Pau, town, capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques département, Nouvelle-Aquitaine région, southwestern France. The capital of the former province of Béarn, Pau is mainly a spa and tourism centre. It stands on the edge of a plateau 130 feet (40 metres) above the valley of the Pau Stream, which descends from the Pyrenees.
The town’s boulevard des Pyrénées, more than 1 mile (1.6 km) long, is situated high above the valley and offers a magnificent panoramic view of the mountains. A castle in the town, situated on a spur above the river, was the birthplace (1553) of Henry IV of France, who reigned from 1589 to 1610. It is now a national museum and contains a fine collection of the Gobelins tapestries. The house that was the birthplace (1763) of Marshal Jean Bernadotte, who became Charles XIV John of Sweden (1818–44), is also a museum.
Pau expanded rapidly, partly through industrialization (the manufacture of aeronautical equipment, mechanical engineering, and food processing). It also serves as the administrative centre of the département. The University of Pau and the Pays de l’Ardour opened in Pau in 1970. The industrial complex at Lacq lies southeast of the town. Pop. (1999) 78,732; (2014 est.) 77,489.