Pau Castle

The ancient feudal fortress of the viscounts of Béarn, where Henry IV was born in 1553, and which was converted into a royal palace by Marguerite of Angouleme, sister of Francis I, and her husband Henry II of Albret, heirs to the crown of Navarro, was entirely restored in the 19th century by Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III.

The museum contains a unique artistic and historical collection in an exceptional setting.

The royal apartments, refurbished and furnished in the middle of the 19th century, are a remarkable example of the decorative art of the July Monarchy and the Second Empire. On display amongst other things are a sumptuous collection of royal tapestries from the 16th to the 19th century, along with extensive collections that have been assembled since 1945 to depict the history and the legend of France’s most popular king.