The Ouzoum or Ouzom (/ uzũ /) is a left tributary of the

Gave de Pau The Gave de Pau () is a river of south-western France. It takes its name from the city of Pau, through which it flows. The river is long ( including the Gaves réunis), and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains. The ...

, 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 ...

, between the Génie longue and the

Béez The Béez,also known as ''Béès'' or ''Bez'' is a left tributary of the Gave de Pau, in Béarn (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), in the Southwest of France. It flows into the Gave de Pau upstream from Pau, between the Ouzoum and the Luz. It is long. ...

. It is long. It flows into the Gave in Nay, upstream from Pau.

Name

Historical graphies were oscillating between the voiced -s- and the unvoiced -ss-: ''Oson'' (1441), ''Osom, Osson, Ozon'' (1538), ''le Lozon'' (1581), l'''Ouson'' (1585). This name could be related with the Pyrenean

hydronym A hydronym (from el, ὕδρω, , "water" and , , "name") is a type of toponym that designates a proper name of a body of water. Hydronyms include the proper names of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, swamps and marshes, seas and oceans. As ...

Ousse.Michel Grosclaude, « L'hydronyme Ousse », ''Dictionnaire toponymique des communes du Béarn'', 1991, p. 390.

Geography

The valley of the Ouzoum is separated in two distinct parts by a long narrow pass. The villages in the upper part of the valley ( Arbéost and Ferrières) belong to the Hautes-Pyrénées and have relationships with the

Val d'Azun Val may refer to: Val-a Film * ''Val'' (film), an American documentary about Val Kilmer, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo Military equipment * Aichi D3A, a Japanese World War II dive bomber codenamed "Val" by the Allies * AS Val, a So ...

, on the other side of the mountain. On the other hand, the lower part of the valley, close to Pau, is Béarnese (

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 ...

). The Ouzoum rises at ''Cap d’Ouzom'' ("head of Ouzom") at above sea level in the Litor Circus dominated by the Grand Gabizos at . This circus is in relation with the Val d'Azun through the Col du Soulor at and with the

Ossau Valley The Ossau Valley (French: ''Vallée d'Ossau''; Gascon: ''Aussau'' / ''la vath d'Aussau'') is a valley of the French Pyrénées, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques ''département''. Administration 18 communes belong to the Valley: Arudy, Aste-Béo ...

through the Aubisque Pass at . After the basin of Ferrières, the Ouzoum flows through a narrow pass bordered by steep limestone slopes. The valley widens after

Arthez-d'Asson Arthez-d'Asson ( oc, Artés d'Asson) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arthéziens'' or ''Arthéziennes'' Geography Arth ...

. Its hydrographic regime is pluvio-nival.

Départements and towns

* Hautes-Pyrénées: Arbéost, Ferrières *

Asson Asson () is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Assonais''. Geography Asson is a large commune in the Ouzom Valley some 30&nb ...

Igon Igon (; oc, Aigon) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in southwestern France. See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department The following is a list of the 546 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques depart ...

, Nay.

References

{{Reflist Rivers of France Rivers of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine