Pau
Encyclopedia
Pau is a commune
on the northern edge of the Pyrenees
, capital of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
département in France. It was also the capital of the Béarn
region. It forms the communauté d'agglomération of Pau-Pyrénées
with 13 neighbouring communes to carry out local tasks together. The Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour
, founded in 1972, means there is a high student population. The Boulevard des Pyrénées
is 1.8 km from the Château de Pau
to the Parc Beaumont, with views of the mountains. Alphonse de Lamartine said: "Pau has the world's most beautiful view of the earth just as Naples
has the most beautiful view of the sea."
The origin of the name is uncertain. One tradition suggests it is a derivation of pal, from the palings around the original château. Another is that the name refers to a ford across the river administered by the church, the pious. More recent research suggests the pre-Indo-European word for a rockface was pal or bal and that the name refers to Pau's position at the foot of the mountains. The name of the town appeared in the 12th century. The inhabitants of the city are known as palois. Their motto is Urbis palladium et gentis.
, where a ford gave passage to the Pyrenees. The Gave, which becomes a torrent when mountain snow melts, begins in the Cirque de Gavarnie. It is the principal tributuary of the Adour after 175 km. The crossing was used for pasturage for sheep in the high meadows. The old route is now a hiking path, GR 65
, that runs 60 km south to the border.
The other rivers of the region are the Luy de Béarn, tributary of the Luy, the Ousse, and the Ousse des Bois, which flow into the Gave de Pau, and the Uzan, which joins the Luy de Béarn.
Pau is located 200 km west of Toulouse
, 30 km from Tarbes
and Lourdes
, 25 km from Oloron. The conglomeration of Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz is at 110 km, Bordeaux
190 km. Pau is served by the airport of Pau-Pyrénées 10 km away. There are limited scheduled flights to Amsterdam
, London, Southampton
, Dublin, Lyon
and Paris.
A TGV
rail line on the line to Paris and from Bayonne to Toulouse, and the A64 autoroute to the east. The A65 is due for completion in 2010 and will link Pau with Bordeaux.
The Funiculaire de Pau
links the city centre and Boulevard des Pyrénées to the railway station in the valley. The Société des transports de l'agglomération paloise (STAP) operates 13 urban bus routes, serving Pau and the adjoining communes.
The site was fortified in the 11th century to control the ford across the Gave de Pau. It was built on the north bank, equidistant from Lescar, seat of the bishops, and from Morlaàs, and became the seat of the viscounts of Béarn
. Pau was made capital of Béarn
in 1464. During the early 16th century, the Château de Pau was made more habitable by Gaston III, count of Foix and became the residence of the kings of Navarre, who were also viscounts of Béarn.
In 1188, Gaston VI assembled his cour majour there, predecessor of the conseil souverain and roughly equivalent to the House of Lords
(but predating it). Gaston VII added a third tower in the 13th century. Gaston Fébus (Gaston III of Foix and Gaston X of Béarn) added a brick donjon (keep).
Pau was birthplace of Henry IV of France
. His mother, Jeanne d'Albret
, crossed into France to ensure her son would be born there. The baby's lips were moistened with the local Jurançon wine and rubbed with garlic shortly after birth. When Henry IV left Pau to become King of France, he remarked to local notables that he was not giving Béarn to France, but giving France to Béarn.
Napoleon III
refurbished the château and Pau adding streets of Belle Époque
architecture, before the fashion transferred to Biarritz
. Pau is still a centre for winter sports and equestrian events, with a steeplechase
. King Charles XIV of Sweden
, the first royal Bernadotte
, was also born in Pau.
Following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
, Mary Todd Lincoln
stayed in Pau in the late 1870s, toward the end of her life.
, that dominates that quarter of the city. It is famous for being the birthplace of the 16th century king of France Henry IV and was once used by Napoleon as a holiday home during his period in power. It has a small garden that was tended by Marie Antoinette
when she spent her summers in the city. The château is now considered a French historical monument and contains a collection of tapestry
.
