 In 1876, there were 28,908 inhabitants of Pau.The English settled there and took advantage of the first golf on the continent, of fox hunting (Pau fox hunt), and held races at the Pont-Long Racecourse.From the 1870s the "Boulevard du Midi" was gradually extended to the east and west to form the current "Boulevard des Pyrénées", the lavish Winter Palace – with a palmarium; and internationally renowned hotels, the Gassion and the France, which offered a majestic and luxurious setting for concerts and receptions to take place.