Around the Souy at Bois du Commandeur

Hike in the Bois du Commandeur in Ibos and Bordères-sur-l'Échez along the Souy river.
The route is located between the D817 road from Pau and the D2 road from Bordères to Pintac, mainly using forest paths and trails. However, there are some short sections on roads.

⚠️ Read the comments on this hike.

Details

1236003
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.45 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 27 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 27 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 314 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 285 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Ibos (65420)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.245033° / W 0.002209°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1645SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the Bois du Commandeur car park in Ibos near the Pau road (D817), head north-west, first along the road and then, after the Souy bridge, along a wide track suitable for vehicles until you reach the next junction on the right.

(1) Turn right towards Bois du Commandeur, as indicated on the small green trail sign. Walk alongside a riding centre.

(2) At the next crossroads, turn left at the edge of an animal enclosure. Climb slightly up the grassy path through the undergrowth. Continue straight ahead along a recent tree plantation (in 2018) and continue down the hill to a crossroads after a short climb.

(3) Continue right downhill to a large crossroads and turn left towards the north-east. At the next junction, do not follow the route indicated by the yellow marker and go straight ahead despite a yellow cross towards a right-hand bend. Continue eastwards to a path on the left towards the D2 road.

(4) Take this road to the right and cross the Souy bridge. Opposite the picnic area and car park, take the wide path that will lead you to a carriage road. Turn right.

(5) At the crossroads, turn right, cross the Mardaing bridge and finally the Souy bridge.

(6) After the bridge, follow the track on the left. Further on, ignore the Ibos direction on the green sign. Instead, take the other direction, to the left, along the Souy to the footbridge made of a concrete electricity pole.

(7) After crossing the Souy, continue downhill straight ahead, then turn right towards the south and the avenue lined with tall oak trees.
At the end of the avenue, return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 312 m - Bois du Commandeur car park in Ibos
  2. 1 : km 1.5 - alt. 311 m - Turn right at the junction.
  3. 2 : km 2.09 - alt. 303 m - Path on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.63 - alt. 311 m - Fork to the right.
  5. 4 : km 5.02 - alt. 287 m - Route D2
  6. 5 : km 5.69 - alt. 289 m - Carriage road on the right
  7. 6 : km 6.29 - alt. 291 m - On the left after the bridge.
  8. 7 : km 7.16 - alt. 297 m - The footbridge
  9. S/E : km 9.45 - alt. 312 m - Bois du Commandeur car park in Ibos

Notes

In wet weather, wear footwear suitable for muddy ground, as there are ruts and muddy sections.

Worth a visit

Nearby, visit the centre of the village of Ibos and its collegiate church.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
User 9719497

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, mostly through the forest, perfect for finding shade and coolness on a sunny afternoon.
The sections around the streams are particularly enjoyable.

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DEFLANDRE
DEFLANDRE

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We hesitated a lot about which way to go!
We ended up at different intersections than the ones mentioned, which caused us to get lost!
We are going to retrace this route to see if this time we can find "the right path".

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bouny
bouny

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I'm on the map, very good.

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Dizzy
Dizzy

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant route through the woods, just as we like it. The only drawback is perhaps the end, where there is no longer a defined path.

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lolo1604
lolo1604

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route completed in 2 hours and 5 minutes with two young children on bikes, without any difficulties, and in the shade!
We followed the trail using the Visorando app, and it worked perfectly!
However, be very careful not to park your car in the designated area as thefts are apparently common there. We were victims of vandalism, finding our car with a broken window, and we weren't the only ones, as there were several spots with glass on the ground.

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alfonsoagf
alfonsoagf

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk in the woods, with a very moderate level of difficulty. Be careful, though, as there are many paths and trails that cross each other and can be confusing. Thank you, Mondia65.

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Aidenwill
Aidenwill

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good information sheet and route for a short 2-hour walk.
Some muddy paths around Souy, but still very passable.

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bbrunelet
bbrunelet

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

No. 4 on the map is unclear when it comes to taking the "wide" path opposite the picnic area. As this is located at a crossroads and there are several paths, the direction in which to go is not indicated.

Furthermore, the walk is certainly much more pleasant in summer. Currently, the paths are very muddy.

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Mondia65
Mondia65

Hello Bermutibri,
I see that you are a new Visorando user. Perhaps you are not yet familiar with all the features of the Visorando app?
With your smartphone connected to Wi-Fi, you can add the hike to your favourites (this function can be accessed via the large blue button with a white cross located at the bottom right).
Then, to start the hike, select 'Start this hike' from the blue button.
This will allow you to follow the route of the hike, with your position and the distance already covered, without connecting to your smartphone's GPS function. This should solve any orientation issues.
I hope this information is useful to you.
Kind regards,
Mondia65

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bermutibri
bermutibri

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Confusing and vague description!!! It's easy to take the walk backwards before reaching the halfway point, and there are other paths that you come across that are not signposted!!!!

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Dominique MAIRE
Dominique MAIRE

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Avoid during stormy weather, or bring horsefly repellent cream.

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domidil
domidil

Hello Mondia 65, thank you for your reply. I am indeed interested in hiking in the Tarbes region.
Domidil

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Mondia65
Mondia65

Hello Domidil,

Thank you for your kind comments. As for the equestrian centre, I will try to make a change as soon as I pass by there again. Regarding the elevation gain, I recalculated the altitudes, and the elevation gain remains at 21 metres. In any case, even at 61 metres, it is still very moderate.
If you're interested, I have three hikes in the works in this area. The elevation gain will be greater. As for the horseflies, I've noticed their proliferation lately.
Best regards,
Mondia65

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domidil
domidil

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hello
To avoid getting off on the wrong foot, it should be specified that you should walk along the left or west side of the equestrian centre. Very good information sheet; note that my TOM TOM watch recorded an elevation gain of 61 m (21 m is listed on the information sheet). Also note that we were bitten frequently by horseflies! At this time of year, it is best to wear long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt for the hike.
This is an easy hike, best done in spring or autumn.
Domi

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