Gave de Pau Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Gave de Pau
River
Gave de Pau in Lourdes
Country	France
Regions	Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Departments	Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes
Communes	Argelès-Gazost, Lourdes, Pau, Orthez, Peyrehorade

Tributaries
- left	Ouzoum, Bayse, Gave d'Oloron
Cities	Pau, Lourdes, Orthez


Source	Cirque de Gavarnie
- location	Pyrenees, Occitanie, France
- elevation	2,600 m (8,530 ft)
- coordinates	42°41′45″N 0°02′01″W / 42.69583°N 0.03361°W / 42.69583; -0.03361
Mouth	Gaves réunis
- location	Peyrehorade, Landes, France
- elevation	4 m (13 ft)
- coordinates	43°32′25″N 1°05′26″W / 43.54028°N 1.09056°W / 43.54028; -1.09056

Length	190.7 km (118 mi)
Basin	2,575 km² (994 sq mi)
Discharge	for Bérenx
- average	81.2 m³/s (2,868 cu ft/s)

The Gave de Pau is a river in southwestern France. It is a major branch, also called a tributary, of the Adour river.

The river gets its name from the city of Pau, which it flows through. The word gave is a special name for rivers in the western Pyrenees mountains. So, Gave de Pau means "the river of Pau" or "the river that flows through Pau." Many other rivers in this region also have "gave" as part of their names.

About the Gave de Pau River
- Where the River Starts and Ends
- Cities and Towns Along the River
Main Rivers Joining the Gave de Pau
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

About the Gave de Pau River

The Gave de Pau is about 190.7 km (118.5 mi) long. This length includes its upper part, which is known as the Gave de Gavarnie. The river's drainage basin, which is the area of land where all the water flows into the river, covers about 2,575 km² (994 sq mi).

The river's average flow of water is about 81.20 m³/s (2,868 cu ft/s) near Bérenx. This measurement tells us how much water passes a certain point in the river each second.

Where the River Starts and Ends

The Gave de Pau begins high up in the Cirque de Gavarnie. This is a large, natural amphitheater-like valley in the Parc national des Pyrénées (Pyrénées National Park). It starts in the commune of Gavarnie, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department, at an altitude of about 2,600 m (8,530 ft).

The very top part of the river is called Gave de Gavarnie. It officially becomes the Gave de Pau after it joins another river called the Bastan, near Luz-Saint-Sauveur.

Later on, the Gave de Pau meets its biggest tributary, the Gave d'Oloron, in Peyrehorade. From this point, the combined rivers are called Gaves Réunis, which means "United Gaves." Finally, the Gaves Réunis flows into the Adour river in the Landes department, at an altitude of about 3 m (10 ft).