Trekking in France for connoisseurs: This horse riding tour in the region of the world famous Bordeaux wines is a mixture of nature, architecture & Grands Crus.
You will ride through some of the most famous wine regions of the world. The Château are also well known to the wine connoisseur. But this is not only a horseback riding tour for wine lovers! The area is varied with forests, vineyards and quiet trails. The culinary delights are an additional highlight of this ride, e.g. the lavish French picnics or the multi-course menus in the evening - of course with a glass of good wine!

Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Bordeaux Mérignac airport. You will drive straight to the heart of the Grands Crus, the region of the great wine brands, to Moulis in the Médoc. There you will stay overnight in a stylish hotel with swimming pool. The historic house is idyllically situated in the middle of the vineyards. During dinner you will meet the riding guide and can discuss the upcoming tour.

Day 2: Your first day in the saddle. You start at 9.00 am to the horses and leave at 10.00 am. The flatter landscape leads idyllically through vineyards and forests. You will have a picnic lunch in a picturesque location on the Gironde. In the afternoon the first wine tasting awaits you in the wine museum of Maucaillou. Taste the various fine wines before you ride on to the riverbank. A ferry takes you and your horses to the other side of the Gironde. The 40-minute crossing is a very special experience! You reach Blaye, famous for its fortifications, one of the finest examples of 17th century military architecture. The mighty fortress was reinforced and extended by Vauban between 1685 and 1689 to protect the important port of Bordeaux. You will ride to the citadel - just like in the old days. Dinner and overnight stay there close to the historic site.

Day 3: Strengthened by breakfast, you will ride today through undulating terrain through the Blaye and Bourg wine regions. Lunch will be at Château Lamothe - of course with a tasting of the local wine.
In the afternoon, around 15.00 hrs, you will continue on horseback towards Cubnezais. The flat landscape invites you to gallop again and again.
You will spend the evening with the winegrower of the Domaine de Gravette. During dinner you will have the opportunity to enjoy the local wines. Overnight stay on the estate in a charming 19th century house with its beautiful garden.

Day 4: On horseback, you will continue on the trail of great wines through this famous wine-growing region. The trail leads you through small woods bordering on vines until you reach Château Mayne-Veil. The perfect lunchtime setting and a tasting, this time of Fronsac wine, is not to be missed.
Afterwards you will pass through the famous region of Pomerol, another wine region. Close to the Château Belle Graves the horses stay for the night while the riders can taste the famous wine Lalande of Pomerol. Dinner and overnight stay in Libourne in the charming Hotel de la Tour, which, as the name suggests, has a rustic tower.

Day 5: Again, magnificent castles and endless vines form the back for your ride. On horseback we will ride past Château Pétrus, Cheval Blanc and Figeac to Robin des Moines Castle, which is the back for today´s lunch picnic - of course with a wine tasting of the local wine. You can also enjoy the incomparable flair of the small town of St. Emilion with its romantic alleys and numerous sights. It is not for nothing that this place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
In the afternoon you ride through the wide valley of the Dordogne until you reach Saint Jean de Blaignac.

Day 6: Today´s ride takes you to the l`Entre-Deux-Mer area, the area between two seas. Undulating terrain, partly crossed by forests and vines offer variety and always beautiful gallops. Midday rest at Château Rauzan from the 18th century and tasting. In the afternoon you will roam the lovely countryside to the Château of Broustaret, where you will stay overnight. This charming castle, set in a 40-hectare site of medieval heritage, is reminiscent of a mystical hilly landscape.
For dinner you will go to the town of Cadillac, where you can taste some of the region´s special wines and enjoy a nightly sightseeing tour before this eventful day comes to an end.

Day 7: Continue through the wine region and the valley of the Garonne to the vines of Graves and Sauternes. Picnic at Château Myrat, where you will visit the wine storehouse and also have a tasting. In the afternoon there are beautiful galloping possibilities. Through forests and between vines you can enjoy the brisk pace! From a hill you have a beautiful view of Sauternes. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel 23, a charming place surrounded by beautiful gardens, nestled among vines. The ideal place to taste the local wines at dinner and to end the evening in a relaxed atmosphere. Which one is your favourite wine remains your secret!

Day 8: After breakfast, collective transfer to Bordeaux airport and journey home. The tour is ridden in both directions!

Accomodation
You are accommodated in middle class hotels and guest houses with shower/WC.

Saddle & Tack: Trekking saddles and English bridles.

Experience: 3-5 years of regular riding required. You should be able to ride new horses without instruction in all gaits. Max. 100 kg. Riders: 5-10.

Horses: Very well-kept trekking horses including Anglo-Arabians, persevering, forward going, well trained and very sociable - excellent tour horses!