Billère is a town in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques, in the region of New Aquitaine, to the west of Pau of which it borders.
From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the locality was a simple village with rural and artisan activity, and then, with Pau, it welcomed a growing number of wealthy Britons who appreciated the Béarn for its climate and its living environment. privileged holiday resort. The commune benefits from this enthusiasm. The British built a number of style villas there and created the first golf course ever built on the continent.
In the 20th century, the population growth of Billère is linked to the development of the agglomeration palais but its living environment is preserved. Its heritage and environment remain quality and if the population has grown from almost 2,500 at the Liberation to nearly 14,000 today, its cultural, sporting and leisure facilities like its green face make it a pleasant stage.
Discovering Billère can begin with a walk connecting the different elements of its built heritage. One will visit the church of Saint-Laurent, largely redesigned and enlarged in the nineteenth century on the bases of a first church of the thirteenth. There is a bell-tower (1856) and a 1901 stained glass window by an English glassmaker who evokes a passage from the Apocalypse. Christ is represented in it in a red cloak, which gives a lot of luminosity to the stained glass. Several paintings also decorate the building, including a copy of Raphael's "Virgin in the Chair".
The city is also dotted with about thirty luxurious villas built in the nineteenth century by wealthy British families. Equipped with parks, various styles, they often have in common to be equipped with bow windows. Villa Caplane, Villa Hutton are typical examples. Like the Villa des Palmier, a large country house with typical English architecture built for the Count de Lagrèze, former sub-prefect and relative of King Oscar II of Sweden. The beautiful building now houses the town hall of the town.
Another element of the heritage is the castle of Este, built before the Revolution and acquired by a rich Scotsman at the beginning of the 19th century. The building has been set up as a communal library and regularly hosts exhibitions (information on +33 5 59 13 06 30).
If she does not visit, we must mention the Lassansaa house, which owes its fame to Jeanne Fourcade, who was the nurse of Henri III of Navarre, future King of France Henri IV. Renaissance style, several times reworked, preserved by the various monarchies, the house remains a symbol for all the Bearn...
However, it is a very specific development that remains the jewel heritage of Billère: its golf inaugurated in 1856 and whose initial itinerary imitating the British fashion of golfs made by the seaside along the Gave. Redrawn, it is still active.
In 1890 a clubhouse was inaugurated, which became a real museum, parallel to its primary vocation (reading room, restaurant...). The golf course of Billère is considered to be the first to have been built on the Old Continent. For a visit or to play, please call +33 5 59 13 18 56.
For a guided or documented tour of the city and its heritage, please call +33 5 59 27 27 08.
A visit to the city can also include its green and natural spaces.
This is the case of the botanical garden Jeanne-Jugan designed by the specialist Jacques Urban. The opportunity to discover and enjoy a biological diversity beautifully enhanced. Open all year. Free entry. Workshops and introductory courses in botany are regularly scheduled. For further information, please contact us at +33 5 59 40 03 30.
To see also, the orchard (contact +33 5 59 92 44 44) and the natural spaces of the banks of the Gave, the woods of Lacaoü or Mohédan.
For walks including the remarkable sites of Billère and information on hiking trails or mountain biking including the town, please call +33 5 59 27 27 08.
Sports enthusiasts can also take advantage of the swimming pool (entrance 2 and 3.50 euros, information on +33 5 59 77 48 05) or tennis courts at the ASPTT complex (+33 5 59 62 66 80).
It should also be noted that in the rue de la Gravière, along the Gave, there have been runners' courses for walkers and walkers and a Body Boomers area.
On a cultural level, the Bel Ordinaire, an area dedicated to contemporary art in the old slaughterhouses, will delight fans. Information on +33 5 59 72 25 85. On the same site, was opened the Route du Son, a room dedicated to contemporary music.
At the beginning of March, the festival Thunder of Jazz program on three days of numerous concerts, room of Lacaze.
During the first fortnight of April, over three days, the Festival BD Pyrénées is organized at the Bel Ordinaire. On the program, exhibitions, meetings with authors, play workshops.
Early May, on the banks of the Gave, beer festival.
At the end of June, the Flamenco y Feria festival takes place largely in the city of Billère.
The first weekend of October, the Grofest festival is devoted to metal music.
Finally, note that a market where the products of the land Béarnais are honored is held every Saturday morning, place Jules Gois.
Exposition: Lettres d'Amour
- From 10 april to 29 june 2024
- Allée Montesquieu, Grande Galerie du Bel Ordinaire
- From love graffiti to break-up text messages, from epistolary romance to erotic literature, our words of love are written - In words. And every day, we all use, often in a distracted and aloof way, without really looking at them, a set of small abstract signs that we use to concretely convey knowledge, information, feelings, ideas ? Between lettering, graffiti, calligraphy and character design, the exhibition Lettres d ? amour - d ? Amour explores contemporary lettering practices through a variety of cross-disciplinary approaches, - Multimedia, multi-dimensional, scholarly and vernacular, from authors and designers to users. - The world of typography encompasses a multitude of different practices : from the meticulous design of a typeface to spontaneous gestures in urban spaces…
Marché - Haut de Billère
- On 25 may 2024
- Place Jules Gois
- The Saturday morning market on Place Jules Gois is a real meeting place and conviviality around quality products.
