town, capital of Pyrnes-Atlantiques dpartement, Aquitaine region, southwestern France. The capital of the former province of Barn, Pau is a spa and winter sports centre. It stands on the edge of a plateau 130 feet (40 m) above the valley of the Pau Stream, which descends from the Pyrenees. The town's boulevard des Pyrnes, 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 of Sweden (181844), is also a museum. Pau has shown considerable population growth because of recent industrialization (aeronautical equipment and shoes) and also because of its proximity to the natural gas and chemical-extraction complex at Lacq. The University of Pau and the Pays de l'Adour opened in 1970. Pop. (1982) 82,186.
PAU
Meaning of PAU in English
Britannica English vocabulary. Английский словарь Британика. 2012