for the Swedish tourists.

  • the college Louis-Barthou , in the beginning college of Jesuits, is built with the call of Louis XIII probably between 1622 and 1645 for re-establishment of Catholicism. It counts famous former students such Lautréamont, Louis Barthou, Saint-John Perse, Pierre Bourdieu, Daniel Balavoine, Henri Emmanuelli….

See also: College Louis-Barthou

  • Renovated in 2007, the Center Thicket , is a shopping mall with the contemporary architecture in full downtown area. Borrowing its name from the marshal Thicket with the very close statue, it was built on the site of the old hospital of Pau.

  • the Palate of the Pyrenees , second shopping mall in full heart of the city, had a tumultuous history. Under its current form, it seems to have found the spirit of 1808, that is to say that of the " passage of Napoléon" , commercial passage announcing the " market moderne" from 1838, destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century. The Palate of the Pyrenees of 1930, or Palate Commercial and Festivals, is, him, a complex covered art déco comprising trade but also theaters, a casino or a miniature golf… The return to the original spirit starts in 1951 with the destruction of the cover of the central alley, the palois finding the sight on the Pyrenees. Four buildings are constuits by heightening. It is, however, in 2006 qu ' it apparâit, to trust of its hoods of glass and steel, under its current appearance.

  • the Departmental records are intallées, since 1971, in two buildings from of which one with the particularly atypical pace because of its tiny triangular windows thought as well as possible to protect the preserved documents.

  • the Faculty of Letters and Social sciences and the House of Agriculture , presenting similar architectures dating there still surely from orée from the Seventies, break in their resemblance so much the first humbly seems to be melted in the vegetation whereas the second seems to want to mark a relative monumentality.

Remarkable built places

  • Boulevard of the Pyrenees: created on the initiative of Napoleon i in prolongation of the Royal Place. 1800 meters length, the panorama, beyond the slopes of Gelos and Jurançon, extends from the Pic of Annie (2504 meters) to the Pic of the South of Bigorre (2865 meters) - surmounted of a famous astronomical observatory universally for the quality of its Photographie S solar and planetary (NASA made use of it to prepare the missions Apollo) - and includes in particular the Pic of the South of Ossau (2884 meters), of ic nature Volcan and with the characteristic and often symbolized shape of hook, the Balaïtous (3146 meters) and the Vignemale (3298 meters), plus high summit of the French Pyrenees.

The characteristic of this avenue overhanging the the Pyrenees is the presence of plates of orientation, allowing by an alignment with the factory chimney downwards, to recognize the great tops of the assembly line;

  • Clémenceau Place and avenue of Lattre de Tassigny: place-agora and center commercial-street in the course of completion;
  • Place of Spain: gathering buildings with the contemporary architecture;
  • Place of the States: crossroads of transhumances until the Rebirth;
  • Gramont Place: together architectural of the 18th century, with many terraces the summer;
  • Place China-aster: bordered of arcades with equipment of rollers, it was formerly place of the market and one drew up there the gibet and coils it for the capital executions;
  • Royal Place: created by Louis XIV, it was arranged in its current form with the statue of Henri IV pennies the reign of Louis Philippe;
  • Hédas: old and popular district, formerly that of the craftsmen; it sheltered also Tour of the Torturer; it is built around a ravine that before a brook crossed, in the middle of the historical city.
  • Trespoey: very raised district, sheltering many villas of English style of the 19th century; it is the district of the most middle-class city, historically crested. The most prestigious town halls from now on are installed there, (the Villa Navarre, Beaumont).
  • Quoted administrative.

Parks and gardens

Pau is also a green city: more than 750 hectares are occupied by the green areas, with many rare and exotic species. In certain districts, for example Trespoey, the villas bathe in the vegetation:

  • paths of Roy, connecting the high city to the low city;

  • contemporary gardens of the Hotel of the department, low city;
  • gardens of the castle;
  • Johanto gardens, on the buttresses of the boulevard of the Pyrenees, with its many and vigorous Palm tree S;
  • Beaumont park with Lake, River and cascades, many solid masses of Fleur S, vast rubble and rosery;
  • park of the castle;
  • Park Lawrence, park with the trees centenaries, in a district with the many English villas of the 19th century;
  • banks of the gave of Pau with Billère and Jurançon, downstream from the Bridge of Spain and of the water running Stage.

Labels

  • 4 Flowers of the label flowered City of association Cities and Villages Flowered (since 1983);

  • Friendly City of the Children UNICEF;
  • SIGNAL COM of gold for its Internet site in 2006, price which rewards each year the best actions for communication;

Famous personalities

Born in Pau

Died in Pau

Others

  • Henry Russell, is buried there;
  • Agatha Christie, then child, lived one year there;
  • Dornford Yates (pen name of the British novelist Cecil William Mercer) there lived of 1922 with 1940;
  • Alexis Leger known as Saint-John Perse lived there of 1899 with 1906, where he was pupil with the Lycée Louis-Barthou, just as Guy Debord (author of the Company of the Spectacle ) in the years 1940, and with the XIXe Isidore Ducasse, (Lautréamont, author of the " Fields of Maldoror ")
  • Francois Bayrou: city council man town of Pau of 1983 to 1993 and unfortunate candidate with the town hall of Pau. Inhabitant of Béarn convinced, Francois Bayrou lives, inter alia in Pau, although its native house is located at Bordères. He was also member of the General advice of the Yrénées-Atlantiques of 1982 to 2001,6 times appointed of the 2nd district of the Yrénées-Atlantiques and 3 Ministre times. He was also President of CDS, then of Democratic Force, then of the UDF and in 2007 of the MoDem which he founded
  • Pierre Bourdieu, sociologist, studied there
  • Daniel Balavoine, originating in Bizanos studied there
  • Henri Emmanuelli, French Politician, studied there
  • Louis Barthou, Politician French lived in Pau
  • Saint-John Perse, Politician and French poet grew there

Twinnings

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