Pau

Henry IV Castle

Built on a rocky ridge overlooking a ford on the Gave, the castle’s foundations date from the early Middle-Ages. But the present aspect of the castle owes much to Gaston Febus, viscount of Bearn in the 14th century. In the next, it became the residence of the viscounts of Bearn, who inherited the kingdom of Navarre. Henri IV was born here in 1553. Restored by King Louis-Philippe, the castle became a museum in 1926. Alongside the royal apartments, it is home to several collections devoted to King Henri and a great number of tapestries, making it the biggest tapestry museum in France outside Paris.

Palais Beaumont

The domain first belonged to a Romanian-born countess better known in her time as a poet and writer – Anna de Noailles. Aristide de Monpezat, the mayor of Pau at the time, bought the domain back to creat a garden for the public, the Beaumont Park. Several years later, in 1900, the municipality decided to build a Winter Palace to host games, meetings and festivals. At the time, Pau attracted most of Europe’s nobility because of its climate and a casino opened its doors, qucikly becoming the center of Pau’s social life.
Two World Wars put an end to this golden age and the building, refurbished in the 1930s and 1950s, gradually lost its gloss. It was almost derelict when Pau mayor Andre Labarrere decided to turn it into a Congress Hall in 1995. Work started in 1998 and the new Palais Beaumont opend its doors in 2000.

National Stud Farm of Pau-Gelos

In 1808, Napoleon I decided to create a National Stud Farm in Gelos, in the suburbs of Pau. It was set in the former residence of the president of the Finance Court of the Parliament of Navarre, one of the few 18th century buildings remaining in the region. It is nowadays a thriving institution specialised in reproduction, while Pyrenees-Atlantiques is France’s leading department for horse breeding. The farm owns 60 stalions both draught horses and race horses and is specialised in the preservation of regional breeds. The farm also houses a unique collection of 19th century carriages and coaches.

Pau Museum of Fine Arts

Set in a typical 1930s building, the Museum of Fine Arts owns several masterpieces. Besides the famous Degas painting “The Cotton Exchange at New Orleans”, a varied collection of Flemish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and French masters from the 15th to the 20th century are on display: Giordano, Rubens, Fantin-Latour, Morisot, Lhote, Marquet, Flandrin, Greco are among the painters whose works are visible.