Pau France
Pau is the 3rd most visited town on the Tour de France route – and once again in 2011 it was a show not to be missed!
Pau hosts stage 13 of the Tour de France 2011 – click to see the caravan and the START!
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Click to discover the Grand Prix de Pau Historique and the Grand Prix de Pau
When the Grand Prix comes to town – Pau changes! For these amazing events Pau becomes the perfect balance of charm, chaos, excitement and adrenalin. But Pau isn’t always a buzz of noise and visitors, most of the year it lives comfortably and quietly in the foothills of the Pyrénées charming its visitors with is beauty.
But like most town and people – Pau and the Pyrénées has a complex history! This region has been fought over for many years, it has changed hands and ownership, and it has been the host to many celebrities and nobility throughout history.
One person who was fascinated by the area and it history was Louisa Costello; she visited the region three times between 1842 and 1844. Louisa Costello was a well established author at the time and she documented all her visits. These writing are still available. Although some of Ms Costellos judgements are a little harsh, the latest version
Pau is often misunderstood. It is an old town, it has the required Chateau and the old cobbled streets. It has the small bars and cafes; but it has so much more.
Whatever you have heard about the Palois (the name given to the permanent residents of Pau), they are a welcoming people. They actually have no choice. There are several fixtures that put Pau on the international map regularly. Firstly there is the Tour De France. Pau and the Tour have a long relationship, they have been a feature on 80 Tour routes and in 2010 they also enjoyed a rest day, giving the town over to the Tour for three days. The second event which welcomes guests to the town is the car race. This is around the streets of Pau and is a great time to discover Pau as a visitor.
However, Pau is always active. Outside of these two, big international events there are a constant flow of people. This is driven by the two tertiary educational institutes, University de Pau and the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Pau. These are both highly respected schools and draw not only French students, but students from across the globe.
The students and the town combine perfectly to give Pau an amazing atmosphere. To find a place with style, life, youth, history and overlooking a backdrop as stunning as the Pyrenees is quite an achievement and this is what Pau, France is.
So with all this going for Pau, what are the difficulties you will face here? If you are not fluent in French you may find this daunting, but in fact, the language is not an impossible obstacle. Firstly, you can work around it. The international aspect of Pau means that there will always be someone who speaks your language and can help. Since Pau is not that big, finding these people will not be too difficult. Secondly, there is a wide range of language schools in Pau offering just about any level and intensity of course you could imagine. So any language issues can be overcome with a combination of good will and application.
The other great difficulty in Pau is leaving. Pau offers access to skiing in winter and beaches in summer. So with its laid back attitude and everything on offer, you may find that leaving Pau France is difficult. (However, thanks to the convenience of the Pau Airport and Gare de Pau you can you always come back).