Above the entrance portal of the Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité is a reused marble chrism, dated to the 12th century. It is thought to be a remnant of the original Romanesque church. In Labarthe-Inard, a chapel, a washhouse and an outdoor Stations of the Cross also tell the story of the village. For time outdoors, there is a 1.3-kilometre path around Lac de la Hierle and a mountain bike course in the municipal sports complex.
Church and chapel: different periods in time
The Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité is fully protected as a historic monument; it was listed on 7 March 2024. The church’s artworks include two bas-reliefs depicting episodes from the lives of Saint Cyr and Saint Julitte. They have been protected as movable monuments since 12 November 1997.
The wall paintings in the choir are also part of the building’s history: they were discovered when the 18th-century altarpiece was removed for restoration. The paintings are below the cornice on the three eastern sides of the pentagonal choir. Together with the reused marble chrism and the bas-reliefs, they reveal different details of the church’s construction and furnishings.
The recorded dates for Chapelle Saint Genest span a considerable period. A cartulary entry from 1249 mentions the present-day Chapelle Saint-Genès de Labarthe-Inard near the Église Saint-Cirice; the chapel is thought to have served as a parish church in the 13th century. It was rebuilt in 1838. The 1249 entry and the date of the rebuilding therefore relate to different historical aspects. Another dated monument is the Labarthe-Inard war memorial, which dates from 1922.
Washhouse, Stations of the Cross and lakeside paths
The outdoor Stations of the Cross offer another way to explore local history. The stations consist of metal crosses set into stone bases. Each base is engraved with the station number and the corresponding passage from the Passion of Christ. These details make the sequence of stations easy to follow.
The washhouse was built towards the end of the 19th century at the foot of the Côte de la Canaou hillside. Its large basin is fed by the La Canaou spring, which rises just above it; the spring water is very clear. Here, you can consider the history of the washhouse’s construction alongside the relationship between the basin and the spring.
If you are planning a walk, there is a marked 1.3-kilometre walking path around Lac de la Hierle. Check local access conditions before your visit. The municipal sports complex also has a mountain bike course; as its facilities may change, it is advisable to confirm the current layout before planning your visit. The two options offer different experiences: a lakeside walk and a mountain bike course.
Plan a market visit
A market featuring local producers and craftspeople is held in Labarthe-Inard on the last Sunday of every month. As organisers may revise the dates, it is best to check before your trip. This makes it easy to plan a market visit as part of your stay without confusing it with other local features or outdoor activities.
Discover more destinations: Garin, Vaudreuille, Sajas, Eaunes, Gensac-Sur-Garonne, Labastidette, Cardeilhac, Ore
For the full regional travel guide: Haute-Garonne.
