Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Château de Pau

Birthplace of Henri IV in 1553 — the future king rocked, tradition insists, in a single great turtle shell still shown today. Fortress of Gaston Fébus, palace of the kings of Navarre, restored as a shrine to 'the good king' under Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III, with sweeping views to the Pyrenees.

At a glance

Built: 12th–16th centuries; restored 19th c.
Style: Medieval fortress turned Renaissance palace
Commissioned by: Viscounts of Béarn; Gaston Fébus; kings of Navarre
Signature feature: Henri IV's birthplace and the famous turtle-shell cradle
Gaston Fébus: His brick keep of 1370 still anchors the castle
Collections: Exceptional tapestry collection (national museum)
The view: Boulevard des Pyrénées panorama from castle to peaks
Visiting: Open to visitors year-round (national museum)