Pau

Understand

The town was fortified in the 11th century, and the château de Pau was the birthplace of Henri IV of France. Pau has a population of around 85,000.

Pau is the capital of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques and encompasses the Basque and the Bearn people. It is a perfect base to explore Southwest France and the Pyrenees mountains.

Do

Rugby: Section-Paloise play rugby union (15-a-side) in Top 14, the French top tier. Their home ground Stade du Hameau (capacity 14,500) is 3 km northeast of city centre. Football: Pau FC play soccer in Ligue 2, the second tier in France. Their home ground Nouste Camp (capacity 4000) is 3 km northeast of city centre.

Buy

There are many large chain stores in the centre at Place Clemenceau- H&M, Fnac, Quiksilver/Roxy, Galeries Lafayette, etc. There are also smaller shops in the streets surrounding it. There is a large market, typical of French towns, in a hall somewhere near the centre called "les halles"(sure, you can find out when you get there). In it you can buy a lot of fresh foods.

Eat

Just opposite the main gate of the chateau there is a creperie with outside tables. It is an excellent place to soak up the sun and admire the architecture.

The brasserie 'Le Berry' on rue Gachet offers a variety of French and regional fare in gigantic portions for unbelievably low prices. The steak tartare, magret de canard, fish, and salads are especially good. Be sure to order half portions as these are generally larger than the normal-sized portions at other restaurants. This is always packed with locals so you may be forced to wait a few minutes for a table.

The restaurant 'Le Goxoki' is a Basque restaurant and offers several local dishes such as 'La poule au pot'. The portions are large enough to fill a rugbyman's appetite (there are lots of rugby-based items in the restaurant).

Drink

Le Garage is a British-themed bar rather near the centre of town. It has decent 'pub-grub' food, but the reason to go is to meet French university students with an interest in meeting English speakers.