Ride Overview
See and smell the fragrant lavender while it is in full bloom. Lush purple fields await you each day on this ride which has wonderful food each day and fun long canters through the countryside. Call us today as space is limited on these dates.
Rate: $1,955.00 USD per person in a shared room
(Single Supplement: $380.00 USD)
Dates: July 3-9, July 10-16, July 17-23, July 24-30
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 5 days of guided trail riding
- All meals
- Horse and all tack
- Airport transfers
- Tours as indicated in the itinerary
- All local taxes
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities for the team at the end of the stay
- Beverages outside of meals
- Visits or tips not outlined in the itinerary
Day 1
Arrival to Mas de Recaute around 6 p.m., or transfer from airport or train station. Meet your guide and assistant who will tell you about the ride around a welcome drink.
Day 2
Lauris - Buoux. The ride starts on the southern side of the small Luberon. A small rocky trail will take you up on the hills of the Luberon. Nice view on the Monts Ventoux (localy called "the giant of Provence") and the Lure Mountain. A dense green oak forest will then guide you towards the Plateau of Claparèdes, famous for its production of lavender. Lunch in the hills. On the afternoon, you will ride down to the Aiguebrun Gorges, the border between Small Luberon and Big Luberon.
Day 3
Buoux - Rustrel. This morning you are riding up on the Plateau of Claparèdes, follow lavender fields, dry stone walls and "bories" (small shepherds' pen). You will stop in the perched village of Saignon to water the horses at the fountain. Ride down towards the Valley of Apt on ancient paved trails. After lunch, you will ride down to the "Colorado Provençal" old ocher mines. You will visit on horseback this exceptional site before leaving your horse and reach your hotel in the village of Rustrel.
Day 4
Rustrel - Saint Trinit. You quietly get into a valley shaded by oak trees, onto the Albion Plateau, high spot for lavender. Picnic near a chapel before browsing the plateau, former nuclear missiles site for the French nuclear force from 1971 to 1996. Ride among the lavender and sage fields with a break at a distillery where your guide will explain the production of basis for the perfume manufactures. Arrival at the guesthouse where you can relax and take a swim in the pool before visiting the village of Sault, lavender capital, do some shopping and visit the lavender distillery.
Day 5
Saint-Trinit - Montbrun-les-Bains. This morning we will have a chance to visit a lavender distillery. We ride in the direction of Sault, the Provence capital of lavender. Crossing the village on horseback. The lunch will wait for us in the shade at the foot of the village. After lunch, you can walk in the streets and have some shopping. In the afternoon, we leave in the direction of Aurel, charming medieval village at the foot of the Mount Ventoux. In the afternoon, the colors of lavenders, fields of cereal and the shadows of the Mount Ventoux may tempt you to imitate the numerous painters who felt in love with this region. We will arrive late the afternoon near Montbrun-les-Bains, surrounded with green hills and dominating a plain of perfumed lavenders: one of the most beautiful villages of France.
Day 6
Montbrun les Bains - Saint Auban sur Ouvèze. This morning, you will follow the foot of the Giant of Provence: the Mount Ventoux. You leave Montbrun riding along a pleasant refreshing stream, then we start a climb through forests and lavender fields heading to the "Arles" pass, where we enter the Provence Drôme. You will ride down to the wonderful Mevouillon valley to reach your assistant for lunch breack. The afternoon, you will leave the valley riding towards the Pelleret hamlet going up to the "Bouvreges" pass where you will enjoy an amazing 380° view. Last canter through the forest to saint Auban sur Ouvèze, where the truck and the minibus are waiting for your transfer back to Lauris, and Mas de Recaute.
Day 7
End of the ride after breakfast. Transfer to Marseille airport or Aix en Provence train station.
PH
The trip was beautiful and we had a most wonderful time. Everyone involved was gracious and the hospitality was great. The Cap Rando Equestrian Centre horses were well kept. The accommodations each night were spectacular; some a bit more rustic than others but all were clean and comfortable. The food was also well prepared and plentiful except breakfast which was toast and coffee except for one of the places we stayed had a more, they provided some cheeses, granola and yogurt, etc.
Each day at lunch we had a hot meal and a two hour break both for the horses and our benefits. The country side was spectacular as well. We were also grateful for the two d’Hotes that had pools, yea; the weather was a bit warmer that usual for the area!
As far as riding through lavender fields, we did ride alongside and near a lot of lavender fields and other flowers, etc, which were beautiful. We did ride by some cherry orchards also; the cherries were delicious.
All in all it was a great vacation. If you ever need a volunteer to check out a ride that you are advertising keep me in mind. Riding vacations are great fun.
Happy Trails