. Today the mainstays of the Béarn area are the oil business, the aerospace industry through the helicopter turboshaft engines manufacturer Turbomeca
, tourism and agriculture. Pau was the birthplace of Elf Aquitaine
, which has now become a part of Total
. Halliburton
has an office in Pau.
offers connections to Bordeaux, Bayonne, Toulouse and Paris, and several regional destinations. Public transport within the city is available from the bus system: IDELIS0
left a garrison there in 1814. He defeated Marshal Soult at Orthez (some 40 km to the NW) on his way into France from Spain towards the end of the Peninsular War. Vacationing British began arriving before the railway established the Boulevard des Pyrenées. The first full 18-hole golf course
in Europe – was laid out in 1856–1860, and is still in existence – also a real tennis
court. The Galway Irish Pub on the Boulevard des Pyrenées is one of the more popular bars in the town. Famous Irish people such as Liam Neeson
, Pierce Brosnan
and David Tracey have been known to frequent the town.
Pau is the home of the French military's Ecole des troupes aéroportées, which trains and certifies military paratroops.
have been French champions five times in the last ten years- most recently in 2004. Famous former players include Boris Diaw
, Mickaël Piétrus
and Johan Petro
.
Pau is home to Section Paloise
, the city's rugby union
team, which plays in the second French division known as Pro D2
. Most recently, in 2000, it won the European Challenge Cup
; a top European trophy. Two current French International
players, Imanol Harinordoquy
and Pau native Damien Traille
, once played for the team. The city also has a football (soccer) team, Pau FC
which is in the fourth division called "CFA".
Pau is home to the first golf course in continental Europe, laid out in 1856. Since May 2007, the converted trinquet has reopened to its original sport, real tennis
, on Sundays.
Since 1930, Pau has become a mainstay of the Tour de France
cycling race, thanks both to its geographical location and to its marvelous infrastructure. Pau hosted its 63rd stage in 2010, and only one other city besides Paris has done better. The 2010 Tour
visited Pau on three occasions: first as a passing town, second time as a finish, and the third time as a departure town on the way to the Col du Tourmalet
.
Perhaps the highest-profile sporting event is the Étoiles de Pau
("Stars of Pau"). Held annually in October, it is one of only six annual competitions in eventing
that receive the highest rating of CCI****
from equestrianism
's world governing body, the FEI
.
In 2008, between 11–23 August, Pau hosted the 83rd French Chess Championship
. The men's event was won by Étienne Bacrot
, on tie-break from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
, while the women's event resulted in a victory for Sophie Milliet
. Thirty-six players took part. Pau was previously the Championship venue in 1943 and 1969.
For amateur joggers the Gave de Pau river bank footpath is a most valued itinerary, which starts near the castle and passes along Pau's golf course heading west. Another spot is Pont-Long wood north of the town.
in 1901. After that the 1928 French Grand Prix
was held in nearby Saint-Gaudens, Pau also wanted to arrange the race and in 1930 the French Grand Prix was held on a Le Mans
-type track outside the city with Philippe Étancelin
winning for Bugatti
. Pau returned to the calendar in 1933 with a track in the town centre inspired by Monaco
.
The track, 2.769 m long, is winding and has remained largely unchanged. The first curve is the station hairpin. After that the road climbs on the Avenue Léon Say, alongside the stone viaduct that carries the Boulevard de Pyrenées, to Pont Oscar. A tunnel is followed by the narrow hairpin at the Louis Barthou high school that leads the track into the demanding Parc Beaumont section at the top of the town. After the Casino garden and another hairpin, the track winds back to the start along the Avenue Lacoste.
Pau traditionally opened the season but mid-February for the 1933 GP meant the race took place in a snowstorm with slush. After a one year pause the race was back in 1935 with Tazio Nuvolari
dominating in an Alfa Romeo P3
entered by Scuderia Ferrari
. The 1936 race saw the only major victory for the Maserati
V8-R1, driven by Ètancelin. In 1937 the race was part of the French sports car series with Jean-Pierre Wimille
dominating, running three to four seconds a lap faster than the rest of the field. GP racing was back in 1938 and Pau became a test track for Mercedes-Benz
before the Grandes Epreuves
.
