Pau and cycling
At the gateway to the Pyrenees, the capital of Béarn has been an unmissable stop on the Tour almost every year since Alfredo Binda won here in 1930. Pau is now the third most visited city by the Tour, after Paris and Bordeaux. Among the city’s most memorable moments, Julian Alaphilippe, wearing the Yellow Jersey, sent the crowd into raptures by winning the 2019 time trial that marked the 100th anniversary of the famous jersey. Sprinters Jasper Philipsen and Olav Kooij, meanwhile, have recently found success in Pau.
With so many finishes in the city (and just as many starts on Boulevard des Pyrénées), the Tour was bound to inspire a passion for the sport, and there are many riders with links to Pau. These include Victor Fontan, winner of two stages in 1928 and a brief holder of the Yellow Jersey in 1929; Arnaud Geyre, the 1956 Olympic team time trial champion; and, more recently, Stéphane Augé, who has competed in eight Tours; Mathieu Ladagnous, with seven Tours to his name; and the late team manager of Team Ineos, Nicolas Portal, who also competed in six Tours as a rider.
Sights
Tour des Géants (Tour of the Giants)
For several summers now, the city of king Henry IV has also been home to the Tour des Géants – statues honouring the winners of the Tour de France. Each of these totems bears the name and photograph of the winner from the relevant year, along with a text written by author Christian Laborde. The totems, nearly two metres tall, form a permanent monument set amidst the greenery of the Bois Louis, near the Philippe Tissié stadium. The site, laid out in a spiral, welcomes a new sculpture every year. Each aluminium and glass effigy (three of which are made of bronze) displays the name and photograph of that year’s winner, the number of kilometres covered, their average speed, and photographs or drawings, accompanied by a dynamic and original text. It is worth noting that a QR code is affixed to each sculpture. By scanning the code with a smartphone, you can listen to this text translated into several languages.
Boulevard des Pyrenees
Completed in 1900, it offers an exceptional panoramic view stretching nearly 150 km along the Pyrenees mountain range. Its 850-metre-long balustrade serves as a guide rail. We owe the inspiration for Boulevard des Pyrenees project to Jean-Charles Alphand, who wrote: “What Pau is missing is the Promenade des Anglais in Nice”. The boulevard was therefore designed as a mountainous replica of the Nice promenade, a prime spot for “seeing and being seen”. This promenade, situated on the edge of a steep, entirely man-made balcony, represents a technical and aesthetic feat which, since its creation, has shaped and organised urban development.
Beaumont Park and Palace
Built: 1900
Style: Neoclassical.
Architect: Émile Bertrand.
Features: built to accommodate wealthy holidaymakers, the Winter Palace, known as the Palais Beaumont, now houses a casino and a conference centre. The site is situated in the heart of a park featuring remarkable trees and an open-air theatre. It has often served as the starting point for the Tour de France.
Château de Pau National Museum
Construction: 12th to 19th centuries.
Style: medieval and eclectic.
History: Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking a ford on the Gave, the foundations of the Château de Pau date back to the early Middle Ages. Henri IV was born there on 13 December 1553. Restored under Louis-Philippe, the château became a museum in 1926. In addition to its royal apartments, it houses important collections dedicated to Henri IV, as well as a large number of tapestries, and his shell-shaped cradle still occupies a prominent place there.
Characteristics: built on a rocky outcrop, it has a highly irregular polygonal layout, situated at the top of two slopes surrounded by the first and then the second enclosure. Inside this second enclosure, the château is built on the same polygonal plan. It is now flanked by six towers, whilst a seventh, known as the ‘Monnaie’ tower, forms part of the first enclosure. These towers are all rectangular and connected by a thick wall against which the residential buildings forming the main living quarters are set.
Current use: a prestigious residence for centuries, the château became a national museum dedicated to Henry IV in 1926.
Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1840.
http://www.musee-chateau-pau.fr/
The banks of the Gave
This area covers 250 hectares, traversed by the 13 km of the Gave’s riverbanks. Renowned for its natural heritage, this park aims to allow everyone to enjoy a natural space within the city. Various facilities are available for walkers, such as benches, picnic tables, etc. On the banks of the Gave, you’ll also find the white-water stadium and the ‘Voie Bleue’ for a sporting and aquatic break: a canoe trip or a rafting adventure.
Domaine de Sers
The Sers estate, a recently opened 25-hectare green space, is a real treat for local residents. As well as the municipal greenhouses, it is home to the Maison du Jardinier, a centre offering information, advice and activities centred on sustainable gardening. It also supports residents in their projects to green public spaces.
Saint-Lary-Soulan and cycling
The great Pyrenean mountain passes have often been linked by a route through Saint-Lary-Soulan, before continuing on to the surrounding high ground. In 1974, Raymond Poulidor achieved a remarkable feat by securing his final stage victory in the Tour de France at Pla d’Adet, aged 38. Fifty years later, Tadej Pogacar followed in his footsteps on the same slopes. The Slovenian is in his element in the Pyrenees and particularly so in Saint-Lary-Soulan, where he also claimed victory in 2021, albeit on the Col du Portet. On both occasions, Pogacar was wearing the Yellow Jersey and Jonas Vingegaard finished second.
In 2018, Nairo Quintana salvaged a somewhat disappointing Tour de France by winning at the Col du Portet at the end of a short 65-km stage that started in Luchon with a starting grid reminiscent of a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Setting off alongside Dan Martin, the Colombian thus claimed the second of his three stage victories in the Tour.
It is worth noting that it was also in Saint-Lary that Daniel Mangeas made his debut as a Tour speaker in 1974.
Sights
Néouvielle Nature Reserve and Pyrenees National Park
These can be reached from Saint-Lary via the Route des Lacs, but also via Col du Portet road, which is one of the gateways to these vast protected areas. Here you’ll discover lakeside landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and a few mountain huts, such as the one at Lac de l’Oule on the edge of the National Park.
Riumajou Valley
Another exceptional and lesser-known site, this Natura 2000-listed summer pasture area is a true natural gem, accessible only in summer. Here, you can walk along the mountain streams to the recently renovated Hospice du Rioumajou, which was once the final stop for pilgrims on the Way of St James before crossing the mountain passes into Spain. Activities on site: rides on Pyrenean donkeys, hiking, fishing…
Sensoria
This is a wellness centre situated in the heart of Saint-Lary. It features a thermal leisure area modelled on the Spanish canyons of the Sierra de Guara, where visitors can relax amongst waterfalls, a counter-current river and massage jets. Sensoria also offers private Nuxe treatment rooms and a fitness centre for sports enthusiasts.
Saint-Lary Soulan Heritage Centre
This centre hosts various exhibitions in its visitor areas, showcasing the history of the valleys and traditional mountain lifestyles, as well as temporary exhibitions such as the current ones on snow and the Tour de France. It houses a collection of documents on the Pyrenees, a conference room and a free internet lounge.
Hachan Tower and National Park Centre
Construction: 16th century.
Characteristics: the Hachan Tower is the sole remaining part of the former manor house of the noble d’Agut family. Today, this 16th-century tower houses the National Park Centre, which was refurbished in 2014. A rich, varied and engaging museum space, ideal for families: here, visitors can discover the flora and fauna of the vast natural areas near Saint-Lary. The new interior layout offers, in specially designed spaces, an exploration of the forest in the Aure Valley and its natural habitats. Outside, a trail helps visitors gain a better understanding of the eco-responsible use of wood.
Mountain Bike Park
It is one of the most renowned in the Pyrenees, accessible from the centre of Saint-Lary via the cable car and then a detachable chairlift serving a dozen trails. This area allows cyclists of all abilities to enjoy descents in an exceptional setting: from fun family trails to dizzying downhill runs for the most experienced riders.
Debat Mill
Dating from the 17th century, it is now a remnant of the area’s agricultural and pastoral heritage and traces the history of the former millers of Saint-Lary-Soulan. Free admission for individuals.
Designation: Rural Heritage.
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