The covered market and the Foirail
Fully renovated, the Pau covered market has become a fashionable meeting place: market gardeners’ stalls, oyster counters, wine bars and small canteens rub shoulders under a beautiful glass roof. On Saturdays, the Foirail market spills across the square and draws locals in search of fresh produce. You taste sheep’s cheese, mild peppers and a few regional pastries to share.
Béarn flavours at the table
Garbure, a thick soup of cabbage, beans and confit, is the emblematic dish of Béarn. People often order it for a first dinner, for its warming spoonful and country aroma. Pau restaurants also offer poule au pot, a reminder of King Henri IV, and many recipes based on duck breast or trout from the gaves. Plenty to keep the conversation flowing.
A glass of Jurançon
Born on the nearby hillsides, Jurançon wine comes in a lively dry and a honeyed sweet style. You can taste it in the wine bars of the city centre or straight from the growers, a few minutes from Pau. For dessert, the russe, a praline cream pastry, has been a tea-time favourite for over a century. On Lyad, members from Pau share their favourite tables; it is up to you to find someone to raise a glass and savour them with.
Date ideas
- Pau covered market
- Foirail market
- Jurançon wine
- Béarn garbure
- Russe de Pau cake
- Sheep’s milk cheeses
- Place du Foirail
