“Pau has the world’s most beautiful view of the earth, just as Naples has the most beautiful view of the sea.” So said French writer, poet and politician Alphonse de Lamartine who was referring to the spectacular mountainous view from Pau’s vast Boulevard des Pyrénées – so beautiful in fact that it’s been officially protected since 1944 under the title Horizons Palois. Located in the heart of the former sovereign principality of Béarn, Pau, in South West France is quite possibly one of the most beautiful under-the-radar cities I have visited in France – no mean feat in a country positively awash with cultural gems.
Eat Early
Le Berry, 5 Pl. Georges Clemenceau, 64000 Pau
‘Berry’ is the town’s standout brasserie and what’s not to love about these bastions of gallic gourmet? While locals descend largely for Le Berry’s legendary Steak tartare, the entrecôte with local béarnaise sauce is an absolute marvel. Even by French standards, service is a little aloof, but don’t let that stop you from rocking up at noon and bagging one of the tables overlooking Place Gambetta. +33559274295; www.leberry-pau.com/
Lupo Pizza & Streetfood, 5 Rue Léon Daran, 64000 Pau,
Their Spartacus pizza is a life changer (a priceless concoction of tomato, mozzarella, cheddar, spianata piccante, spicy mayo, crispy onion and roasted green peppers), easily one of the best pizzas I have had outside of Italy and I happily told them so. It’s not often I go off-piste and have pizza in France, but this was one such occasion. Wash the excesses away with chilled bottles of locally brewed Aussau organic craft beer. +33524366718; https://lupo.ooo/
Eat Late
La Cave des Quatre Pepins, 4 rue Bernadotte, 64000 Pau
A favourite of the local Jurançon vignerons, Les Quatre Pepins, or The 4 Pips (as in those found within the grape) is a place to not only come and taste wines by the glass from the surrounding South West but other leading wine regions across France. Charcuterie and cheese boards are the mainstays while something more substantial is on offer from Thursday-Saturday’s brasserie menu: think Smoked Pyrenees salmon trout or Bigorre Black Pork Chop. +33524984548; https://www.les4pepins.com/
Coffee
BEANZ Café at Boulevard One, 1 Boulevard de d’Aragon, 64000 Pau
Brainchild of Lauren Mowen, the wife of Australian professional Section Paloise rugby player Ben Mowen, and her business partner and fellow Antipodean Pauline Vaissière, who took over Ema Slade’s original share of the company. It’s the place to head for the best barista-prepared arabica bean Flat Whites in town, freshly whizzed up by their in-house La Marzocco machine. “For us, there’s something pretty special about enjoying a coffee in front of the most incredible views of the mountains,” say Lauren and Pauline. +33962504334; https://www.beanzcafepau.fr/
Drink
Cocktails
Snug, 1 Rue du Château, 64000 Pau
As its name suggests, this pint-sized cocktail bar, with wall-to-ceiling bottled potions amassed high against a backdrop of contemporary art deco wallpaper, sits on the spot where Rue du Château bends to reveal the awe-inspiring neo-Gothic meets neo-Renaissance castle. “While we were inspired by the clubs of the Prohibition era, above all, we wanted Snug to be a place that was cosy, friendly and warm” admit owners Murielle Presani, the mixologist and Maxime Wiss, AKA The Almanac of Spirits. “Whether its sat in one of our armchairs or facing the castle, the idea is that you take your time, enjoy the company of friends and family, while we prepare cocktails to your exacting requirements”. You’re spoilt for choice on what is a vast cocktails menu covering all the new waves and classics, but the Nut et Là concocted from a blend of Tonka beans, fresh cream, egg, Thai basil, milk chocolate distillate, hazelnuts and piment d’Espelette pepper from neighbouring Basque country is pretty damn special. +33983259031; http://snugpau.fr/
Craft beer
Au Fût et à mesure Pau, 31 Rue Bernadotte, 64000 Pau
Besides the craft ales available at the bar on tap, Au Fût has a neat little serve-your-own-pint system with various pumps featuring regional and international beers dotted around the bar. All you need is a bank card or a tap on your smartphone and you’re away. Quaff to your heart’s content while you enjoy local cheese and meat platters. On balmy summer nights, everything spills out onto the street as the sun descends. +33559330722; https://aufutetamesure.fr/bar/aufut-pau/;
Stay
Appart’City Confort Pau Centre, 9 Rue Maréchal Joffre, 64000 Pau
Unbeatable for its bang in the centre-of-town location, this aparthotel also boasts pre-bookable on-site parking. Generously proportioned apartments, close to the main shops and only a 5-minute walk from the train station. Rooms from £53pn. + 33559126330; https://www.appartcity.com/
Domaine Mont-Riant, 1, avenue des Frères Barthélémy , 64110 Jurançon
Peaceful guest house with a gourmet restaurant attached in rural Jurançon, gateway to the vineyards, just a ten-minute drive from the centre of Pau. The owners pride themselves on treating their guests like friends, in a country house environment with a magnificent outdoor pool. Rooms from £124pn https://www.domaine-montriant.fr/
Do
Château de Pau, Rue du Château, 64000 Pau
The defining symbol of the city, once used by Napoleon as a holiday home during his time in power, Château de Pau was the birthplace of Henry IV of France and Navarre on December 13, 1553. It houses a magnificent collection of tapestries which, by virtue of their number and quality are one of the most valuable collections in France.
Boulevard des Pyrénées, 64000 Pau
Built in the Belle Époque era under the guidance of French landscape architect and civil engineer Adolphe Alphand, known as the ‘father of the green spaces in Haussmann’s Paris’ who declared that Pau needed its very own version of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The boulevard was actually created at the bequest of Napoleon, to allow dignitaries and guests of Château de Pau to promenade up and down its three-quarters-of-a-mile grand expanse to Place Royale while enjoying privileged views of the Pyrenees – it was the time that gave birth to the flâneur after all (that so-called individual with a persuasion to lounge or stroll around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer). On a clear day, especially during early morning or late evening in the winter months, the magnificent panorama unfolds revealing the Pic du Midi de Bigorre and the Pic d’Anie, with the Pic du Midi d’Ossau rising majestically in the background.
Shop
Les Traits Français Pau, 8 Rue des Cordeliers, 64000 Pau
Les Traits Français distributes 90 designer and artisanal brands which are all 100% Made In France, for both men and women. Its USP is to promote awareness of French textile craftsmanship while at the same time promoting the local economy – it has a sister store in Toulouse. Boasting a fine assortment of predominantly workwear staples including FYU plaid overshirts exclusive to the Pau store, cashmere Breton sweaters, hip Dao denim jeans crafted in their atelier in Nancy and Kleman’s take on the iconic Paraboot ‘Michael’ Tyrolean chunky lace-up shoe at a fraction of the price.
Secret Tip
Ride the free funicular, Les Sentiers du Roy, 64000 Pau
One of only 3 funiculars operating in city centres across France, the rather quaint bottled green liveried Funiculaire de Pau links the Boulevard des Pyrénées and the Château de Pau, both on the city centre level, to Pau railway station in the valley of the Gave de Pau below. In the searing heat of summer, you can cool off before you board under the cold water mist shower!
Lee Osborne is Creative Director of Secret Trips
