Ride Overview
The Loire Valley is world famous for its splendid chateaux that command the landscape.
A natural highway to the center of France. The Loire River was traveled from the earliest days and both Celtic and Romans were known to have used the river extensively as a trade route. Unpredictable and sometimes dangerous even today, this river was one of the first that man tried to control but it still remains unruly and wild and is subject to floods, freezes, shifting sands and dangerous currents.
This ride showcases the best this area has to offer in terms of history and architecture and it features the sumptuous Renaissance chateaux such as Chambord and Chenonceau. You will canter through fields and woodland paths that connect these incredible pieces of property to each other and truly feel as though you are stepping back in time.
2025 Dates: June 21-28, June 29-July 6, Aug. 23-30, Aug. 31-Sept. 7
Rates: 2025 Dates: April 20-27, May 3-10, May 11-18, Oct. 11-18, Oct. 19-26
2025 Rate: $3,105.00 USD or €2545 per person in a shared room (Single Supplement: $565.00 USD or €460)
Non rider rate in a shared room with a rider: $1,825.00 USD or €1495)
2026 Dates: June 27-July 4 (FULL), July 5-12, Aug. 29-Sept. 5 (FULL), Sept. 6-13
2026 Rate: $1,830.00 USD per person in a shared room. Single Supplement: $618.00 USD or 515€
Non rider rate in a shared room with a rider: $1,830.00 USD or €1525
NOTE: the level of riding for this ride is for an experienced rider who has mastered all 4 gaits (walk, posting trot (posting is mandatory), canter/gallop in a forward seat on varied terrain and in open spaces. You must be able to control the speed and direction of your horse without being rough on their mouth or back. There are many long trots and canters, so you need to be physically fit. You must also be able to mount unaided. If, on the first day of the ride, the guide does not feel you have adequately met these guidelines, you will not be able to continue by horseback but may travel with the support vehicle. A 300 euro fee will be charged for transporting your horse back to the farm. No refunds will be issued in the event you are not able to ride to these guidelines.
Included
- 7 night accommodation
- 6 days of riding
- All meals
- Horse and all tack
- Guiding services
- Support team
- Luggage transfers
- All local taxes
Not Included
- Airfare
- Entry fees to visit the chateau outlined in the itinerary (approx. 100€)
- Beverages in hotels and restaurants
- Any wine tastings on offer
- Transfers
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities for the team at the end of the stay
You will ride to several of the most important Renaissance Chateaux in the Loire Valley (visiting the inside is available for an additional fee):
Day 1
Arrival at Montrichard train station (independent) in the early afternoon. Pre set transfer at 6:30PM for a fee of 20€ per person paid direct to the driver. All riders will meet at the hotel which is near the train station. A briefing on the upcoming ride will be held over an aperitif prior to having dinner and relaxing for the evening.
Day 2
After presentation and distribution of the horses, we set off for Fougères sur Bièvre. We have lunch at the foot of the castle. It offers the ideal image of a small late-15th-century fortified castle, with curtain wall, keep, arched and cannoniered battlements, parapet walk and machicolation.
At the end of the afternoon, we also visit the magnificently furnished Château de Cheverny. The estate has been owned by the same family for over six centuries. From the Botanical Park to the splendid interior of the château, from the Tintin exhibition to the forest park, the owners invite you to discover a fantastic heritage, authentic and very much alive.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - AM Ride
In the morning, we ride through the Cheverny forest, between wooded paths and wild moorland, where deer, roe deer and hares, if you're lucky enough to spot them, can be found.
For a picnic lunch, we stop off at Château de Villesavin. Dating from the 16th century, it was built by the same French and Italian masters and craftsmen who built the great royal residences. It has survived four centuries in near-perfect condition.
After lunch, we take time to visit the castle.
Free afternoon at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4
After breakfast, we head for Chambord, where we have a picnic. Chambord is the largest of the Loire castles. It's an unrivalled feat of architecture, with its central double-revolution staircase, a marvel of elegance, set in the heart of a vast 5,440-hectare nature reserve where deer are king.
We visit the château after lunch.
Through the Bracieux forest, we return to Château de Villesavin in the late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5
We ride through the forest to Château de Beauregard, where we stop for our picnic. Formerly Chambord's hunting lodge, built on the orders of François I, it has always been known for its famous Galerie des Portraits. A monumental work of 3 generations, it features 327 portraits of illustrious figures, a remarkable lapis lazuli ceiling (7 times the value of gold) and an exceptional paving of 5600 Delft earthenware tiles.
After visiting the château, we set off with our horses for the village of Candé-sur-Beuvron.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 - AM Ride
Along the banks of the Loire, we reach the village of Chaumont sur Loire. A charming village, listed as a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site, Chaumont is also famous for its feudal castle, which dominates the valley and the village. Picnic where we leave the horses for the afternoon.
Afternoon free to visit the Château de Chaumont sur Loire (hotel at the foot of the château). Dating from the late 15th century, it illustrates both the defensive architecture of the Gothic period and the pleasure architecture of the Renaissance. Don't miss the 19th-century stables, considered the most luxurious in Europe at the time. And do make it a point to visit the gardens - over 100 sections filled with many different works by famous horticulturists - it’s worth a visit!
Dinner and overnight at the hotel..
Day 7
After breakfast, we go down into the Cher Valley, a river that we ride along for long gallops. Then, we head to the magnificent castle of Chenonceau built on the Cher.
Named "Château des Dames" for the history of France, built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, embellished successively by Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médici, Chenonceau was saved from the rigors of the Revolution by Madame Dupin. It is the flagship of the Loire Valley.
We have lunch on the site and afterward, you may visit the castle (additional fee). In the early afternoon, we leave the banks of the Cher to arrive the early evening in the town of Pontlevoy.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8
After breakfast, departure for the Montrichard train station.
* This program may be changed slightly according to the season and to weather conditions.
Marie-Claire T.
This Castle ride exceeded my expectations in many ways. Anne France is very knowledgeable and she has everything perfectly organized. All we have to do is ride and enjoy. The trip was spectacular in many ways, the horses provided by Patrice were fantastic and well matched to rider’s ability. The hotels we stayed at were very nice and the food was spectacular, the visits to the Chateaux are a bonus, Anne France’s attention to details made it a five star vacation. What a way to celebrate my b-day!!!
thank you so much!
Nancy S.
The horses are in top athletic condition and superbly trained. What a pleasure to ride such horses!
The guides made sure we were all comfortable and matched well with our horses. Anne is charming and holds her groups needs and wants as her priority. She is thoroughly knowledgeable of the history of the Loire and the castles, always presenting it in an engaging manner.
The accommodations, food and wine were divine!