The first official crest of Pau Football Club, introduced in 1959, reflected the club's strong connection to the city of Pau and the Béarn region. The badge took the form of a traditional shield topped by a mural crown, representing the city's coat of arms. Across the top appeared the inscription "Pau F.C.", while the centre featured a football set against a backdrop of the Pyrenees mountains, highlighting the club's location at the foot of the mountain range. The founding year, 1959, appeared at the bottom of the shield. This emblem remained the club's identity for more than fifty years and became closely associated with Pau FC's rise through the French amateur divisions.
In 2012, Pau FC introduced a more modern shield while preserving many traditional elements. The new badge retained the blue-and-gold colour scheme and the Pyrenees in the background but replaced the mural crown with a large royal crown, symbolising the city's historic links with the Kingdom of Navarre and the birthplace of King Henry IV of France. A stylised gold football occupied the lower half of the crest, while the club's motto, "Vaincre ou Sourire" ("Win or Smile"), appeared beneath the club's name. The redesign reflected Pau FC's growing ambitions as it sought promotion to the professional ranks.
Following promotion to Ligue 2, Pau FC unveiled a completely new visual identity in 2022. The traditional shield was replaced by a clean circular badge inspired by the coat of arms of the city of Pau. At its centre are the crown of Henry IV, the stylised Pyrenees, and the historic city gate with two cows, all elements drawn from Pau's civic heraldry. The years 19 and 95 flank the central emblem, commemorating the club's professional identity, while gold fleur-de-lis decorate the outer ring as a tribute to Béarn's royal heritage.
Pau FC Club History
Founded in 1959 as Football Club de Pau (FC Pau), the club was created following a split from the football section of Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau, an amateur club founded in 1904. The separation occurred because the Bleuets' leadership did not wish to pursue promotion to the national divisions, prompting club president José Bidegain and several players to establish an independent football club dedicated to competing at a higher level. Pau FC inherited the Bleuets' blue-and-white colours and their motto, "Vaincre ou Sourire" ("Win or Smile").
During its early decades, Pau FC became one of the strongest amateur clubs in south-west France. The club won the Division d'Honneur Sud-Ouest in 1968 and established itself as a regular competitor in the national amateur championships. Although financial limitations prevented rapid progress into the professional ranks, Pau earned a reputation for developing talented players and representing the Béarn region at a high level.
In 1995, following severe financial difficulties and bankruptcy, the club was restructured and adopted its current name, Pau Football Club (Pau FC). Under the leadership of former players Bernard Laporte-Fray and Joël Lopez, the club rebuilt both its finances and sporting project. Stability gradually returned, and Pau became a consistent side in the National and Championnat National 2 divisions.
After spending eight seasons outside the third tier, Pau returned to the Championnat National in 2016. The club's greatest achievement arrived in 2020, when it earned promotion to Ligue 2 for the first time in its history after finishing first in the National before the season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although no official championship title was awarded, promotion marked the beginning of Pau FC's first era as a fully professional club.
A major milestone came in 2019 with the opening of Nouste Camp, the club's first purpose-built home stadium. Since establishing itself in Ligue 2, Pau FC has earned praise for its organised football, prudent financial management, and ability to compete against clubs with significantly larger budgets. The club has also provided a platform for several notable players, including André-Pierre Gignac, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Chedjou, and Tino Costa, who spent part of their youth careers in Pau.
Pau FC's principal rival is Tarbes Pyrénées Football, with matches between the two clubs known as the Derby des Pyrénées. Encounters with Rodez AF and Bayonne FC have also developed into important regional fixtures over the years.
