Low-emission zone of Pau
As of 1 January 2025, an emissions sticker is mandatory in Pau. This city is located in the south of France, not far from the border with Spain. On this page we have a map and more practical information for you. On our overview page you can find all French low-emission zones, while on the home page you can read more about the emissions sticker itself.
Map of the low-emission zone in Pau
The low-emission zone of Pau is largely shaped by the ring road or rocade of the city. This road consists of the D817 and the D802 which enclose the urban area. However, the western boundary of the low-emission zone is formed by the D834, the Voie Nord-Sud. On the map, the low-emission zone is marked orange.
Within the low-emission zone are a number of roads that you may use without an emissions sticker to reach a parc relais. These are large parking lots from which you take public transportation to downtown Pau. On the map, these roads are indicated by blue lines.
The low-emission zone of Pau
Unusual about the low-emission zone of Pau is that the rules only apply Monday through Friday between 9 and 18 hours. So if you drive through the low-emission zone early in the morning, in the evening or during the weekend, it is not necessary to have a sticker. This is useful to know if you are visiting Pau during your vacation and do not have an emissions sticker.
The low-emission zone of Pau is officially referred to as the zone à faibles émissions (ZFE) of the Communauté d’agglomération Pau Béarn Pyrénées. This is an association of 31 municipalities. In addition to Pau, the low-emission zone is also located in the municipalities of Billère, Bizanos, Gelos, Idron, Jurançon, Lons and Mazères-Lezons.
Parking outside the low-emission zone
Using the routes indicated on the map at the top of this page, you can reach four park-and-ride sites in Pau without an emissions sticker. From here you can then take buses into the city center. We list them for you below.
- P+R Catherine de Bourbon: allée Catherine de Bourbon, 320 parking spaces, at bus stop Catherine de Bourbon Quai B on line F.
- P+R Cliniques: avenue de Buros, 150 parking spaces, at bus stop Cliniques on line F.
- P+R Stades: chemin Larribau, 150 parking spaces, at bus stop PAU Stades du Hameau on line T2.
- P+R Billère: still under construction at the time of writing.
Which emissions sticker in Pau?
In the low-emission zone of Pau, all colors of the French emissions sticker are allowed. Only when you do not have an emissions sticker do you risk receiving a fine. The idea is that in a few years the rules will be gradually tightened. Vehicles with a gray (5) or burgundy (4) sticker will then be banned first.
Other low-emission zones nearby
The only other low-emission zone reasonably close to Pau is the zone of Bayonne on the Atlantic Ocean, 110 kilometers to the west. If you drive east, it is only after 200 kilometers in Toulouse that you will find another city where an emissions sticker is required.
What to see and do in Pau
With over 200,000 inhabitants in the urban area, Pau is the largest city in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. It is not far from the Pyrenees and the Spanish border. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a popular tourist destination. From this time dates the Boulevard des Pyrénées, from where you have a beautiful view of the mountains. Pau Castle from the 14th century is another attraction.