History of Pau

The history of Pau is long several centuries but the blooming of the city is relatively recent, it is affirmed to the XIX and XXème. The beginnings of Pau are quite modest. Until XIème century they are some hovels around a timber construction, observation post, only made up of one tower and apalisade which will probably give its name to the city: the pile, the stake: paü as Inhabitant of Béarn. The site is however exceptional: a headland enters the right bank gave and its smallaffluent: Hédas. The fortification makes it possible tocontrol the Sud/Nord road and the ford on the gave, the populations coming from the mountain (in particular of the valley dOssau) and the herds moving towards the Aquitaines plains.

years what is, at the time, Vicomté de Béarn, Pau, small Village, lives sparely at the rate/rhythm of the quarrels opposing its inhabitants to hard Ossalois for the control of the passages extending beyond the ravine from Hédas. XIVème century marks an important stage. The Viscount of Béarn is blazing it a Count de Foix, Gaston Fébus. It is a large prince well-read man and political end since it manages to remain with the variation of the conflict which opposes theking of England to the king de France (it is the 100 year old war). Moreover, its great intention is to build a Pyrénéen state connecting its fields active of Vicomté de Béarn to the County of Foix. This policy leads it to protect its grounds from its enemies. It makes build a remarkable defense force. Pau infact part. The small fortified town built out of stone, meanwhile, becomes a fortress with a brick keep, public image of constructions of Fébus. That does not make therefore growing the village.

Next century , the spirit of the rebirth blows on Pau. In XVème century the austere fortress becomes princely residence thanks to the will of the prince of navarrewhich makes of Pau a capital equipped with privileges, it becomes the seat of a seneschalsy. In XVIème century, it obtains the right of coinage, Pau starts to leave its torpor. King de Navarre, Henri d' Albret settles there with his wife, Marguerite d' Angoulème,sister of François 1st, brilliant spirit author of Heptaméron. The royal couple gives to the castle its letters of nobility, itbecomes one of the florets of the architecture of the rebirth.

The castle and its royal occupants contribute to the economic advancement of the city, rise which is accentuated with the arrival of the Protestants who take refuge in thecapital of the Huguenotte queen: Jeanne d' Albret. The fame of the city grows with the son of Jeanne: Henri III of Navarre become the king Henri IV after the disappearance of his/her cousins: the Valois last. Royal inhabitant of Béarn will not forget the city of his birth to which it grants the title of city. His/her son Louis XIII makes the seat of a Parliament of it. Pau thus sees developing legal but such a religious activity. Catholicism takes again ground on Protestantism. The convents and the religious institutions multiply. A craft industry develops in particular around the textile but even if it commense to be extended towards the east, the city remains modest, without imposing presence around a castle which is dilapidated.

And comes Napoleon the Ist emperor and its army is back of the cruel adventure in Spain. The emperor immediately appreciates the exceptional site of the city. With blow of decrees it transforms it, airs it and makes of it for the 1st time a city open on the Pyrenees. In his turn, the duke of Wellington, future victorious of Napoleon, stops in Pau with his army; Britaniques discover Pau and its climate. The XIXème century starts, it will become that of Pau English city.

They are legion those which speak in praise of the healing virtues of the climate of the royal city, among them, most dedicated is a young Scottish doctor: Alexandre Taylor. Britaniques rich person flow in order to look after their melancholy, their lung diseases and in particular frightening tuberculosis. A brilliant company settles, the city changes. His affections there are looked after but it is also necessary to be distracted. The English introduce what makes their way of life: the Golf, Hunting for the Fox, Hippodromme. The loveof English for the horse is at the origin of the horse vocation of thecity. They make build sumptuous villas. The hotels of prestige like the hotel of France and the hotel of Gassion are not enough. Should be satisfied demanding customers. The municipal officials get busy there: the city is fed out of water, one installs a system sewerages and lighting with gas. One carries out ambitious projects of town planning as the purchase of the property of the count de Beaumont where the splendid palate of winter to the sumptuous canopy and the boulevard of the Pyrenees are built, beautiful walk connecting the castle to the Beaumont field.