Ride Overview
This trip is by the ocean and features mythical castles and wonderful wines. The Medoc is a place redolent of history and famous food. On one side you have the majestic Atlantic Ocean and on the other, the Gironde River estuary and the Landes Forest.
The Medoc is the most famous area in the world for its vineyards. However its landscapes have a lot of variety, from the marsh areas of Lower Medoc to the Atlantic beaches. You will ride through the Graves headlands where the water of the Gironde River mixes with the the Atlantic Ocean. You will discover the Landes Forest and pine woods as far as the eye can see as well as lakes (Hourtin, Carcans, Lacanau) from North to South with the Gironde islands (Green island, New Island, Paté Island…) between the two banks of the estuary.
2022 Rate: $2,830.00 USD per person in a shared room (Single Supplement: $605.00 USD)
Dates: Oct. 23-30
2023 Rate: $2,925.00 USD per person in a shared room (Single Supplement: $615.00 USD)
Dates: May 7-14 (one week only)
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. 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. No refunds will be issued in the event you are not able to ride to these guidelines.
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 6 days of guided trail riding
- All meals
- Horse and all tack
- Guiding services
- Luggage transfers
- All taxes
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Visits/Tastings outlined in the itinerary (approx. 10€)
- Drinks with evening meals (bottled water, wine, beer, soda)
- Airport transfers
- Gratuities for the team at the end of the stay
Day 1
Arrival and pick up at Bordeaux airport at 6:30PM at HALL B at the "Brioche Dorée" snack bar.
Transfer to the bed and breakfast in Moulis en Médoc and enjoy a briefing and dinner.
Day 2
Departure from Moulis through the vineyards of the Listrac and Moulis Appellations.. Picnic and wine tasting Château Lannessan.
We end our the afternoon of our first riding day at Pauillac.
Day 3
Through the Pauillac Appellation vineyard, we pass not far from Lafite Rothschild (first Grand Cru Classé Pauillac) whose vineyard dates from the XVII century, or Cos d’Estournel (Saint Estephe appellation) dating from 1811.
Then, we’ll head for a visit and picnic at the archaeological dig site of Brion. There used to be a Gallo-Roman villa there.
Afternoon through vineyards, we’ll then reach Begadan (Bordeaux, Bordeaux superior appellation).
Day 4
We’ll head northward on the Palus to get to the banks of the estuary. “Palus” are land ridges between marshes and streams of water. We’ll head for the picturesque seaport of Goulée.
Picnic and visit of the Richard lighthouse. From its top (18 m high) we’ll have a beautiful view on the river.
Overnight at the hotel a few meters from the ocean.
Day 5
Westward to Soulac. The landscape looks like that of the Camargue; vast expanses of lakes filled meadows and horses on the range. Visit of the church of Our Lady of Land’s End. Then to the beach: a very large one to in L’Amélie for picnic.
We will take the same route in the afternoon, long canters on the beach to Montalivet (depending on the tides, the program may change).
Night in a hotel.
Day 6
Today we ride southward, beach or forest depending on the tide, picnic at the Pin Sec.
In the afternoon on the Gironde moors we’ll make it a day at Hourtin, a small yachting harbour.
Night in a hotel.
Day 7
We go eastward today, the forest promises us long canters on sandy lanes where we may spot deer or stags. The fragrance of the pine trees is inebriating, the forest is engulfing us.
Picnic in the hamlet of Bernos.
In the afternoon we’ll go southwards to get back to where we started.
Dinner and night in a B&B.
Day 8
After breakfast, depending on train and flight schedules, transfer to Bordeaux airport. Riders with a train take the shuttle from Bordeaux airport to get to Bordeaux train station. A single transfer to Bordeaux is planned.
