Varazze

Varazze launches at 396 m above the Ligurian coastal town of the same name, an easy take-off right next to the local church, but a purely thermal site — there's no soaring available here, so the flight plan depends entirely on catching lift after launch. The local guidance is direct: if you don't gain altitude soon after taking off, don't push out over the terrain — head straight for the landing on the east side of the beach instead. Getting to launch takes some planning, since the direct road is private and closed to vehicles: access is either on foot from Varazze village, about an hour's walk, or by car on a back road as far as a chain barrier, followed by a 45-minute walk from there. One firm seasonal rule applies to the landing itself: landing on the beach is forbidden from 1 May to 30 September, so summer flights need an alternative landing plan worked out before launching, not decided in the air. Between the thermal-only nature of the site and the seasonal beach restriction, Varazze rewards pilots who plan their landing options as carefully as their launch.

Launch & conditions

Easy take-off next to the church. This is a thermal-only site with no soaring — if you don't gain altitude soon after launch, head straight for the landing rather than pushing out.

Getting there & local rules

The direct road to launch is private and closed. Access is on foot from Varazze village (about an hour), or by car on a back road to a chain barrier followed by a 45-minute walk.

Local rules & hazards

Landing on the beach is forbidden from 1 May to 30 September — plan an alternative landing for summer flights.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Varazze, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Varazze with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.