Introduction
Provence France
Join this horseback riding tour in the Luberon, during spring or autumn, under the Provence sun.

The Luberon natural park, in the heart Provence, offers a myriad of colors and scents. You will ride in the oak and pine forests, into the scrubland (with the scents of herbs of Provence) as well as in valleys, at the foot of superb cliffs. You will also ride across the typical Provence perched villages of the Luberon and the old ocher quarries.

Accomodation

Accommodations
This is a progressive ride, so you will be staying in different locations during the trip.

Description
Accommodations during the trail will be in guesthouses and country inns. They are basic, but clean. We select our accommodation according to its beautiful setting and friendly atmosphere, for riders to enjoy a pleasant stay. There are no laundry facilities while on trail. Most accommodations have WIFI.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Auberge des Seguins in Buoux
Night 2: Auberge du Rustreou or Le Chateau in Rustrel
Night 3: Auberge des Seguins in Buoux

Auberge des Seguins in Buoux
This 16th-century stone house building offers a total of 27 rooms plus a dormitory that can host up to 20 people. The rooms are simple but comfortable and all come equipped with heating and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms can be private or shared depending on the room. There is a garden and an outdoor pool where guests can relax and enjoy the view. There is no cellphone coverage here.

Auberge de Rustreou in Rustrel
This old relay station dating back to the 18th century now offers 7 bedrooms equipped with a TV, free Wi-Fi and a private bathroom. Guests can also relax on the outdoor patio.

Gite Le Chateau in Rustrel
This beautiful 17th-century castle has recently been renovated to offer dormitory style bedrooms (2, 5 and 6 beds in each dormitory) with shared bathrooms. There is free Wi-Fi access in some parts of the Gite.

Room Occupancy
Triple occupancy is available at most accommodations.
If you book in shared bedrooms and if there is no other rider to share bedrooms with you, the single supplement will be applied.

Meals
All meals are included in your package from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on the last day.

Breakfast will be provided by the accommodations we stay in.
At lunch, you will enjoy hearty picnics (mixed salads, local charcuterie, cheese, fruit, etc.) carried in saddlebags.
In the evening everyone meets around the table, to discover local food - or should we say "cuisine" - don't count on losing any weight.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to dietary restrictions with prior notice.

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Riding Level
In order to make the most of the ride, we require riders to be comfortable at all 3 gaits (walk, trot and canter).

Pace
On the first day you ride for about 2-3 hours. The next 3 days you spend 5 hours on horseback per day on average: 2-3 hours in the morning, 2-3 hours in the afternoon.
Pace is mostly at a walk & trot, with possible canters when the terrain allows it.

Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

We suggest to arrive on Sunday (Day 0) and spend one night in Aix en Provence. Visit this cute city loved by Cezanne, and take the bus to Lauris on Monday.

Day 1 (Monday): Lauris to Buoux
Meet in Lauris (bus coming from Aix-en-Provence stops at 10:45 am) or directly at Mas de Recaute between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Free transfer possible on Monday morning from Marseille airport (10:30 am), Aix en Provence tgv station (11 am), Aix en Provence city center train station (11:15 am).
You will have an introduction to the trail ride and lunch. In the afternoon, you will be introduced to your horse and will start the trip through the Luberon rolling hills, towards the beautifull perched village of Bonnieux. The houses, all made with stones, form a striking harmony of earth-toned colours and shapes. After the picturesque village of Bonnieux, the trail goes down in the Valley of the Aiguebrun river. Overnight in a nice Auberge along the river.
Depending on the date, exceptionally, you may be transfered to Lauris for the night.
Meals included: Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Auberge in Buoux

Day 2 (Tuesday): Buoux to Rustrel
The trail follows the green valley of Aiguebrun. We head towards the very pretty perched village of Saignon, then descend into the Calavon valley along the orchards of cherry, peach, apricot trees ... the garden of Provence.
At noon, a copious buffet awaits us in the oak tree shade, where we can enjoy a very pleasant break. In the afternoon, we follow trails in the pine forests and scrubland, to reach the Provence Colorado*, for an access reserved for our riders (by special agreement), after closing to the public. These old ocher quarries have revealed red and ocher colors, reminiscent of the landscapes of the Far West. Take your cameras !
After installing the horses, you go to your accommodation for dinner in the heart of the village.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in Rustrel

*in 2023, access to the Provence Colorado might not be possible on horseback.

Day 3 (Wednesday): Rustrel to Buoux
In the morning, departure on horseback overlooking the Provence Colorado. We are heading towards the very beautiful village of Saint-Martin-de-Castillon, another perched village in the Luberon.
The picnic is taken out of the saddle bags at the edge of the Calavon river. We then leave along the lavender fields and truffle oak plantations at the foot of the Grand Luberon, to reach the Aiguebrun gorges: a pleasant shaded path by the stream.
We eventually reach the Auberge des Seguins, nestled at the foot of the impressive cliffs of Buoux. Dinner and overnight at the hostel. On certain dates, in case of unavailability, the horses stay at the inn and the riders are transferred to the guesthouse de Lauris.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at Auberge in Buoux

Day 4 (Thursday): Buoux to Lauris
We leave the Aiguebrun gorges to ride up to the ridges, from where we discover a superb point of view: from alpine peaks in the north, to the Mediterranean in the south, when the weather is clear !
We stop for picnic lunch near Lourmarin, a village where Albert Camus (French Writer) lived and is buried. The return to Lauris is done along the foot of the Luberon. The paths are pleasant, in the pine forests and along vineyards and orchards overlooking the Durance valley, with a beautiful view of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain.
End of the ride around 5pm and transfer to the bus stop in Lauris. If you wish to stay one extra night let us know.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

Non Riders
Non-riding companions are welcome to join this trip. It is best to have a car in order to do some sightseeing while the rest of the group explores on horseback.

Other Info
Meeting: Lauris
Airport: Marseille
Transfer: Marseille Airport or Aix-en-Provence Train Station

Colors of Provence Ride

Rates include:

Packages and Options

Rates Note:

Rates Note:

Transfer and Other Charges:

Rates do not include: