From the Place Royale to the Chateau is a very short distance; turning to the right past the Church of St. Martin—­a fine well-built edifice—­and the Hotel Gassion, it stands in full view, and the broad walk passing beneath the side arches leads into the courtyard.  In order to obtain a good view of the entrance and the towers that guard it, it is preferable to approach the castle by the Rue Henri IV. (a continuation of the Rue du Lycee that passes between the theatre and the end of the Place Royale), which, when the shops are left behind, suddenly curves to the left, to the foot of the bridge leading direct to the main entrance.  It is worth while to stand on the bridge for a short time, and survey the whole scene, which can hardly fail to carry the thoughts back to olden times, and as the castle is so intimately connected with the town of Pau, a few explanatory historical facts will not, we trust, be considered out of place before continuing the inspection of the edifice.  The origin of the name of Pau is the Spanish “Palo,” a “stick” or a “stake,” and takes us back to the time when the Saracens had taken possession of a large part of Spain and were making raids beyond the Pyrenees.  Feeling their unprotected position, the inhabitants of the Gave Valley made over a piece of ground to a Prince of Bearn, on the condition that he should erect a fortress for their defence thereon.  This he agreed to do, and as the extent of his allotment was marked out by “stakes,” the castle became known as the castle of “stakes” or Palo, which in time became Pau.

Its commanding position and appearance inspired confidence, and houses soon sprang up around; and, at least a century before the birth of Henry IV., Pau had become an important place.  In time it became the capital of the kingdom of Navarre, and later, when Navarre, Bearn, and the “Pays Basques” were constituted as one department in 1790, it still retained its position as chief town.

Now to resume our inspection from the bridge.  The two towers in full view on either side of the sculptured facade, are the finest and most prominent of the six that flank the castle, but there is one in the interior of the court of more interest.  The highest of these two is the donjon on the left, built of brick, and known as “La Tour de Gaston Phoebus” (112 feet).  Its walls are over eight feet in thickness.  The tower on the right is known as “La Tour Neuve,” while the most interesting is that known as “La Tour de Montaueset” or “Monte-Oiseau,” in which are the ancient dungeons and oubliettes.  The porter has rooms on the ground-floor of the Gaston Phoebus Tower, and his wife sells photographs singly and in books.  Outside, underneath and adjoining the same tower, is a small modern (1843) chapel.