Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

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Pau [po, Occitan pau] (Basque Paue) is a city in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and, with 76,275 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2018), the largest city in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and the fourth largest city in the region. The city is the seat of the prefecture of the department. The prefecture also administers the arrondissement of Pau. It is the capital (French chef-lieu) of the cantons of Pau-1, Pau-2 and Pau-3 and Pau-4, having already been the capital of the cantons of Jurançon, Pau-Centre, Pau-Est, Pau-Nord, Pau-Ouest and Pau-Sud until their dissolution in 2015. In 2017, Pau was awarded the honorary title of "Reformation City of Europe" by the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe.

Location and climate

The city of Pau is located on the river Gave de Pau in the southwestern foothills of the Pyrenees, a good 215 km south of Bordeaux and about 195 km southwest of Toulouse at an altitude of about 215 meters. The place of pilgrimage Lourdes is located about 58 km southeast. The climate is temperate; rain (approx. 885 mm/year) falls throughout the year.

Population development

The mechanization of agriculture and the abandonment of small farms led to a rural exodus in the 20th century. In the meantime, the neighbouring town of Lescar takes in most of the immigrants.