Varen: Wine Village, Irrigation Channels and Vineyard Trails

Varen is a wine-growing village dedicated to natural winegrowing. Its vineyards are known for their naturally grown Pinot Noir. At the same time, hiking trails, irrigation channels and views across the Rhône Valley shape your stay. From Varen, you can see across the Rhône Valley and the Pfyn Forest.

Trails through vineyards and along irrigation channels

The Pfyfoltru Trail is a circular hiking trail of about 3.6 kilometres around Varen. It leads through vineyards, dry grasslands and open woodland. The Pfyfoltru Trail in Varen starts by the church; follow the colourful butterfly signs to find your way. The trail is accessible year-round, in both summer and winter. Information boards explain how maintaining the cultural landscape and targeted greening measures support habitats for butterflies, beetles and other beneficial insects.

For a longer route, take the Suone Neuf and the Suone of Varen: together they make up a hike of about ten kilometres through accessible terrain with few exposed sections, at elevations between 800 and 1,000 metres. Local conditions may vary. One section of the Suone de Varen is around 1.5 kilometres long and runs along a steep, gravel-covered slope with sparse vegetation. From there, you can see across the vineyards of Varen and Salgesch and the Rhône Valley. At around 3.6 kilometres, the Pfyfoltru Trail is considerably shorter than the irrigation-channel hike of about ten kilometres.

The second section of the Dala-Raspille Cultural Trail also passes through Varen’s vineyards. The Wine Trail covers a wider area: Varen lies on its fourth stage. The route is 65 kilometres long, comprises four stages and can be explored by car, bicycle or on foot. Conditions and transport connections may vary. The Dala Cultural Bike Route runs above the wine village, then continues to Leuk and from there down to Susten railway station.

Church and village history

The parish church of Our Lady of Sorrows stands on a rocky promontory high above the valley. Visible from afar, it is considered a landmark of the village. Its history is marked by destruction and rebuilding: starting in 1967, the church was rebuilt while retaining the old tower, and consecrated on 7 December 1969. Inside, the church windows designed by Anton Mutter stand out; a visit also includes a viewpoint.

The municipality offers a guided tour of the wine village. This lets you complement your visit to Varen with a village tour, while the hiking trails focus on vineyards, dry grasslands or irrigation channels.

Discover wine in Varen

The name of the Pfyfoltru wines comes from the Valais German word for butterfly. The Pro Varen cooperative comprises nine wineries. A vineyard and winery tour includes a walk through the village, followed by a tasting of Varen wines and a traditional Valais platter. The wine experience also includes a trail through restored vineyards rich in ecological diversity. Offerings and booking conditions may change; check both before planning your visit.

Cave du Chevalier Bayard offers wine tastings in its Carnotzet on the last Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Confirm the date before your visit. At Soleil de Varone, a winery tour is followed by a wine tasting in the Carnotzet and, by arrangement, a snack. Keller zur Grotte welcomes up to 40 people in its Carnotzets and on a terrace overlooking the Varen vineyards. There, you can enjoy wines alongside regional specialities; booking arrangements may vary.

Pfyn Forest and its natural diversity

The area around Varen is part of the Pfyn-Finges Nature Park and is known for its exceptional variety of butterflies. The Pfyn Forest area between Sierre and Gampel includes pine forests, steppes, sections resembling primeval forest, ponds, biotopes and species-rich flower meadows, as well as mountain villages and historic small towns.

In the Pfyn Forest’s floodplains and alluvial woodland, you can spot rare common sandpipers and little ringed plovers; woodcocks and beavers are also found there. These wildlife-watching opportunities add a distinct perspective on the landscape of the Pfyn Forest to the wine and hiking trails.

Discover more destinations: Oberems, Niedergampel, Salgesch, Gampel-Bratsch, Turtmann, Erschmatt, Guttet-Feschel, Agarn

For the broader travel overview: Leuk.