The Gave d'Ossau is the torrential river flowing through the Ossau Valley, one of the three main valleys of the High- Béarn (

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlant ...

), in the Southwest of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. It is formed in Gabas from the confluence of two gaves coming from both sides of the

Pic du Midi d'Ossau The Pic du Midi d'Ossau (2,884 m) is a mountain rising above the Ossau Valley in the France, French Pyrenees. Despite possessing neither a glacier nor, in the context of the range, a particularly high summit, its distinctive shape makes it a sy ...

: * the Gave de Bious, from the Pic d'Astu (west) * the Gave du Brousset, from the Anéou Circus (east). After joining the Gave d'Aspe, in

Oloron-Sainte-Marie Oloron-Sainte-Marie (; oc, Auloron e Senta Maria; eu, Oloroe-Donamaria) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Aquitaine), southwestern France. History The town was founded by the ...

, it forms the

Gave d'Oloron The Gave d'Oloron is a river of south-western France near the border with Spain. It takes its name from the city Oloron-Sainte-Marie, where it is formed from the rivers Gave d'Aspe and Gave d'Ossau. It joins the Gave de Pau in Peyrehorade to fo ...

. It is considered the upper course of the Gave d'Oloron by Sandre. Throughout its length, the river is paralleled by the D934 road that runs from Pau to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, via the

Col du Pourtalet The Col du Pourtalet, El Portalet or Portalet d'Aneu is a mountain pass and border crossing in the Pyrenees, between France and Spain. The pass reaches an elevation of , and links the Ossau and Tena valleys. The road across the pass is known a ...

. In Castet, a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

forms the

Lac de Castet Lac de Castet is a lake in Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territori ...

Main tributaries

* (R) Gave de Soussouéou * (L) Gée from the Coig Arras, in the Gorges du Bitet * (R) Valentin, from Gourette ** (R)

Cély Cély (), also known as Cély-en-Bière (), is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Demographics The inhabitants are called ''Célysiens''. See also *Communes of the Seine-et-Marne de ...

, from the

Col d'Aubisque The Col d'Aubisque ( oc, Còth d'Aubisca) (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the Aquitaine region of France.Chany, Pierre (1988), La Fabuleuse Histoire du T ...

* (L) l'Arrioutort, in Laruns * (R) Canceigt. * (R) Sourde, in Aste. * (L) Arriou Mage, in Bielle. * (R) Lau.

Départements and towns

: Gabas, Eaux-Chaudes, Laruns, Béost, Aste-Béon, Gère-Bélesten, Bielle,

Castet Castet is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. See also * Lac de Castet * Ossau Valley * Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrén ...

Louvie-Juzon Louvie-Juzon (; oc, Lobier de Baish) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. See also * Ossau Valley *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the ...

, Izeste, Arudy, Oloron-Sainte-Marie.

References

External links

Ossau.net web site
{{Authority control Rivers of France Rivers of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine