Lèze facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lèze
The Lèze in Beaumont-sur-Lèze.
Countries	France
Physical characteristics
Main source	La Bastide-de-Sérou 570 m (1,870 ft) 43°02′02″N 01°29′03″E / 43.03389°N 1.48417°E / 43.03389; 1.48417
River mouth	Ariège 155 m (509 ft) 43°27′48″N 01°25′07″E / 43.46333°N 1.41861°E / 43.46333; 1.41861
Length	70.3 km (43.7 mi)
Basin features
Progression	Ariège→ Garonne→ Atlantic Ocean
Basin size	351 km2 (136 sq mi)

The Lèze is a river in southern France. It is a tributary (a smaller river that flows into a larger one) of the Ariège river. The Lèze flows through two French areas called departments: Ariège and Haute-Garonne.

About the Lèze River

The Lèze river is about 70.2 km (43.6 mi) long. The area of land that collects water for the river, called its drainage basin, is about 361 km² (139 sq mi).

The average amount of water flowing in the river is called its discharge. At a place called Labarthe-sur-Lèze, the Lèze river's average discharge is 1.96 m³/s (69 cu ft/s). This means that much water passes by a certain point every second.

This chart shows the average amount of water (in cubic meters per second) flowing in the Lèze river each month at Labarthe-sur-Lèze.

Where the Lèze River Starts and Ends

The Lèze river begins in the Pyrenees mountain range. This is in the southwest part of the Ariège department. It starts in a town called La Bastide-de-Sérou, at a height (or elevation) of about 570 m (1,870 ft) above sea level.

The river generally flows north. After traveling 70.2 km (43.6 mi), it joins the Ariège river. It meets the Ariège river at a height of about 160 m (525 ft) in a town called Clermont-le-Fort.

Towns Along the Lèze River

The Lèze river flows through one large region (Occitanie), two departments, and 20 different towns (called communes in France). Here are some of the towns it passes through:

• In the Ariège department:
  • La Bastide-de-Sérou
  • Pailhès
  • Le Fossat
  • Saint-Ybars
  • Lézat-sur-Lèze
• In the Haute-Garonne department:
  • Saint-Sulpice-sur-Lèze
  • Labarthe-sur-Lèze
  • Beaumont-sur-Lèze
  • Lagardelle-sur-Lèze

Main Smaller Rivers Joining the Lèze

The most important tributary (smaller river that flows into it) of the Lèze river is called the Latou. The Latou river is 17.2 km (10.7 mi) long.

More About Rivers

• List of rivers of France