 The town developed from the construction of its castle, likely from the 11th century by the Viscounts of Béarn, to protect the ford which was a strategic point providing access to the Bearn valleys and to Spain.The city takes its name from the stockade ("pau" in Bearnese) which surrounded the original castle.The village built around the castle benefited from its strategic position as well as the protection of the Viscounts of Béarn and grew over the following centuries.