The 1938 race saw René Dreyfus
' Delahaye
sensationally beating the Mercedes-Benz
team. In 1939 Mercedes wasn't to be taken by surprise, Hermann Lang
leading the team to a double victory. After World War II Pau continued as a non-championship Formula One
race until 1963. Thereafter the race was run to Formula Two
rules until 1985, and thereafter by its replacement, Formula 3000
. In 1999, the event again changed, with Formula Three
cars racing. Finally, in 2007, the race became a round of the World Touring Car Championship
.
Zaragoza
, Spain, since 1970 Mobile
, United States, since 1975 Pistoia
, Italy since 1975 Kōfu
, Japan since 1977 Setúbal
, Portugal since 1981
Swansea
, Wales
since 1982 Göttingen
, Germany since 1983 Daloa
, Côte d'Ivoire
since 1984 Xi'an
, China since 1986 Kathmandu, Nepal
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
on the northern edge of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
, capital of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.- History :...
département in France. It was also the capital of the Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
region. It forms the communauté d'agglomération of Pau-Pyrénées
Communauté d'agglomération de Pau-Pyrénées
The communauté d'agglomération de Pau-Pyrénées is a communauté d'agglomération in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the Aquitaine région of France. It provides a framework within which local tasks common to the 14 member communes can be carried out together, and was created in 2000.The...
with 13 neighbouring communes to carry out local tasks together. The Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour
University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour
The University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour was founded in 1972. It is a multi-site establishment, based in Pau but also in Bayonne, Tarbes and Mont-de-Marsan in the Adour river basin...
, founded in 1972, means there is a high student population. The Boulevard des Pyrénées
Boulevard des Pyrénées
The Boulevard des Pyrénées is a boulevard in the town of Pau in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of south-west France. With buildings on its northern side only, and a terrace overlooking the valley of the Gave de Pau to its south, the boulevard is notable for its panoramic view of the peaks of...
is 1.8 km from the Château de Pau
Château de Pau
The Château de Pau is a castle in the centre of Pau, the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Béarn. King Henry IV of France and Navarre was born here on December 13, 1553....
to the Parc Beaumont, with views of the mountains. Alphonse de Lamartine said: "Pau has the world's most beautiful view of the earth just as Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
has the most beautiful view of the sea."
Origin of name
Geography
Pau is 100 km from the Atlantic Ocean and 50 km from the Pyrenees. Spain is 50 km away in a straight line. The frontier is crossed by the col du Somport (1,631 m) and the col du Pourtalet (1,794 m). Access to the crossings partly accounts for Pau's strategic importance. The city stands on a 200m elevation overlooking the valley of a mountain river called the Gave de PauGave de Pau
The Gave de Pau is a river of south-western France and a left tributary of the Adour. It takes its name from the city Pau, through which it flows. The river is in length, and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains....
, where a ford gave passage to the Pyrenees. The Gave, which becomes a torrent when mountain snow melts, begins in the Cirque de Gavarnie. It is the principal tributuary of the Adour after 175 km. The crossing was used for pasturage for sheep in the high meadows. The old route is now a hiking path, GR 65
GR 65
The GR 65 is a long-distance walking route of the Grande Randonnée network. The French name for this GR route is the Chemin de St-Jacques and the Spanish name is the Camino de Santiago: this is because the GR 65 is an important variant route of the old Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de...
, that runs 60 km south to the border.
The other rivers of the region are the Luy de Béarn, tributary of the Luy, the Ousse, and the Ousse des Bois, which flow into the Gave de Pau, and the Uzan, which joins the Luy de Béarn.
Pau is located 200 km west of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, 30 km from Tarbes
Tarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 inhabitants....
and Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
, 25 km from Oloron. The conglomeration of Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz is at 110 km, Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
190 km. Pau is served by the airport of Pau-Pyrénées 10 km away. There are limited scheduled flights to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, London, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Dublin, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and Paris.
A TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
rail line on the line to Paris and from Bayonne to Toulouse, and the A64 autoroute to the east. The A65 is due for completion in 2010 and will link Pau with Bordeaux.
The Funiculaire de Pau
Funiculaire de Pau
The Funiculaire de Pau, or Pau Funicular, is a funicular railway in the city of Pau in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of southwestern France. It links the Boulevard des Pyrénées, on the level of the city centre and the Château de Pau, to Pau railway station in the valley of the Gave de Pau...
links the city centre and Boulevard des Pyrénées to the railway station in the valley. The Société des transports de l'agglomération paloise (STAP) operates 13 urban bus routes, serving Pau and the adjoining communes.
