Pau

We got into Pau after a fairly short train trip from Albi through Toulouse. The scenery changed again as we made our way along the northern edge of the Pyrenees. Pretty wooded areas occasionally gave way to open vistas where, had the weather been better, we could have seen the snow-capped mountains. We toured the castle where Henri IV was born, a fairly oppulant manor for a regional lord. Then we walked along the southern ramparts, famed for their beautiful views of the mountains. Of course, over the course of seven days, they never appeared from their cloud cover. But neither rain nor gloom kept us completely down. A couple side trips and some long walks helped get us through our time in this overhyped city.
Noted as one of the (if not the) best city in France to retire to, we found it quite lacking in vitality and things to do. I think it's reputation comes from having a couple golf courses surrounding it, as everyone knows this is every retirees' main daily activity.Read more