The name Provence is reminiscent of vineyards and olive groves and lavender fields. Didier, your host, has arranged trail rides here since 1987. You will ride many hours each day. Your guides has been on a special training course for professional guides and speaks good English. The saddles are custom made for trail rides. Safe, light and comfortable.
Read more on each respective ride below.
The information below applies to all rides. For prices and specific facts for each riding programs, go to each ride.
Ability description: Level, trail ride 2-3 >>
Included in the price: Accomodation, riding according to program. Full board incl. water or wine with meals, transfers.
Not included: Flights, insurance and extras not mentioned.
Travel: Book flight/rental car >>
Flight to Marseille - Provence International Airport.
Transfer: Book in advance with HorseXplore.
From Marseille airport to riding center, about 1 hour drive.
Price: Included at set times.
Meeting time: 5:00 pm, except for the Luberon & Lavendel with the time 10:30 am. Outdoor, at terminal 2 (low cost flights) exit door.
Departure: When returning home you will be on Marseilles airport at 11.00 am.
Transfer from train station Aix-en-Provence to riding center, about 45 minutes drive.
Price: Included at set time.
Meeting time: Sunday at 5.30 pm Aix-en-Provence TGV (high speed trains) station. For Luberon & Lavender: Aix en Provence TGV station (11 am)
Meeting places:
- Marseille Provence airport: outdoor, at terminal 2 (low cost flights) exit door, at the sign:
- Aix-en-Provence TGV: at the exit doors of the hall B.
Taxi at other times then the above from the airport or Aix-en-Provence to the Equestrian center.
Price: About 120 EUR/person/one way. You can ask any available taxi outside.
Single room: It is possible to book singleroom (price for single supplement is available under Dates & Prices). Single supplement will be added if there is no one to share a room with.
Currency: EUR
Credit card: The riding centre accept credit cards.
Tipping: Not required but appreciated, normally around 20-50 EUR.
Wifi: There is free Wi-fi in most accomodations.
Electricity jack: Standard EU plug.
Group size: Miniumum 4, maximum 8. New Year Ride min. 2 persons.
Age limit: Minimum 12 years accompanied by an adult. If good rider, 10 years.
Max weight: 90 kilo (a couple of horses can take 100 kilo).
Closest village: 3 km away is Lauris wich is a small village with restaurants and pubs. 8 km away id the popuilar village Loumarin with several sight seeings.
Beach: About 1 hour with car. The trail ride Luberon to Camargue is ended at the beach.
Pool: Not at the riding center, but 200 meters away is pool, spa, jacuzzi and hamam available.
Misc.:
Riding equipment to borrow: Helmet at request.
Saddle bag available: Yes
Special diet: Inform when booking.
Luggage: 1 piece of luggage per person, labeled with your name, suitcase or bag of approximately 90cm x 65cm x 35cm, max 15kg .
You will stay in double or triple rooms at the guesthouses and country hotels. It is possible to book singleroom. Single supplement will be added if there is no one to share a room with.
Safe deposit box: No
A/C: No
Hair Dryer: No
Towels and sheets: Yes
Fridge: No
Dinners and breakfasts (French breakfast which may consist of white bread, jam, cereal, juice, tea or coffee) are prepared by your hosts in each guesthouse. The lunches consist of picnics in the countryside and will be transported by car.
The horses are Spanish and Arab cross. They are alert and lively at the same time calm and stable when riding through cities with traffic, etc. There are saddlebags to the horses. Your luggage is transported by car to your next accomodation.
Fantastic Riding in a Beautiful Environment
"Delicious lunches set up along the route. Lovely and tasty dinners in a cozy, family-like environment. So good! Long days with varied pacing. Over mountains, through forests, and along water. Fantastic birdlife! Friendly, energetic, and well-trained horses. Wonderful trip in a fantastic setting and landscape. I absolutely want to go with HorseXplore again! Already looking forward to the next adventure 😊"
– Katarina Palm
Well-Organized and Safe Experience
"Very nice accommodations at all the locations. I had a single room and there was plenty of space. Simple breakfast but hearty lunch and dinner. Flavorful and delicious, with extra credit for all the great cheeses. Varied landscapes, a reasonably sized group, and a safe guide made the riding experience wonderful. The horses were well cared for, safe, and fun to ride. Everything felt familiar and cozy. Well-organized, the guide was careful about safety and made sure the horses were well taken care of."
– Marianne Danielsson
A Fantastic Riding Experience through Provence and Camargue
"Overall great accommodation and really good food, even for gluten-free diets. Varied dishes, always three courses, and sometimes four. Great wine! Good lunches with delicious salads, bread, fresh fruit, and drinks. Beautiful riding in Provence, through vineyards, orchards, and sometimes with gentle elevation in the mountains. Riding through the marshlands of Camargue was exciting and felt safe. Very well-cared-for horses, steady throughout the journey, and good balance in some very rocky terrain. Incredibly exciting and fun to herd bulls from horseback, the horses were not at all afraid and handled the task brilliantly! This was our first riding trip, and it was a fantastic start. Tough riding due to the long hours and our week in mid-June was very hot. But overall, a varied trip with everything from beaches to mountains. We will definitely be looking at the website for the next trip."
– Sara Kallin
During this ride you get to enjoy the contrasts that these regions offer. The trail ride extends from winding roads along the olive groves by old stone houses to the white sandy beaches of the Camargue National Park. Gallops on the beaches are a perfect end to this trail ride. The ride starts north...
The Provence lavender Inn to Inn trail ride... a fragrant and colored equestrian trip across the Provence, from the south Luberon natural park to the highlights of lavender cultivation in Provence: Plateau Claparèdes north of Grand Luberon, Plateau d'Albion, the country of Banon and Sault: th...