The best MTB trails around Varès

The Château Solar is an unusual building of medieval origin. It has the unique characteristic in the region of featuring neo-Moorish style architecture and today serves as the Town Hall (Mairie) for the commune. A first fortified castle (castrum) belonged to the Castelmoron family from 1259. Dominating the Lot, it was dismantled in 1345 during the Hundred Years' War. In 1840, the estate was bought by Félix Solar (Aaron Euryale Solar), a wealthy journalist, businessman, and great collector from the village. In the 1850s, he decided to completely rebuild the residence in the Orientalist and neo-Moorish taste of the time. Its architecture was inspired by the splendors of the Alhambra in Granada and the mosque of Cordoba, embellished with wooden galleries, moucharabiehs, and balconies. In 1902, the municipality acquired the building to house the town hall services.

Perched on the heights of the Lot valley, the Capet windmill was built before 1324, but it is found dated 1870 on a stone at the entrance to the mill. Was it demolished and rebuilt? Possible! Be that as it may, this old building was once, as its name indicates, the mill of the lords of Montpezat whose successive castles were razed, except for the vital organ it represented and which constituted the survival of the inhabitants! The Château site where the mill is located was purchased by the municipality in February 1988 and the Capet lands in 1989. In 1998, the municipality decided to restore this mill which, after remaining for many years in a state of abandonment and ruin (only the shaft remained), finally had a new project for life.

top I recommend for pretty photos

very beautiful MTB ride, be careful in winter, quite a lot of mud

« Lou Mouli del Castel » « Lou Mouli del Castel », as the elders of Montpezat familiarly called it, raises its tall stature on the rocky spur located west of the village, from where one overlooks the beautiful Lot valley. Writings in P. CHAPLAIS' book « The war of Saint SARDOS » tell us that the Capet windmill was built before 1324, but we find it dated 1870 on a stone at the entrance to the mill. Was it demolished and rebuilt? Possible! Be that as it may, this old building was once, as its name indicates, the mill of the lords of Montpezat, whose successive castles were razed, except for the vital organ it represented and which constituted the survival of the inhabitants! The site of the Castle where the mill is located was purchased by the commune in February 1988 and the Capet lands in 1989. In 1998, the municipality decided to restore this mill which, after having remained for many years in a state of abandonment and ruin (only the shaft remained), finally had a new life project. Thus, on a beautiful spring morning in 2005, our mill regained its wings. There are 3 mills in the commune, only this one is communal, the other two are private. This restoration would not have been possible without the determination of the elected officials of the time and without the various grants that were awarded. Thanks to them, we today have the most beautiful mill in the... village.

The Collégiale St-Vincent is one of the most remarkable churches in the south of the Garonne. It largely dates from the 12th century. The chancel includes an apse and two side chapels with numerous carved corbels. Exceptionally, it houses a painting by Rembrandt, "Christ on the Cross".

The Halle aux Chanvres is one of the emblematic buildings of Mas-d’Agenais. Built in the 17th century, it had particular importance in the hemp trade in the region, an activity that supported a large part of the local population at the time. It features an open structure and traditional architecture.

17th-century grain hall built with beams salvaged from the castle razed in 1616