The Izourt Pond

de fr

A beautiful hike ending at the Étang d'Izourt with a stunning view. The Étang d'Izourt is a dam lake with a tragic history (read about it on the commemorative plaque).
There are two paths you can take to get to the Étang d'Izourt: the left bank or the right bank of the stream. The outward journey is on the right bank of the Arties stream and the return journey is on the left bank.

Details

n°313803
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 539 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 545 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,676 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,149 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Pyrenees
  • ⚐ District: Auzat (09220)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 42.716928° / E 1.48854°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2148OT, 2148OTR
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Photos

Izourt Dam
Izourt pond dam
Distant dam
Izourt tunnel

Description of the walk

Park in the Pradières d'en Bas car park after Artiès (small village after Auzat) in Haute-Ariège. This car park has plenty of spaces.

(S/E) Pass the power station and join the crossroads of the trails at the Artiés stream.

(1) Take the path on the left along the right bank of the stream, which is theGR®10marked in red and white. This pleasant, shaded path lined with hazel, beech, birch and alder trees climbs fairly steeply but is not particularly difficult. You will reach the Izourt dam.

(2) Before crossing the dam, take a look at the information on the commemorative plaque about the construction of the dam, then head to the left bank of the stream.

(3) Cross the stream and go to the other side for the return journey, pass under the dam and cross at the bottom of the water management hut, using the iron ladder. Return to the starting point.

(1) Continue along the same route to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,159 m - Pradière car park
  2. 1 : km 0.5 - alt. 1,199 m - Crossroads of the loop
  3. 2 : km 3.11 - alt. 1,669 m - Commemorative plaque
  4. 3 : km 3.55 - alt. 1,613 m - ladder crossing
  5. S/E : km 6.73 - alt. 1,149 m - Arrival at the same car park

Notes

Wear good hiking boots.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 80 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
soilliez
soilliez

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, no problems until you reach the dam, lovely spots for picnics, a bit of history about the dam's construction. On the way back, be careful going down in front of the dam, but the path is clearly visible. There is a slightly tricky section over some scree, but after that it's a gentle descent.

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soilliez
soilliez

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk, no problems until you reach the dam, beautiful spots for picnics. On the way back, be careful going down in front of the dam, but the path is clearly visible. There is a slightly tricky section on some scree, but after that it's a gentle descent.

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User 27465014

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, the terrain was very passable despite the heavy rain the day before.
The route was very useful for the return journey, at the beginning where the path gets a little lost among the rocks.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This is a route in Ariège steeped in history. I made a 4K video with the names of the peaks, which captures the atmosphere of the hike and recounts the tragedy of 1939.
It's here : https://youtu.be/r1CLJMY1ajk?si=LlVYe33g...

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François de Bagas
François de Bagas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Shady start to the walk. The loop is better if you climb up the right side of the stream, magnificent scenery, no particular difficulty on this route. Thank you Visorando for the detailed route description, especially the passage via the ladder at the start of the dam. François

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WARTOG-Lfa
WARTOG-Lfa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike, with a beautiful view once you reach the top, but the route makes you turn back almost as soon as you get there. I recommend going around the lake, which is very well marked and takes you to two beautiful waterfalls. The path is very easy to follow until you reach the dam, where there is a wall to "climb" to get back to where you started. (Don't panic, there are metal bars to help you pull yourself up).

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User 8855641

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Made with a dog. You have to walk along the stream for a while to find a ford to get back on the path

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philippedenimes30
philippedenimes30

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

For the return journey, it is important to note that you must pass under the dam. The return route is a little more rugged, especially at the beginning.

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Dan Viso
Dan Viso

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice walk, starting in a magnificent forest with a torrent below. Quite a steep climb but nothing particularly difficult. Lots of waterfalls along the way and on arriving at the dam, a beautiful view of the lake and the mountains still covered in snow.

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jc30150
jc30150

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, take the left path to climb up (2 hours) and descend on the right, passing below the dam (1.5 hours). Access to the second part (the descent) is a little tricky at the beginning (ladder, scree), but then it gets easier on the knees. The dam is there and the view is nice. The walk can continue to the refuge, but we're tackling the mid-range mountains. Thanks for the route!

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Patman31
Patman31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike during the week, so there weren't many people around. Beautiful autumn colours.
Pleasant climb between forest and plain. We returned via the left-hand side as indicated in the itinerary and were really glad we did. No major difficulties, accessible to most people 🙂

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Nikos84
Nikos84

Hello,
I suggest modifying this hike to include a tour of the lake, which is possible by taking the GR trail to the left (east side) on the way there, then crossing the streams (a bit tricky if there is a strong current) and returning on the west side via a fairly steep path. It should be noted that the tour is optional for experienced hikers.
Nikos84

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Chrisub
Chrisub

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Not too difficult route. The refuge at Izourt pond is a welcome shelter from the wind while you eat.

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Core In
Core In

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike to get me started for the week. The elevation gain was fairly gentle, with beautiful colours from the trees and other flamboyant vegetation, imposing granite rocks, a magnificent emerald green lake, all under a superb blue sky and sunshine... The best!
The return trip was very nice, including a climb up a ladder (I personally like these little unexpected "extras" that break up the routine), and a few challenging sections with some large rocks to climb over on the descent and more or less the entire way, with rocks of varying sizes... but nothing too complicated... except for those with weak knees...

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Max MIN
Max MIN

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

We did this hike as a family with four children (aged 14, 11, 2 and 2.5). The youngest was in a baby carrier.

We climbed up to the pond via the left bank of the path. There are a few tricky sections, but with a few breaks it's perfectly doable. It's a great opportunity to admire the magnificent view of the valley below and the peaks surrounding us.

When we arrived, we were treated to a wonderful surprise: a magnificent spot with a majestic setting. And it was completely deserted.

We had a picnic there. Be careful, it's quite windy at the top.

We returned after stopping at the refuge, where we had the chance to meet the shepherds who were gathering their animals in anticipation of the forecast storms.

On the way back, there was a tricky section with large boulders to negotiate, but we took our time and everything went well.

A beautiful hike that I recommend, but with a little training.

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