Horseback Riding
in France
CASTLES, CLIFFS AND CAVES RIDE
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Riding will be in a
region of spectacular and varied scenery.
Starting at your hosts ranch, you will find
yourself leaving behind the patchwork quilt of
verdant farmland, woods and pastures, slowly
riding into more wild and isolated country. By
the middle of the week you will have arrived
high on the cliffs on the edge of the Lot
valley, with breathtaking views of the Lot river
and the surrounding country below. A visit to
the famous prehistoric caves of Pech-Merle and
its incredible Magdalenian cave paintings
follows. You will ride along rivers, up into the
hills and through the woods and fields,
following the picturesque Célé valley past
troglodyte houses to the villages of Saulliac
sur Célé and Marcilhac sur Célé. In this
isolated region of France, within the cliffs
that prehistoric man inhabited, you will feel
like you have stepped back through time. By the
end of the ride you will have been immersed in a
world of rugged beauty, history, culture and the
fine cuisine of the region - truffles, cheese,
foie gras, magret, excellent wine .......
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Itinerary |
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Day 1: |
Meet at Agen Railway Station at 4:00
pm and transfer to your country hotel
with a swimming pool and beautiful
grounds (about a 40 minute drive).
Dinner will be a regional meal with
excellent local wines.
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Day 2: |
Ride to Montaigu de Quercy for a
picnic lunch. This is a splendid example
of a medieval village with its typical
half-timbered, white stone houses unique
to the Quercy region. After a picnic
lunch continue on to Montcuq, capital of
the white Quercy region. There will be
time to visit the village before dinner
and overnight at a small country house
hotel just outside the village.
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Day 3: |
The ride is now in more remote
country, climbing higher into the hills.
After breakfast, the ride crosses the
calcareous and wild plateau of the Lot
with a midday stop at the small village
of Labastide-Marnhac. After lunch
continue through varied countryside,
valleys and oak woods to arrive at an
award winning vineyard for a visit and a
tasting. After the wine tasting, you
will be transferred to Lalbenque, a
typical French village located in the
center of the Quercy black truffle
region. Dinner and overnight in a
charming local hotel. |
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Day 4: |
Today there is a short morning ride
to the small village of Cremps. Enjoy a
quiet walk around the village and its
XII century church before another
delicious picnic lunch. After lunch,
head north through the village of
Concots near the wondrous village of
Saint Cirq Lapopie, perched on a cliff
face with a commanding view of the Lot
Valley, and to your hotel for the
evening. Visit of the medieval village,
and dinner and overnight at the hotel
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Day 5: |
Ride along the Lot River and
traverse the plateaus above the valley
to arrive at the Chateau de Cenevieres,
an XIth century chateau with impressive
XIV century renovations, where you will
have lunch. Enjoy a guided tour of the
private chateau after lunch. In the
afternoon ride back to Saint Cirq
Lapopie for another evening in the
lovely village
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Day 6: |
A spectacular morning ride along the
cliffs, crossing the Lot River, to the
prehistoric caves of Pech-Merle,
decorated with Magdalenian rupestrine
(on the stone) paintings. Visit the
caves after enjoying another picnic
lunch. In the afternoon ride through the
beautiful valley of Célé before stopping
for the day in Saulliac sur Cele. The
peaceful village of Saulliac sur Cele is
built in the middle of a cirque of
cliffs, with amazing troglodyte houses.
The evening will be spent in a charming,
rustic bed and breakfast on the
outskirts of the village within this
beautifully wild and remote valley. Take
some time to soak up the tranquility
before your farewell dinner in the
private dining room of your chamber
d’hote. |
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Day 7: |
After breakfast transfer to either
Agen or Cahors railway station |
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THIS
ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR
DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN
CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting
Point |
Agen |
| Length of
Ride |
7 days,
6 nights and 5 days riding. |
| Riding
Ability |
Intermediate |
| Group Size |
Minimum-2 Maximum-7 |
| Riding Per
Day |
4-6
hours |
| Pace |
moderate |
| Tack |
Western, English trekking, McClellan |
| Horses |
Hardy
local breeds |
| Weight
Limit |
190 lbs |
| 2008 Dates |
May
25-31, Aug 24-30 |
| 2008 Price |
$2,695 |
| Single
Supplement |
$365 |
| 2009 Dates |
May
24-30, June 21-27, Aug 30-Sept 5 |
| 2009 Price |
$2,715 |
| Single
Supplement |
$365 |
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