History
The site was fortified in the 11th century to control the ford across the Gave de Pau. It was built on the north bank, equidistant from Lescar, seat of the bishops, and from Morlaàs, and became the seat of the viscounts of Béarn
Viscounts of Béarn
The viscounts of Béarn were the rulers of a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France...
. Pau was made capital of Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
in 1464. During the early 16th century, the Château de Pau was made more habitable by Gaston III, count of Foix and became the residence of the kings of Navarre, who were also viscounts of Béarn.
In 1188, Gaston VI assembled his cour majour there, predecessor of the conseil souverain and roughly equivalent to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
(but predating it). Gaston VII added a third tower in the 13th century. Gaston Fébus (Gaston III of Foix and Gaston X of Béarn) added a brick donjon (keep).
Pau was birthplace of Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
. His mother, Jeanne d'Albret
Jeanne III of Navarre
Jeanne d'Albret , also known as Jeanne III or Joan III, was the queen regnant of Navarre from 1555 to 1572. She married Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme, and was the mother of Henry of Bourbon, who became King of Navarre and of France as Henry IV, the first Bourbon king...
, crossed into France to ensure her son would be born there. The baby's lips were moistened with the local Jurançon wine and rubbed with garlic shortly after birth. When Henry IV left Pau to become King of France, he remarked to local notables that he was not giving Béarn to France, but giving France to Béarn.
Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
refurbished the château and Pau adding streets of Belle Époque
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was a period characterised by optimism and new technological and medical...
architecture, before the fashion transferred to Biarritz
Biarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
. Pau is still a centre for winter sports and equestrian events, with a steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
. King Charles XIV of Sweden
Charles XIV John of Sweden
Charles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
, the first royal Bernadotte
Bernadotte
The House of Bernadotte, the current royal house of Sweden, has reigned since 1818. Between 1818 and 1905, it was also the royal house of the Norway...
, was also born in Pau.
Following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
stayed in Pau in the late 1870s, toward the end of her life.
Main sights
In the centre of Pau is a large castle, the Château de PauChâteau de Pau
The Château de Pau is a castle in the centre of Pau, the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Béarn. King Henry IV of France and Navarre was born here on December 13, 1553....
, that dominates that quarter of the city. It is famous for being the birthplace of the 16th century king of France Henry IV and was once used by Napoleon as a holiday home during his period in power. It has a small garden that was tended by Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
when she spent her summers in the city. The château is now considered a French historical monument and contains a collection of tapestry
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
.
Economy
From the 1950s to the 1990s Pau depended on the production of natural gas and sulphur dioxide which were discovered nearby at LacqLacq
Lacq is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies just northwest of the local capital of Pau.-Economy:...
. Today the mainstays of the Béarn area are the oil business, the aerospace industry through the helicopter turboshaft engines manufacturer Turbomeca
Turbomeca
Turbomeca is a French manufacturer of low- and medium-power gas turbine turboshaft engines for helicopters. The company also produces gas turbine engines for aircraft and missiles, as well as turbines for land, industrial and marine applications...
, tourism and agriculture. Pau was the birthplace of Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine was a French oil company which merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. The new company changed its name to Total in 2003...
, which has now become a part of Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
. Halliburton
Halliburton
Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
has an office in Pau.
Transportation
The train station Gare de PauGare de Pau
Pau is a railway station in Pau, Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Toulouse - Bayonne and Pau - Canfranc railway lines. The station is served by TGV , Lunéa , Intercités and TER services operated by the SNCF.-Train Services:The following services currently call at Pau:*intercity...
offers connections to Bordeaux, Bayonne, Toulouse and Paris, and several regional destinations. Public transport within the city is available from the bus system: IDELIS0
British tourism
The British discovered Pau and its climate, and left their imprint, when WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
left a garrison there in 1814. He defeated Marshal Soult at Orthez (some 40 km to the NW) on his way into France from Spain towards the end of the Peninsular War. Vacationing British began arriving before the railway established the Boulevard des Pyrenées. The first full 18-hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
in Europe – was laid out in 1856–1860, and is still in existence – also a real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
court. The Galway Irish Pub on the Boulevard des Pyrenées is one of the more popular bars in the town. Famous Irish people such as Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
and David Tracey have been known to frequent the town.
