Alzeau water intake

de fr

A lovely little walk from the Bassin de Saint-Denis to the Prise Alzeau and back along the stream.

Details

n°738943
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.35 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 147 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 147 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 751 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 597 m
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Photos

in the forest
Walk from Alzeau
Along the Rougeanne
Bassin de Saint-Denis in autumn

Description of the walk

Park at the Bassin de Saint-Denis, at the end of the D308 and just before the dam.

(S/E) Cross the dam and take the path opposite to reach the Rigole de la Montagne.

(1) Follow this road to the left to reach the D408.

(2) Turn right onto the bridge and follow the D408 for a few hundred metres until you reach a fork.

(3) About 30 metres further on, take a fairly steep path on the left and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads.

(4) Go down the path opposite until you reach the road from Arfons. Leave the road to Saissac on your right and continue straight ahead towards La Galaube.

(5) After the bridge, take the path on the right to descend to the Alzeau water intake.
At the Alzeau water intake, follow the channel for a few dozen metres.

(6) Take the path on the left that runs along the right bank of the Alzeau and follow it until you reach a fork.

(7) Leave the marked trail by turning left, continuing along the stream until you reach a small bridge.

(8) Cross the bridge and finish the walk by going around the Bassin de Saint-Denis on its left bank and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 604 m - Bassin de Saint-Denis
  2. 1 : km 1.59 - alt. 645 m - Turn left along the ditch
  3. 2 : km 1.91 - alt. 643 m - D408, on the right - Rigole de la Montagne noire (cours d'eau) -
  4. 3 : km 2.75 - alt. 687 m - Leave the road and climb up to the left
  5. 4 : km 3.6 - alt. 749 m - Crossroads, path opposite
  6. 5 : km 4.61 - alt. 697 m - On the right, the trail is not very visible
  7. 6 : km 5.16 - alt. 652 m - GR on the left - Prise D'Alzeau
  8. 7 : km 6.57 - alt. 612 m - Fork in the road, left
  9. 8 : km 7.55 - alt. 604 m - Cross the bridge - Rougeanne (rivière)
  10. S/E : km 8.35 - alt. 604 m - Bassin de Saint-Denis

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 30 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
GiPhi
GiPhi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy and beautiful scenery in autumn

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GiPhi
GiPhi

A very pleasant and easy route. No difficulties whatsoever, and to top it all off, we found some porcini mushrooms in this magnificent forest.

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Frédéric M
Frédéric M

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk through the woods. The paths and trails were in good condition at this time of year. At marker 5, you can choose between two paths; the right one starts downhill between two large rocks. When I arrived, my GPS showed 9.5 km

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User 18777408

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very beautiful hike, best enjoyed in hot weather as it is shaded and cool, but very poorly signposted at certain intersections, particularly numbers 4 and 7

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beb81
beb81

7 May 2025

VERY BEAUTIFUL HIKE BUT VERY POORLY SIGN-POSTED AT POINTS 4 AND 7

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Roland 32
Roland 32

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In the undergrowth, 2 hours round trip. I plan to 'explore' the mountain stream at greater length

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Salomé11
Salomé11

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy hike but not very interesting.
But as I was tired, I couldn't see myself going on a moderate hike, so it's fine if you're with people who don't walk much or at all, or with children who are a bit lazy, or even if you're feeling a bit lazy yourself but still want to get some exercise.

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candicewlff
candicewlff

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike

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p.lambrechts
p.lambrechts

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike through tall beech forests, with the sound of a stream running alongside us

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jeanmonique 11
jeanmonique 11

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely shaded walk

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Maïtéchincholle
Maïtéchincholle

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We had a little trouble following the explanations, I think we strayed a bit from the original route. Otherwise, it's best to do this in summer when it's warm. Detour to the Galaube lake dam. Coolness, birdsong and the relaxing sound of the stream accompanied us throughout this hike.

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ksagro1968
ksagro1968
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

hike taken at the end of March 2023, pleasant, mostly in the woods and on trails.
However, part of the trail (about 300 to 500 metres) was occupied by a logging site after the Alzeau junction on the trail along the Alzeau river.
We were able to continue and finish the hike because the driver of the logging truck kindly let us pass, but the trail was a bit rutted and very muddy.

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FURBY68
FURBY68

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very shaded, easy hike taking us from the St Denis dam to the Alzeau intake, where the stream feeding the Canal du Midi begins. A brief history of the work carried out by Pierre-Paul Riquet, who was responsible for the canal's construction.

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ManX11
ManX11

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb route, mostly shaded and running alongside a stream.
Easy, we did it in two short hours.
We took a different route and stayed along the stream on the way there to stay cool. We recommend this option.

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montagnejeanmarc
montagnejeanmarc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

a lovely summer walk... The St Denis dam was a wonderful discovery... Beautiful scenery despite the forest

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