Section Paloise (), often referred to simply as la Section or Pau (), is a professional rugby union club based in Pau, France. They are participants in the Top 14, France's premier rugby division, and also compete in the Champions Cup.
Their home matches are played at the Stade du Hameau, following 80 years of hosting games at the Stade de la Croix du Prince (1910–1990). The club boasts an impressive history, having clinched the Bouclier de Brennus three times in 1928, 1946, and 1964 along with securing the European Challenge in 2000.
Section Paloise has also won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1939, 1952 and 1997. Additionally, they claimed the French Pro D2 title in 2015.
As a large presence in French rugby, the club has become a symbol of Béarn culture and heritage. The official anthem of Section Paloise is "Honhada," a tradition that began in March 2012. The lyrics of this anthem were composed to the tune of the Scottish ballad The Water Is Wide.
Significantly, la Section enjoys sponsorship from the renowned French petroleum company, TotalEnergies. This partnership holds historical significance for Pau, as it traces back to the origins of Elf Aquitaine, stemming from the Lacq gas field. Elf Aquitaine subsequently evolved into Total. To this day, TotalEnergies maintains its presence with offices in Pau, playing a vital role as one of the city's primary employers.
Several recent French rugby internationals, including Imanol Harinordoquy, Damien Traille, Lionel Beauxis and Antoine Hastoy started their professional club careers with Section. The club has also been a welcoming home to rugby legends such as Conrad Smith, Colin Slade and Sam Whitelock. Throughout the years, Section has featured English players like Steffon Armitage, and it currently fields talents such as Dan Robson and Joe Simmonds.
As of January 2025, current French internationals playing for Section include Hugo Auradou, Théo Attissogbé, and Émilien Gailleton.
History
Origins and early development (1890–1928)
Early roots of rugby in Pau and Béarn (1890–1902) Rugby football was introduced to the city of Pau in 1888, after having developed in Paris, Le Havre, and Bordeaux. In the late 19th century, physician and hygienist Philippe Tissié settled in Pau, drawn by the climate and opportunities to develop physical education in the schools of this decidedly sports-oriented city. He introduced his teaching methods for Swedish gymnastics and sport, promoting regular physical activity among young people.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Pau remained a popular destination for the European aristocracy during the winter season. After an initial peak in visitor numbers in the 1880s, the city experienced a renewed period of growth between 1909 and 1911 with the construction of the Boulevard des Pyrénées. English, American, Russian, Spanish and Prussian high society coexisted there, contributing to the international prominence of the city. Several public facilities were built during this period, including the Funiculaire de Pau, designed to link the railway station with the upper town.
In this context, barette, a local and simplified variant of rugby football, developed rapidly, promoted by Philippe Tissié and the Ligue girondine d’éducation physique. The presence of a sizable British community already familiar with rugby football also contributed to its dissemination. Adapted to local playing fields and to school environments, barette was incorporated into physical education programmes and gained widespread popularity. These factors explain the early development of rugby in the city, making Pau one of the historical centres of the sport in southwestern France.
From 1889, the Coquelicots de Pau, a sports association of the Lycée de Pau (later Lycée Louis-Barthou), played matches at the Champ Bourda against teams from neighbouring schools, such as the Montagnards de Bayonne and La Pyrénéenne de Tarbes. These school associations, promoted by Tissié, practised barette between 1892 and 1903, when the discipline was banned.
The first rugby club in the city, Stade palois, was founded on 13 July 1899 by Louis d’Iriart d’Etchepare and former pupils of the lycée. Sometimes referred to by the local press as Stade Béarnais, the club brought together young players influenced by the Anglophilia that was fashionable in Pau during the Belle Époque.
From its inception, the club was affiliated with the Ligue girondine d’éducation physique founded by Tissié, under the leadership of captain Henri Sallenave. However, from October 1901, Tissié and the Ligue girondine, with the support of mayor Alfred de Lassence, gradually regained control of the club.
Formation of Section Paloise and early years (1902–1905) The Section paloise de ligue girondine was founded on 3 April 1902 as a multi-sports club within the Ligue girondine, under the direct authority of Dr. Tissié. Its first president was Dr. Pellizza-Duboué, nephew of Béarnese scholar Pierre-Henri Duboué and father of Henri Pellizza and Pierre Pellizza.
From its inception, Section Paloise practised barrette, a speed-oriented variant of rugby football popular in the early 20th century, supported strongly by Dr. Tissié. Several future French internationals, including , and made their debuts with the senior team.
Switch to rugby union and first competitions (1905–1914) From 1905, Section paloise de ligue girondine abandoned barette to compete in regional rugby union championships, adopting the name Section Paloise. Dr. Pellizza-Duboué was succeeded by M. Dulau, a tannery director. By 1907, the senior team won the Third Series championship and earned promotion to the Second Series, demonstrating the club's growing competitiveness under the guidance of former Paignton RFC player .
The Stade de la Croix du Prince officially opened on 16 October 1910, with a 13–0 victory over Bergerac in front of more than 3,000 spectators.