Military presence
During the last two years of World War I (1917–1918), Pau was the home to the School of Acrobacy and Combat for French, British and American aviators.Pau is the home of the French military's Ecole des troupes aéroportées, which trains and certifies military paratroops.
Sport
The local basketball team, Élan Béarnais Pau-OrthezÉlan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
The Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez is a French professional basketball club that is based in Pau. They play their home games at the Palais des Sports de Pau.- History :...
have been French champions five times in the last ten years- most recently in 2004. Famous former players include Boris Diaw
Boris Diaw
Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod, better known as Boris Diaw , is a French professional basketball player for JSA Bordeaux in France. He has also played in the National Basketball Association for the Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, and Charlotte Bobcats...
, Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus
Mickaël Piétrus is a Caribbean-French professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He is listed at 6'6", 215 pounds and plays both the small forward and shooting guard positions...
and Johan Petro
Johan Petro
Johan Petro is a French professional basketball player of Guadeloupean descent who is playing for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. A 7'0", 247 lbs. center, Petro was selected by the Sonics in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft...
.
Pau is home to Section Paloise
Section Paloise
Section Paloise is a French rugby union club from Pau in Pyrénées-Atlantiques currently competing in Rugby Pro D2, the second level of the French league system.-History:...
, the city's rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, which plays in the second French division known as Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2
Rugby Pro D2, also known as Pro D2 is the second level of domestic club rugby union in France, below the first division, Top 14. The competition was introduced in 2000. There is relegation and promotion between both the Top 14 and Fédérale 1, the third-level competition...
. Most recently, in 2000, it won the European Challenge Cup
European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
; a top European trophy. Two current French International
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
players, Imanol Harinordoquy
Imanol Harinordoquy
Imanol Harinordoquy is a French rugby union player who typically plays as a number 8 for Biarritz at club level in the Top 14 and for France internationally...
and Pau native Damien Traille
Damien Traille
Damien Traille is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position is in the centre, fly-half and fullback. He currently plays for Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14 club competition in France...
, once played for the team. The city also has a football (soccer) team, Pau FC
Pau FC
Pau FC is a French football club based in Pau. The team, founded in 1904 as Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau, are currently competing in the CFA, the fourth tier of French football. They play at the Stade du Hameau. The team plays in a yellow and blue strip....
which is in the fourth division called "CFA".
Pau is home to the first golf course in continental Europe, laid out in 1856. Since May 2007, the converted trinquet has reopened to its original sport, real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
, on Sundays.
Since 1930, Pau has become a mainstay of the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
cycling race, thanks both to its geographical location and to its marvelous infrastructure. Pau hosted its 63rd stage in 2010, and only one other city besides Paris has done better. The 2010 Tour
2010 Tour de France
The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996...
visited Pau on three occasions: first as a passing town, second time as a finish, and the third time as a departure town on the way to the Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet is the highest road in the central Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées in France. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of the way up. Luz-Saint-Sauveur is at the bottom of the western side.Tourmalet is also a...
.
Perhaps the highest-profile sporting event is the Étoiles de Pau
Étoiles de Pau
The Étoiles de Pau or Stars of Pau Three Day Event is an eventing competition held in Pau, France. It is one of six annual CCI**** events in the world , in addition to the Burghley Horse Trials and Badminton Horse Trials, held in Great Britain, the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event held in the United...
("Stars of Pau"). Held annually in October, it is one of only six annual competitions in eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
that receive the highest rating of CCI****
Concours Complet International
The Concours Complet International and the Concours International Combiné are ratings for the equestrian sport of eventing, given by the international governing body for the sport, the FEI....
from equestrianism
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
's world governing body, the FEI
International Federation for Equestrian Sports
The Fédération Équestre Internationale or in English, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of equestrian sports. It recognizes ten international disciplines...
.
In 2008, between 11–23 August, Pau hosted the 83rd French Chess Championship
French Chess Championship
The French Chess Championship is the annual, national chess tournament of France. It was officially first played in 1923after the formation of the Fédération Française des Echecs in 1921. The first unofficial national tournament was played in 1880, in the Café de la Régence, where further edition...
