Salies-de-Bearn

Visit Salies-de-Bearn, Aquitaine

Salies-de-Bearn is a very picturesque town about 50 kilometres north-west of Pau in south-west France.

The town has the river Saleys running through it, which for much of its journey through the town is in a man-made channel that can be crossed by two bridges in Salies-de-Bearn, on the pont d’Andioque and the pont de la Lune. Both bridges offer wonderful views of the town with its whitewashed buildings, painted shutters and wooden balconies.

Explore Salies de Bearn

The town is full of little lanes and is lovely for ambling through and relaxing. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and hotels too if you decide to make Salies-de-Bearn a base for visiting the surrounding area. One of these is the Hotel du Parc which is a luxury hotel built for wealthy visitors to the thermal baths in the 19th century. The hotel has an Italian style lounge and has been the backdrop of various films, and part of the hotel building is now a casino.

The Place du Bayaa is the heart of the town and was originally built like a snail’s shell around the basin from where salt water was drawn. This has now been covered over but there is now a salt-water ‘fountain of the sanglier’ in the shape of a boar’s head in the square.

There is also a 16^th century castle, the Chateau Saint-Pe, behind the Town Hall in salies-de-Bearn and which used to hold the court of justice for witches!

The town originally developed around the local salt industry. Legend has it that this was discovered when an injured boar fell into a swamp and was discovered later covered in salt and perfectly preserved. The salt is thought to be essential to the taste of nearby Bayonne hams.

With the discovery of thermal springs whose water is about 50°, thermal baths have been developed and brought wealth to the town and well-being to its visitors. The salts at Salies de Bearn are particularly beneficial for gynaecological, rheumatic and paediatric ailments. The spa baths in the town are housed in an interesting looking building built in a Moorish style. The waters are ten times more salty than those in the sea.

Visitors can bathe in the waters, although for non-patients the waters are cooler and less salty.

There is even a museum dedicated to the salt industry - the Musee du Sel. As well as the salt museum there is also a museum of arts and traditions in Salies de Bearn.

Photos of Salies-de-Bearn (click any picture to start the gallery)

Tourist classifications for Salies-de-Bearn: Village in bloom (ville fleurie) 2*; Salies-de-Bearn falls within the Pays d'art et d'histoire de Béarn region

Suggested places to visit near Salies-de-Bearn, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Oloron-Sainte-Marie 40km; Cambo-les-Bains 40km; Itxassou 41km; Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port 42km; Bayonne 44km; Espelette 45km; Capbreton 45km; Hossegor 46km; Anglet 48km; Pau 49km; Ainhoa 50km; Biarritz 51km; Moliets 55km; Sare 56km; Mont-de-Marsan 58km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Salies-de-Bearn

Salies-de-Bearn tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Parc du Sarrat - remarkable garden (28km) : Hagetmau - ville fleurie 4* (34km) : Jardin du château de Momas - remarkable garden (39km) : Jardins de la villa Arnaga - remarkable garden (40km) : Oloron-Sainte-Marie - town of art and history (40km) : Marais d'Orx - site of natural beauty (40km) : Jardins du château de Viven - remarkable garden (45km) : Gorges d'Holzarté - site of natural beauty (52km) :

French version: see Salies-de-Bearn (Francais)