At the foot of the Pyrenees, the town of Tarbes is the second largest metropolitan area of the Midi-Pyrénées region. The town is close to the small market town of Lourdes, which is known for its Roman Catholic pilgrimages. Around 5 million people have been known to make the pilgrimage to the region every season.
Tarbes' main attraction is the Musée des Beaux-Arts, whilst the town is also a regular calling point of the Tour de France, due to its proximity to challenging mountain roads.
Many visitors to the region hire a car from Tarbes and visit some of the other towns and cities in the Pyrenees region. Toulouse, around 150km away, is the largest big city to Tarbes, whilst the city of Pau is around 40km away.
In Pau, you'll find a number of sights including the Château de Pau, a large castle that dominates its quarter of the city, and the Place Clemenceau, one of the central squares.
Sport is also big in Pau, with a well-known rugby team, a long motorsport heritage and continental Europe's oldest 18-hole golf course in the city.