. The men's event was won by Étienne Bacrot
Étienne Bacrot
Étienne Bacrot is a French chess grandmaster and currently ranked number one in France.He started playing at 4; by 10 young Bacrot was already winning junior competitions and in 1996, at 13 years of age, he won against Vasily Smyslov...
, on tie-break from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is a French chess Grandmaster and the 2009 World Junior Chess Champion.-Grandmaster norms:He completed his final grandmaster norm at age 14 years, 4 months, in 2005....
, while the women's event resulted in a victory for Sophie Milliet
Sophie Milliet
Sophie Milliet is a French chess player and the current national women's champion.She was raised in the French town of Castelnau-le-Lez and learned to play chess at the age of four. Her endeavours at junior level showed good promise and catapulted her Elo rating over the 2100 mark by the time she...
. Thirty-six players took part. Pau was previously the Championship venue in 1943 and 1969.
For amateur joggers the Gave de Pau river bank footpath is a most valued itinerary, which starts near the castle and passes along Pau's golf course heading west. Another spot is Pont-Long wood north of the town.
Pau Grand Prix
Pau held the first race to be called a Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
in 1901. After that the 1928 French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
was held in nearby Saint-Gaudens, Pau also wanted to arrange the race and in 1930 the French Grand Prix was held on a Le Mans
Circuit de la Sarthe
The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year...
-type track outside the city with Philippe Étancelin
Philippe Étancelin
Philippe Étancelin was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver who joined the new Formula One circuit at its inception.-Biography:...
winning for Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
. Pau returned to the calendar in 1933 with a track in the town centre inspired by Monaco
Circuit de Monaco
Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco.The circuit is used on one weekend in...
.
The track, 2.769 m long, is winding and has remained largely unchanged. The first curve is the station hairpin. After that the road climbs on the Avenue Léon Say, alongside the stone viaduct that carries the Boulevard de Pyrenées, to Pont Oscar. A tunnel is followed by the narrow hairpin at the Louis Barthou high school that leads the track into the demanding Parc Beaumont section at the top of the town. After the Casino garden and another hairpin, the track winds back to the start along the Avenue Lacoste.
Pau traditionally opened the season but mid-February for the 1933 GP meant the race took place in a snowstorm with slush. After a one year pause the race was back in 1935 with Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Nuvolari
Tazio Giorgio Nuvolari was an Italian motorcycle and racecar driver, known as Il Mantovano Volante or Nivola. He was the 1932 European Champion in Grand Prix motor racing...
dominating in an Alfa Romeo P3
Alfa Romeo P3
The Alfa Romeo P3, P3 monoposto or Tipo B was a classic Grand Prix car designed by Vittorio Jano, one of the Alfa Romeo 8C models. The P3 was first genuine single-seat Grand Prix racing car and Alfa Romeo's second monoposto after Tipo A monoposto . It was based on the earlier successful Alfa Romeo P2...
entered by Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
. The 1936 race saw the only major victory for the Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
V8-R1, driven by Ètancelin. In 1937 the race was part of the French sports car series with Jean-Pierre Wimille
Jean-Pierre Wimille
Jean-Pierre Wimille was a Grand Prix motor racing driver and a member of the French Resistance during World War II.-Biography:...
dominating, running three to four seconds a lap faster than the rest of the field. GP racing was back in 1938 and Pau became a test track for Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
before the Grandes Epreuves
European Championship (auto racing)
The European Drivers' Championship was an annual competition in auto racing that existed prior to the establishment of the Formula One world championship in 1950...
.
The 1938 race saw René Dreyfus
René Dreyfus
René Dreyfus was a French driver who raced automobiles for 14 years in the 1920s and 1930s, the Golden Era of Grand Prix motor racing.-Early life:...
' Delahaye
Delahaye
Delahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. His first cars were belt-driven, with single- or twin-cylinder engines. In 1900, Delahaye left the company.-History:...
sensationally beating the Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
team. In 1939 Mercedes wasn't to be taken by surprise, Hermann Lang
Hermann Lang
Hermann Lang was a German champion race car driver.Born in the Bad Cannstatt district of Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, at age fourteen Hermann Lang had to go to work to help support his family following the death of his father...
leading the team to a double victory. After World War II Pau continued as a non-championship Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
race until 1963. Thereafter the race was run to Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
rules until 1985, and thereafter by its replacement, Formula 3000
Formula 3000
The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter the Formula One championship...