Concert : Superpitcher
- On 25 may 2024
- 51 Allée Montesquieu, La Route du Son
- On Saturday, May 25,2024, local collective Hydrodisko will transform the Route du Son venue into a Club to invite you to the first unforgettable Electro party ? HD #01 ? Aksel Schaufler, known as SUPERPITCHER, is a German musician and producer affiliated with the Cologne label KOMPAKT. Since 1996, he has been producing his own music and countless remixes for the Cologne-based KOMPAKT label. In 2011, Superpitcher and artist Rebolledo formed Pachanga Boys, and together they own the Hippie Dance label. In 2017, Superpitcher released his third album The Golden Ravedays, a 12 LP Epic in chapters.
Marché Bio
- On 25 may 2024
- 31 Route de Bayonne, La Halle de Billère
- The organic market is the rediscovered taste of the natural flavours of an infinite variety of products : fruits, vegetables, breads, cakes, wines, fish, meats, groceries, cheese, honey, creamery, herbs, tea, coffee, ready meals. It is the assurance of consuming quality products from local producers who respect and preserve the environment. The organic market is a place of conviviality and exchange where the countryside invites itself to the city.
Exposition: Bienvenue au Club
- From 28 may to 29 june 2024
- Allée Montesquieu, Galerie Éphémère du Bel Ordinaire
- From the 1950s to the 1970s, book clubs were an astonishing form of publishing, bringing literature into the home and opening up a vast, jubilant workspace for great graphic designers. Bienvenue au (x) club (s) invites us to delve into this adventure, which demonstrated the extent to which visual daring, manufacturing ingenuity and typographic adventures could give life to an object made of paper, fabric and cardboard. By observing and manipulating the books, the guests of honor, everyone can set off on a voyage of discovery - To discover the magic at work : an abundance of typefaces, bold layouts, highly graphic covers and - graphic illustrations. And as you leaf through them, you're sure to come across ephemeral reminders of a bygone era : postcards, letters or photos slipped in there nearly 60 years ago
Marché Bio
- On 29 may 2024
- 31 Route de Bayonne, La Halle de Billère
- The organic market is the rediscovered taste of the natural flavours of an infinite variety of products : fruits, vegetables, breads, cakes, wines, fish, meats, groceries, cheese, honey, creamery, herbs, tea, coffee, ready meals. It is the assurance of consuming quality products from local producers who respect and preserve the environment. The organic market is a place of conviviality and exchange where the countryside invites itself to the city.
Afterwork - La Fabrique à Musique Électro
- On 30 may 2024
- 51 Allée Montesquieu, La Route du Son
- Following on from previous editions dedicated to chanson, SACEM ? S Fabrique à Musiques program now turned its attention to electro, as part of an artistic and cultural education program combining awareness-raising, access to shows and production. The project was carried out with a group of 20 students from the Lycée des Métiers du bâtiment et de l ? industrie de Gelos, under the sponsorship of artist Tillous. A multi-instrumentalist, beats tweaker and all-round drummer, Tillous offers a journey between percussive electronica, ambient and reminiscences of the golden age of retro-futuristic techno. - During his residency at the Lycée, the artist worked with students to create an electro track. - Part 1 : The students will present their musical and video work (they also produced a video clip with the help of CUMAMOVI) at this public presentation of the project at La Route du son.
Marché - Haut de Billère
- On 1 june 2024
- Place Jules Gois
- The Saturday morning market on Place Jules Gois is a real meeting place and conviviality around quality products.
Marché Bio
- On 1 june 2024
- 31 Route de Bayonne, La Halle de Billère
- The organic market is the rediscovered taste of the natural flavours of an infinite variety of products : fruits, vegetables, breads, cakes, wines, fish, meats, groceries, cheese, honey, creamery, herbs, tea, coffee, ready meals. It is the assurance of consuming quality products from local producers who respect and preserve the environment. The organic market is a place of conviviality and exchange where the countryside invites itself to the city.
Terre !
- On 5 june 2024
- 41 avenue Lalanne, Centre d'animation le Lacaöu
- Compagnie Les Lubies, From 2 years / Duration 30 mn, Kamishibaï - Director & graphic designer : Sonia Millot - Storyteller and puppeteer : Cécile Delacherie - Noisemaker : Cyril Graux - Lighting design : Cédric Queau - Costumes : Marion Guérin - A band of penguins suddenly find themselves wandering the ocean, clinging to their block of ice which has found nothing better to do than break away from the white continent. Now that's upsetting ! But as they like to say, "There's no problem without a solution", it's obvious that they'll soon be able to set foot on a welcoming new land. After all, there's no shortage of them ! - But here's the thing… it doesn't work every time ? - - 10am, 11am, 4pm