Potter era and first internationals (1912–1914) By 1912, the club had adopted green-and-white as its official colours. Welsh player-coach combined his role at the Lycée Louis-Barthou with coaching duties, developing a side capable of challenging the dominant regional clubs, including Aviron Bayonnais and Stado Tarbes. The team featured a highly effective half-back pairing of and , and its organised forward pack and quick backline attracted large travelling support. By 1913, Section Paloise was recognised as one of the strongest sides in southwestern France, with matches such as the 0–0 draw against 1913 champions Bayonne at the Croix du Prince drawing 12,000 spectators.
During this period, became the club's first international, representing France in the 1914 Five Nations Championship, while Jacques Dufourcq joined the club after earning his first cap.
The squad had begun to establish a clear playing style, blending a disciplined forward pack with a fast, running backline, laying the foundations for future success in French rugby.
Postwar reconstruction (1919–1926) Under the leadership of , Section Paloise entered a phase of reconstruction from 1919. The prewar attacking quartet had been decimated: was killed in the war, Pierrot was injured, Laurent Bergès had retired, and had moved elsewhere.
Roger Piteu established himself in the first team and became an international. The squad was built around prewar players such as Raymond Bonnemort and Louis Artigou, and war veterans from the 18th Infantry Regiment, including Pierre Elichondo and Louis Mauco, who had represented France in the Inter-Allied Games.
Section Paloise qualified for the French Championship final rounds for the first time in 1922, reaching the pools of three (top thirty clubs in France). However, defeats at home to Béziers and Tarbes prevented advancement to the second stage.
First national breakthrough (1927) After four challenging seasons, Section Paloise qualified for the French Championship semi-finals in 1927. Led by Albert Cazenave and Robert Sarrade, the team topped its first-phase pool of five and then finished first among the Top 16 in the second phase, the only club with three victories in three matches. Section Paloise faced Stade français in the semi-final in Bordeaux, losing 12–0.
First French Championship title (1928)
Section Paloise, under the leadership of , enjoyed a remarkable campaign in the 1927–28 French Rugby Union Championship. The team captured the regional Côte Basque championship for the second consecutive year and topped its pool of five in the national championship. In the subsequent round of four, they secured victories over Stade Français, USA Perpignan, and Lyon OU, before defeating reigning champions Stade Toulousain 3–0 in the semi-final after extra time, courtesy of a decisive try.The final, held in Toulouse in May 1928, pitted Section Paloise against US Quillan in front of 30,000 spectators. Quillan, backed by industrialist patron Jean Bourrel, had assembled a formidable side by recruiting seven players from Perpignan—French champions in 1925 and finalists in 1926—and five internationals, including Louis Destarac from Tarbes.
The final was tightly contested, but Section Paloise emerged victorious 6–4, securing the club's first Bouclier de Brennus. Local newspapers hailed the achievement: Le Patriote des Pyrénées noted how the Section players, nicknamed the "bérets" for their Béarnese heritage and traditional headwear, overcame the "chapeaux" of Quillan, a reference to Bourrel's recruited squad. L'Indépendant des Basses-Pyrénées also celebrated the triumph, highlighting the fervent support of approximately 25,000 Pau and Béarn fans, who watched their team play the final in white.
Captain Albert Cazenave led the side with distinction, supported by key backs and forwards including Georges Caussarieu, David Aguilar, Robert Sarrade, Fernand Taillantou, and François Récaborde.
The following season, 1928–29, Section Paloise was eliminated in the pool stage by SBUC but retained the Côte Basque title for a second consecutive year.
Golden age and consolidation (1929–1964)
Pre-war years and Challenge Yves du Manoir triumph (1930s–1939) Before the war, the Section Paloise won the Challenge Yves du Manoir in the 1938–1939 edition against RC Toulon by a score of 5–0 after extra time, courtesy of a try by Desperbasque and transformed by the full-back Courtade.
Second French Championship title (1946) In 1946, the club was crowned French champions once again. Section Paloise won the 1945–46 French championship, defeating teams like Toulouse and Agen. Despite a lackluster start to the competition, Section overcame Stade Toulousain in the quarter-finals and USA Perpignan in the semi-finals (6–3 after extra time), earning a spot in the final against local rivals FC Lourdes in Paris.
Despite entering the final on a 12-match winning streak, FC Lourdes were decisively defeated 11–0 at the Parc des Princes in Paris. National newspapers praised Section's cohesive and disciplined team, highlighting their physical and moral conditioning over individual "stars." Key figures of this victorious squad included , and captain .
Postwar consolidation and Moncla era (1950s) In 1950, Section Paloise narrowly missed the championship final, losing by a single point to the eventual champions, Castres Olympique. After reaching the French Cup semi-finals in 1951 losing against archrivals Stadoceste Tarbais, the team claimed the Challenge Yves du Manoir in 1952.
In 1959, the signing of François Moncla, a Béarn native, French national team player, and former champion with Racing Club de France, marked the beginning of a new era for the club, as he took on the role of captain for a younger generation of players.
Third French Championship title (1964)