RENOWN OF PAU--LECTOURE--THE LABOURER-DUKE--AUCH--TARBES--THE PRINCESS AND THE COUNT--COSTUME--ARRIVAL AT PAU--THE PROMENADES--THE TOWN--IMPROVEMENTS-FIRST IMPRESSIONS--WALKS--BUILDINGS--HOTELS--THE MAGNIFICENT BAKER--THE SWAIN--TOU-CAI! WE left Agen on our way to Pau, where we proposed taking up our winter quarters, having so frequently heard that it was one of the best retreats for cold weather in the South of France: its various perfections casting into the shade those, long-established, but now waning, of Montpelier, Nice, &c.

At Lectoure we changed horses, and remained long enough to admire the fine view from its exalted position, and a few of the humours of its population of young ragged urchins, whose gambols with a huge Pyrenean dog diverted us for some time.
Lectoure is situated on the summit of an immense rock, surrounded by hills and deep valleys.

It was formerly very strongly fortified, as the remains of its Roman and Middle-Age walls attest.
The tower of the church, partly Roman, partly English, is a very striking object, from its extreme height and apparent fragility, which is, however, merely imaginary; for it has resisted the efforts of time and war for centuries: it once had a steeple of stupendous height; but as it was continually attracting the stray lightnings, and was, besides, much dilapidated, it was demolished.

The episcopal palace, now the Mairie, is near it, bought for the town by Marshal Lannes, Duke de Montebello.

The statue of this hero of Napoleon is in the grand square, and his portrait, as well as those of other great men born in Lectoure, adorn the walls of the interior.