Travel guide – pau
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Overview
Pau is situated 50 miles (80km) inland, high above the Gave de Pau River, and is a good base from which to explore the Pyrenees and the picturesque little villages of the Bearn region. This year-round resort was popular with the English in the early 19th century (at one time 20 percent of the population was from England) and many customs were imported from across the Channel to become entrenched, including fox hunting and afternoon tea. The town is home to 85,000 people and is the most cosmopolitan city in the western Pyrenees. Panoramic views are to be had from a stroll along the Boulevard des Pyrenees. Worthy sightseeing excursions include the 12th century Chateau de Pau, containing some interesting contemporary artefacts including a crib fashioned from a single tortoise shell. The Musee des Beaux-Arts is worth a peek with a collection of European paintings by the likes of El Greco, Degas, Zurbaran and Boudin. The people of the Pau and the Bearn region are very proud of their language (a variation of Occitan) and heritage and have indulged in friendly rivalry with the Basques of Bayonne for centuries.
Activities in Pau
Walking in the Pyrenees
The wild mountains of the Pyrenees stretch for 250 miles (402km) from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and have for many centuries formed a natural frontier: physical, climatic and linguistic, between France and Spain. Second only to the Alps among the great mountain ranges of Western Europe, the Pyrenees are much less frequented, and still offer an exciting combination of knife-edged summits, small glaciers, forested valleys, mountain tarns and little-trodden summer passes. Splendid trails lead to the magnificent cirques and lake-spangled basins of France’s Pyrenees National Park. Over on the Spanish side paths lead through the spectacular canyons of the Ordesa-Monte Perdido National Park, one of Europe’s oldest. In 1997, the United Nations inscribed a portion of the French and Spanish Pyrenees near the French village of Gavarnie and the Spanish village of Torla on its list of World Heritage Sites. Here, nature over the eons has carved three stupendous glacial cirques including the renowned Cirque de Gavarnie and a 3,000ft (914m) deep canyon called Ordesa - Spain’s 'Grand Canyon.'
Climate
The Atlantic influences the climate of the coastal areas like Biarritz, creating mild and temperate weather year round. Winters record the highest temperatures in France and summers are warm with cool sea breezes. Rain usually occurs in short downpours and is distributed throughout the year.
Health
French hospitals and health facilities are first class. British, and visitors from other EU countries, are entitled to heavily discounted medical treatment and medicines on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Otherwise doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Medical insurance is advised. Pharmacies will provide some first aid, but charge for it. There have been increased reports of hantavirus (caused by rodents) in the Ardennes, Aisne and Jura regions. Rabies also occurs occasionally. In February 2006, France confirmed its first cases of bird flu; all affected birds have been culled and precautionary measures taken. The risk is low for travellers, but close contact with domestic, wild and caged birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked.
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