The GR®36 passes through Varaire; on the edge of the village, a dolmen beneath a downy oak invites you to pause. The GR®65 stage from Varaire to Lalbenque has its own focus, too: it passes through the region’s well-known truffle groves and combines hiking with a culinary and cultural discovery of the black truffles of the Quercy. If you want to bring together exercise, heritage and landscape, these specific themes can help guide your choice of accommodation.
Hiking: different route options
The GR®36 and the GR®65 offer different hiking routes: the GR®36 passes through the village, while the GR®65 stage runs from Varaire to Lalbenque. This distinction helps with planning. If you want to choose accommodation based on a hiking plan, you can first decide which route will shape your stay, rather than treating the two routes as interchangeable alternatives. Route markings and routes may change; check the latest information before setting out.
Heritage between the washhouse and the château
At the Lavoir papillon de Varaire, design, work and former use come together. It was restored in 1876 and fitted with washing stones. Its V-shaped stone slabs are closely linked to the work carried out at the washhouse: washerwomen leaned over them to wash the laundry. The lavoir was once the fishpond of the neighboring Château des Cardaillac. At this site, the washhouse and its former function as a pond are thus brought together.
Another heritage site is the Château de Couanac. It is partly protected as a historic monument; the protection covers the façades and roofs, as well as the chapel. The chapel preserves its Romanesque transept. This identifies both specific protected parts of the building and a particular architectural feature. Together with the lavoir and its former use, the château offers another perspective on Varaire: the history of a washhouse on the one hand, and preserved architecture on the other.
A natural area in the Causse
ZNIEFF 730030192 covers 391 hectares and lies in the heart of the Causse, between Bach, Concots and Varaire. Its location places it within a regional landscape context. Most of the area is covered by downy oak woodland; it also includes dry, nutrient-poor grassland and stonecrop grassland. The natural environment is therefore of interest both for the extent of the area and for its different habitat types: alongside the predominant woodland, the two types of grassland mentioned also shape the description of this landscape.
Find accommodation to suit your hike
L’Escale de Varaire is a stopover accommodation for pilgrims and hikers on the GR®65, the GR®36 and the GR®46. Its connections to several routes are useful for planning if you are looking for accommodation along a pilgrimage or hiking trip. Services and availability may change; check both before booking.
If you are looking for a hotel in Varaire, your planned hike can provide a practical starting point for your choice: the GR®36 passes through the village, while the GR®65 stage connects Varaire with Lalbenque. This lets you base your search for an overnight stay on an actual route. The stage to Lalbenque also brings the truffle groves and the black truffle of the Quercy into your travel plans as a culinary and cultural theme.
Discover more destinations: Souillac, Biars-Sur-Cère, Cazals, Sauzet, Sainte-Alauzie, Marminiac, Saux, Limogne-en-Quercy.
For the broader travel overview: Lot.
