Discover Vaylats through its highland landscape and the history of its routes. At 327 metres, the Pech de la Pauze is the highest point in the commune; the Chemin de Saint-Jacques also crosses the village from east to west. The Church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens and the Couvent de Vaylats also offer insights into the village’s history and its connections to pilgrimage. For planning your trip, the landscape, architectural history and different route themes are therefore central.

The highland landscape around the Pech de la Pauze

The Pech de la Pauze is a butte-témoin formed from a Tertiary lacustrine marl layer that was eroded away. “Lacustrine” refers to a connection with a lake. Its geological formation and its elevation of 327 metres make the Pech a distinctive landmark in the landscape of Vaylats.

The Pech de la Pauze offers a 360-degree panorama. To the east, the view extends as far as the Monts du Cantal; to the south, as far as the Pyrenees; and to the west, as far as the plumes of smoke from the Golfech nuclear power plant. How far you can see into the distance depends on the conditions. Other features of the commune’s landscape include Lac de Sindou, one of the lakes in Vaylats. The high point and the lake thus provide two different landmarks in the landscape.

Hiking trails and historic route connections

The Chemin de Saint-Jacques crosses Vaylats from east to west. Within the commune, it follows the route of an old Roman road, known as “l’estrade” or, in Occitan, “camin de l’estrada.” The route therefore connects a specific local reference with a historic road name.

The GR de pays Midi-Pyrénées long-distance hiking trail is another route that crosses Vaylats. The two route connections highlight different aspects: the description of the Chemin de Saint-Jacques includes its east–west crossing and the old Roman road; the GR de pays Midi-Pyrénées is identified as a long-distance hiking trail. If you are interested in pilgrimage routes, the Couvent de Vaylats is also a point of interest: it offers pilgrim accommodation on a variant of the GR65 to Bach.

Church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens

The Church of Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens was rebuilt in 1895 on the site of a Gothic church. Its predecessor dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. This makes it possible to distinguish two very different periods of construction: the time when the Gothic church was built and its later reconstruction.

The stained-glass windows also have a connection to the village’s art history. They were created by Gustave-Pierre DAGRANT, a glass artist from Bordeaux. Alongside the building’s history, they provide a specific reason to note both the chronology and the work of the glass artist at Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens.

A break, a festival and accommodation

At the entrance to Vaylats is Place de la Vierge. It has a shaded picnic area with tables provided for this purpose. Vaylats’s fête votive takes place on the first Sunday in August. If you would like to coincide your trip with the festival, check the date that applies to your visit in advance.

The Couvent de Vaylats offers pilgrim accommodation with three to four beds and 22 hotel rooms on a variant of the GR65 to Bach. The convent’s accommodation options therefore include both a small pilgrim hostel and hotel rooms. Check availability and current services before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Bélaye, Pern, Comiac, Espedaillac, Saint-Paul-De-Loubressac, Saint-Matré, Bagat En Quercy, Sauliac-Sur-Célé.

For the broader travel overview: Lot.