Arrival, information and accommodation
France > Pyrénées > Central > Pau > Arrival, information and accommodation
Pau's airport, to the north of town (tel 05.59.33.33.00), is overshadowed by those nearby at Tarbes-Lourdes and Biarritz, so don't expect any international flights – just a few to Paris. the town lies on the A64 autoroute Pyrénéenne and on the main east–west rail route, with connections to Bayonne and Biarritz to the west, and Lourdes, Tarbes and Toulouse to the east, as well as to Bordeaux and Paris. The gare SNCF is on the southern edge of the city centre by the riverside: SNCF buses leave from here, and private buses from various kerbside terminals in rue Gachet, off place Clemenceau. Buses run south down the Vallée d'Ossau and to Oloron-Ste-Marie, with onward connections to the Vallée d'Aspe. A free funicular carries you up from the train station to the boulevard des Pyrénées, opposite place Royale, at the far end of which is the tourist office (July & Aug daily 9am–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9.30am–1pm; tel 05.59.27.27.08). For information on walking and climbing try the local CAF (Club Alpin Français) 5 rue René Fournets (Mon–Fri eve only; tel 05.59.27.71.81), or Librairie des Pyrénées, 14 rue St-Louis, which stocks a wide range of books on the mountains. There is a central Internet café, CyberSeventys, at 7 rue Gambetta (www.CyberSeventys.com).For a friendly, clean and quiet budget hotel, try the Hôtel d'Albret, 11 rue Jeanne-d'Albret, close to the castle (tel & fax 05.59.27.81.58; under €30), which has large rooms mostly with basins. Two equally central alternatives are the Hôtel le Matisse, 17 rue Mathieu-Lalanne, opposite the Musée des Beaux-Arts (tel 05.59.27.73.80; under €30), and Pomme d'Or at 11 rue Maréchal-Foch (tel 05.59.11.23.23, fax 05.59.11.23.24; under €30). Two-star, en-suite comfort is available at the Commerce at 9 rue Maréchal-Joffre (tel 05.59.27.24.40, [email protected]; €40–55) and the Postillon at 10 Cours Camou behind place de Verdun (tel 05.59.72.83.00, [email protected]; €30–40), both arrayed around their own courtyards. There are two hostels: one at 30 rue Michel-Hounau (tel 05.59.11.05.05, [email protected]), and the Maison Européenne de la Jeunesse, 18 rue Bourbaki, at the end of rue Montpensier (tel 05.59.62.50.50), with a canteen. There is also a pair of campsites, the Base de Plein Air at Gelos (tel 05.59.06.57.37; closed Oct–May), just over the river from the train station, which has better amenities and is more convenient than the municipal one on boulevard du Cami-Salié, off avenue Sallenave towards the autoroute, on the northern edge of town (tel 05.59.02.30.49; closed mid-Sept to May).
|
