Photo: Flo641 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Éclipse solaire quasi totale · 12 August 2026

Where to watch the 2026 solar eclipse in Pau

Pau comes agonisingly close: about 99.0% of the Sun is covered on 12 August 2026 — and yet this is still not totality. That last fraction of a percent is the difference between a deep partial eclipse and the corona.

Quasi totale — partielle profonde Get certified eclipse glasses

Maximum~20:26 CESTNouvelle-Aquitaine · France · 12 Aug 2026

Durée~1h 47m of partial eclipseThis is the full partial eclipse from first to last contact. There is no totality here — the Sun is never completely covered, so there is no corona and no moment when it is safe to look without protection.

Hauteur du Soleil~7° above the WNW horizonlow in the west — an open horizon is essential

Couverture99.0% (partial)Pau is OUTSIDE the path of totality. About 99.0% of the Sun is covered at maximum — an extraordinarily deep partial eclipse, but not a total one. The corona never appears and the sky does not go dark.

Probabilité de ciel dégagé Often clear · ≈66%South-western France is usually warm and settled in mid-August, with Pyrenean convection the main late-day risk.

Compte à rebours jusqu'au maximum

—jours —h —min —sec

Below: Pau's exact timings, why 99.0% is genuinely not the same event as totality, the best places to watch, and how far you would have to travel for the real thing.

Le déroulé

Quand l'éclipse a lieu

~19:31 CESTDébut de la phase partielle — première morsure dans le Soleil

~20:26 CESTQuasi totale — ~1h 47m of partial eclipse. Lunettes à retirer seulement en cas de totalité.

~21:08 CESTEclipse ends ~21:18 CEST

The eclipse runs from about 19:31 to 21:18 CEST, with maximum at around 20:26 and the Sun ~7° above the west-northwest horizon. The Sun sets at 21:08 CEST, during the eclipse, so the later stages happen below the horizon — an open west-northwest view is essential.

Où s'installer

Les meilleurs endroits pour observer

Boulevard des Pyrénées

Terrace · panoramic

Famous mountain panorama

Pau's great terrace looks south to the Pyrenees and west along the valley — one of the finest urban viewpoints in France, and open in the direction that matters.

Parc Beaumont

Park · open ground

Space near the centre

Open parkland beside the boulevard with clear sky and room to gather.

Gave de Pau riverbank

Riverside · low open

Flat corridor west

The river below the château gives a low, unobstructed sightline along the valley.

Open country toward Lescar

Rural · west

Cleanest low horizon

West of Pau the land opens out with the Pyrenees to the south, leaving the western sky clear.

South into Spain for totality

The real thing

~2h to the path

Pau reaches 99% — agonisingly close. Cross the Pyrenees into Navarra or Aragón and you are in genuine totality.

Local astronomy societies and science centres often organise safe public viewing with filtered telescopes — worth checking closer to the date.

Plan your trip

Where to stay near the eclipse

Accommodation around the viewing area for eclipse night (11–13 Aug 2026). Compare hotels and rentals live on the map below.

La météo

Le ciel sera-t-il dégagé ?

South-western France is usually warm and settled in mid-August, with Pyrenean convection the main late-day risk.

The deciding factor here is simply whether the sky is clear at the right moment. Check the forecast in the final 48 hours and, if you can, keep the option of moving to a gap in the cloud.

Planifier la journée

Votre checklist pour le jour de l'éclipse

Certified ISO 12312-2 / CE eclipse glasses — one pair per person
Glasses stay ON for the entire eclipse — there is no safe moment here
An open west-northwest horizon — the Sun is only ~7° up
Arrive before 19:31 to catch first contact

Check the cloud forecast in the final 48 hours
Never look through a camera, phone or binoculars without a proper solar filter
Pinhole projection is a safe way for groups to watch together
If you want totality, it is northern Spain — not here

Observer en toute sécurité

Quelle que soit votre façon d'observer, faites-le en sécurité

Tous les produits Absolute Eclipse sont certifiés de façon indépendante et fabriqués dans l'UE. Il n'y a aucun moment sûr pour regarder à l'œil nu — gardez des lunettes certifiées en permanence.

Certifié ISO 12312-2
CE · UE 2016/425 EPI
Fabriqué et expédié dans l'UE

FAQ sur l'éclipse en Pau

Will Pau see a total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026?

No. Pau is outside the path of totality and sees a partial eclipse, with about 99.0% of the Sun covered at maximum. That sounds close to totality, but it is a fundamentally different event: the corona does not appear, the sky does not go dark, and there is never a safe moment to look without protection. The path of totality crosses northern Spain.

What time is the eclipse in Pau?

The partial phase begins at about 19:31 CEST and maximum — 99.0% coverage — comes at roughly 20:26 CEST. The Sun sets at 21:08 CEST, during the eclipse, so the later stages happen below the horizon — an open west-northwest view is essential.

Do I need eclipse glasses in Pau?

Yes, for the entire eclipse without exception. Because the Sun is never fully covered, there is never a safe moment to look with the naked eye. Even at 99.0% coverage the remaining sliver is dangerously bright. Certified ISO 12312-2 / CE glasses stay on from start to finish.

Where should I watch from in Pau?

The Sun is only about 7° above the horizon, so you need an open, unobstructed view to the west-northwest. Buildings, hills and trees in that direction will hide the deepest phase.

Pau gets 99% — is that effectively a total eclipse?

No. At 99% the remaining sliver of Sun is still thousands of times brighter than the corona: the sky stays blue, no corona appears, and your glasses never come off. The path of totality is across the Pyrenees in northern Spain, around two hours away.

Will the weather be clear in Pau on eclipse day?

South-western France is usually warm and settled in mid-August, with Pyrenean convection the main late-day risk.

Continuez d'explorer le couloir

Régions voisines depuis où observer

● Partielle

Sources : timeanddate.com · nationaleclipse.com · eclipsophile.com (météo) · Gobierno de Aragón · BBC Sky at Night. Les heures sont locales (CEST).