Jeu de Paume de Navarre | Real Tennis Club Profiles

In the southern corner of France, a project of restoration is underway to revive a fantastic 19th century real tennis (jeu de paume) court in the Preyeneean city of Pau. Rich with history as a resort town for English and Americans, the court was constructed on the edge of Parc Beaumont adjacent to what would be come the Formula 1 track, just 5 minutes walk from the city center.

However, in the mid-20th century, the court was modified for use as a trinquet. Since 2004 a project is underway to restore the court for use as a "jeu a dedans", the familiar shape for playing real tennis. In the meantime, the court has reopened for regular play and employed the services of former real tennis World Champion Wayne Davies.

Real Tennis (also called Court Tennis or Jeu de Paume) is an exhilarating sport played at around 50 courts in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and France. Despite its long history, it is actively played by thousands of enthusiastic club players and professionals who are attracted to its complexity, athleticism and skill. In this series, we explore some of the tennis courts around the country, learn a little about their history and what they are like today.

Get in touch with Jeu de Paume de Navarre:
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Featuring Wayne Davies and Simon Berry