Such a Cute Little Town

Chateau de Pau

Pau is a little green city situated in the Southwestern part of France, and it is the most important city in the Aquitaine region. Pau is lovely for its vast greenery, and its dinstinct cleanliness as compared to many parts of France. The streets are generally quiet due to the small population size, but there are still ample facilities for its dwellers.

My favorite place in Pau would be the Boulevard de Pyrenees – the shopping district. Not really for the shopping, but for the spacious design and its fountains, as well as the amazing view of the Pyrenees mountains from a distance. As you take a walk along the winding streets, you would also make a discovery of its many quaint little shops selling specialized products.

Typical Architecture in Pau

For tourists arriving via train, you have to experience the funiculaire, which fetches you from the train station to the Bouleverd de Pyrenees. It is an ancient little upward tram and just seeing how old the machinery looks lits a smile onto my face. Oh, and it is not automated, meaning that a poor uncle actually has the world’s most boring job of controlling the little tram ;) Great task for retirees.

As the town is really small, attractions are few. Pau hosts the Grand Prix and you’d be lucky to catch it when you are in the region. Other must sees would include the Chateau de Pau, Palais Beaumont, and the parks in the city.

I personally took a 20 min bus ride to visit the Jurancon wineries, and the guides are accommodating and friendly. 2 guides brought me and another friend around to view the manufacturing process, as well as a degustation. They spoke in English and French, answered all our questions, the wines were really yummy, and on top of it all, everything was free!

Having lived in this town for a month, I will definitely miss it… It is an ideal spot in the Southwest as many interesting towns in the region are accessible via the nearby auto route… Left just in time to skip a bad chilly autumn J