. In 1999, the event again changed, with Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
cars racing. Finally, in 2007, the race became a round of the World Touring Car Championship
World Touring Car Championship
For the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
.
Births
Pau was the birthplace of:- Gastón de Peralta, marqués de FalcesGastón de Peralta, marqués de FalcesGastón Carrillo de Peralta y Bosquete, 3rd Marquis of Falces was a Spanish nobleman who was viceroy of New Spain from October 16, 1566 to March 10, 1568.-Biography:...
(1510–1587), viceroy of New SpainNew SpainNew Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
from 1566 to 1568 - Jeanne d'Albret (1528–1572), Queen of NavarreNavarreNavarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
from 1555 to 1572 - Henry IVHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
(1553–1610), king of France from 1589 to 1610 - Jean-Baptiste Jules BernadotteCharles XIV John of SwedenCharles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
(1763–1844), Marshal of FranceMarshal of FranceThe Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
and later King of SwedenMonarch of SwedenThe monarchy of Sweden is the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Sweden. The present monarch, Carl XVI Gustaf, has reigned since 15 September 1973. He and his immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
and Norway - Charles Denis BourbakiCharles Denis BourbakiCharles Denis Sauter Bourbaki was a French general.He was born at Pau, the son of Greek colonel Constantin Denis Bourbaki, who died in the War of Independence in 1827...
(1816–1897), French general of Greek descent - Nuno Maria José Caetano Álvares Pereira de Melo (1888–1935), 9th duke of CadavalDuke of CadavalThe Dukes of Cadaval have their origins in Álvaro of Braganza, Lord of Tentúgal, Póvoa, Buarcos and Cadaval, 4th male son of Ferdinand I, 2nd Duke of Braganza. Dom Álvaro married Dona Phillipa of Melo, the rich daughter and heir of Rodrigo of Melo, 1st...
- Jean Jules VerdenalJean Jules VerdenalJean Jules Verdenal was a French medical officer who served, and was killed, during the First World War. Verdenal and his life remain cloaked in obscurity; the little we do know comes mainly from interviews with family members and several surviving letters.Verdenal was born in Pau, France, the son...
(1890–1915), friend and correspondent of T. S. EliotT. S. EliotThomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his... - Marguerite BroquedisMarguerite BroquedisMarguerite Broquedis was a French female tennis player.She was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and died in Orléans.Broquedis won the Gold Medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics....
(1893–1983), tennis player - André CourrègesAndré CourrègesAndré Courrèges is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. At the age of 25, after studying to be a civil engineer, he went to Paris to work at Geanne Lafaurie fashion design house...
(born 1923), fashion designer - Donal O'BrienDonald O'Brien (actor)Donal "Donald" O'Brien was a French-born Italian film and television actor of Irish descent. In his near 40-year career, O'Brien appeared in dozens of stage performances and in more than 60 film and television productions.O'Brien was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, raised in both Northern...
(1930–2003), actor - Roger-Gérard SchwartzenbergRoger-Gérard SchwartzenbergRoger-Gérard Schwartzenberg is a French politician. From 1981 to 1983 he was President of the Movement of Radicals of the Left in the French Parliament.He was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques....
(born 1943), politician - Alain LamassoureAlain LamassoureAlain Lamassoure is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the south-west of France. He is a member of the Union for a Popular Movement, which is part of the European People's Party, and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets.He is a substitute for the...
(born 1944), politician - Francis Lassus (born 1961), musician
- Bertrand CantatBertrand CantatBertrand Lucien Bruno Cantat is a French singer and songwriter. He was the frontman for the rock band Noir Désir.-Career:Cantat was born in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The son of a Navy officer, he spent his childhood in Le Havre...
(born 1964), singer and songwriter - Walter LapeyreWalter LapeyreWalter Lapeyre is a pistol shooter from Bordeaux, France.- Olympic Games :- World Cups :* ISSF World Cup Bangkok 2007 : Gold Medal in 10 m Air Pistol* ISSF World Cup Sydney 2007 : Bronze Medal in 10 m Air Pistol...
(born 1976), pistol shooter - Nicolas CazaléNicolas CazaléNicolas Cazalé is a French model and actor who is most noted for his role in the 2004 French film, Le Grand Voyage for which he won a Jury Award for Best Actor at the 2005 Newport International Film Festival...
(born 1977), actor and model - Edouard CisseÉdouard CisséÉdouard Cissé is a French football player who is currently contracted to AJ Auxerre in the French Ligue 1.-Career:He is a midfielder, 1.86 metres tall. Cissé previously played for Monaco in France and West Ham in the English Premiership and Paris Saint-Germain...
(born 1978), footballer - Tony EstanguetTony EstanguetTony Estanguet is a French slalom canoeist. He has competed since the late 1990s.-Career:Tony is the son of Henri Estanguet, himself a canoeist who won medals at the World Championships in the 1970s...
(born 1978), slalom canoer - Cédric GraciaCedric GraciaCédric Gracia is a French mountain biker.Cédric Gracia is a French mountain biker who now lives in Andorra. He started his career as an athlete at 6 years old as a BMX rider and then a freestyle ski pro. Cedric Gracia, years later, became a mountain bike rider...
(born 1978), mountain bikerMountain bikingMountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can... - Damien TrailleDamien TrailleDamien Traille is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position is in the centre, fly-half and fullback. He currently plays for Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14 club competition in France...
(born 1979), rugby union player - Jean-Baptiste Peyras-LoustaletJean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet| name =Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet| image =| fullname =| birth_date = | birth_place = Pau, France| height = | weight = 93 kg| nickname =| school =| university =| relatives =| position = Wing| currentclub = Montpellier| clubnumber =| youthyears =...
(born 1984), rugby union player - Jérémy ChardyJérémy ChardyJérémy Chardy is a French professional tennis player. He won the 2005 Wimbledon Championships Boys' Singles title, and finished as the runner-up at the 2005 US Open Boys' Singles, losing to Ryan Sweeting. His career high rank is no...
(born 1987), professional tennis player
Twin towns
Pau is twinned withZaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain, since 1970 Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, United States, since 1975 Pistoia
Pistoia
Pistoia is a city and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno.-History:...
, Italy since 1975 Kōfu
Kofu, Yamanashi
is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had a estimate population of 197,540, with 85,794 households. The total area is 212.41 km².-History:Kōfu's name means "capital of Kai Province"...
, Japan since 1977 Setúbal
Setúbal
Setúbal is the main city in Setúbal Municipality in Portugal with a total area of 172.0 km² and a total population of 118,696 inhabitants in the municipality. The city proper has 89,303 inhabitants....
, Portugal since 1981
Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
since 1982 Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Germany since 1983 Daloa
Daloa
Daloa is a town in Daloa Department of Côte d'Ivoire, lying west of Yamoussoukro in Haut-Sassandra Region. It has a population of over 100,000. The town is a regional capital and an important trading centre, particularly for cocoa...
, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
since 1984 Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, China since 1986 Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
See also
- Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
- CSTJFCstjfThe Centre Scientifique et Technique Jean Féger, better known as CSTJF is the main technical and scientific research center of the French Oil group Total SA, situated in Pau, France....
- Lycée Saint CricqSaint-Cricq High SchoolThe Saint-Cricq High School, known in French as Lycée Saint-Cricq is a public High school in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France.There are 1321 students . The pupils are 15 to 18 years old for preparing to take the baccalauréat and 18 to 20 years old for doing a post baccalauréat formation...
- Palais des Sports de PauPalais des Sports de PauPalais de Sports de Pau is an indoor sporting arena located in Pau, France. The capacity of the arena is 7,856 people. It is currently home to the Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez basketball team.-External links:*...
- Pau FCPau FCPau FC is a French football club based in Pau. The team, founded in 1904 as Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau, are currently competing in the CFA, the fourth tier of French football. They play at the Stade du Hameau. The team plays in a yellow and blue strip....
- Stade du HameauStade du HameauStade du Hameau is a multi-use stadium in Pau, France. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and is the home stadium of Section Paloise and Pau FC. The stadium is able to hold 13,966 people....