Our partner offers this sporty ride through the lovely Burgundy countryside on reliable, well-trained endurance horses. Enjoy brisk riding combined with nature, culture and history! The Morvan is a rugged mountain range in the heart of Burgundy, with secluded, sometimes overgrown paths (caution: keep your head down) and extensive forests. The Morvan is also known as the Green Land of Living Waters, as it has many springs, rivers, lakes and canals – a true paradise for nature lovers! The Morvan Natural Park region is very sparsely populated and rich in rare flora and fauna, such as red deer, mouflons, partridges, capercaillies, badgers and wildcats.

With the towns of Bibracte and Vezelay, there is no shortage of history either. The Helvetians once roamed the Morvan region; it was here that Vercingetorix fought against Caesar as leader of the Gauls in 52 BC, and a visit to Vauban's tomb will give you an insight into the history of French fortification.

With incredibly enduring, well-trained horses, you will gallop long distances as you have rarely done before. But don't worry: our customers are not professionals and only ride in their free time! Important prerequisites are confidence in all gaits and good physical condition. At the end of the ride, you will be able to master any terrain and praise the horses: they are fantastic!

Our new ‘Morvan Lakes Ride’ offers a more relaxed option, where you can also swim with the horses, see below.

Itinerary

Morvan at a gallop

Day 1: Arrival in Sommant, meet the other participants and the horses. Dinner together at the hotel and tour briefing.

Day 2: Departure towards Lac des Settons, passing the picturesque villages of Vignerux, Montcimet and Anost and through the forests of Anost, the centre of a famous ham-producing region. In the middle of the forest, there is a romantic picnic spot for lunch. In the afternoon, you will reach Planchez and then the lake shore, which you will follow to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in a stylish hotel by the lake. (40 km)

Day 3: Today, the horses become fish to cross the numerous rivers, and then mountain goats to climb up the rocks of Pérouse, which offer you an unforgettable view. In the middle of dense forests, you will come across the small waterfall of Gouloux, then follow the fish-rich streams and wild rivers. The destination of the day's stage is Dun les Places, where you will spend the night in a cosy auberge. (40 km)

Day 4: The longest stage of the trip, approx. 50 km. At a brisk to very brisk pace, you will follow the Cure, the wildest river in the area. You will reach the northern edge of the nature park, where the landscape opens up noticeably into forests, meadows and fields. Vézelay is the destination for today's ride. This historic town lies on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, which is why the famous Basilica of Sainte Madeleine was built here. It was also here that St. Bernard of Clairvaux called for the Second Crusade in the 12th century. Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel in the heart of the town. (50 km)

Day 5: In the early morning (or the evening before), you will have some time to visit Vézelay. The tour continues to Pierre Perthuis with its famous two stone bridges, where you can enjoy a hearty picnic lunch. After the long day before, today's stage is shorter at only 40 km, which you can cover in three hours at your usual brisk pace. You will spend the night at Château Lantilly, a rustic country castle with a rich history. Before that, you will pass Vauban's castle in Bazoches. (32 km)

Day 6: After breakfast, you will ride towards Château Chinon and follow the Yonne. At lunchtime, you will reach Lake Panecière, where riders and horses can go for a swim. The destination for this stage is Château Chinon, a pretty medieval town famous for being the home of French President François Mitterrand, who was mayor here for over 20 years. Overnight stay in a hotel. (42 km)

Day 7: Departure for Bibracte. You will follow the narrow forest paths, unchanged for centuries, up to Mount Beuvray, which at 800 m is also the highest point of the riding tour. Meet up with the Gauls for a quick look at France's most important archaeological site from the Roman and Gallic periods. Hopefully, you are familiar with Vercingétorix from more than just the Asterix comics. It was here that Julius Caesar dictated the first texts of his De Bello Gallico in 53 BC. After a picnic lunch, you will reach your destination for the day, Saint Léger sous Beuvray. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. (40 km)

Day 8: Mountains, forests and long gallops await you on your last day of riding back to the starting point of the tour. You will pass Haut Folin, a former ski resort. The international downhill slope at Sommant offers you the opportunity to end your riding tour with a brisk, joyful gallop on horseback... Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel, as on the first day. (30 km)

Day 9: After breakfast, start your journey home.

NEW: Morvan Lakes Ride

Ride through the beautiful countryside of the Morvan for five days and explore several lakes. Of course, you can also go swimming with or without a horse, weather permitting. The pace is a little slower than on the classic Morvan Trail, but there are still plenty of great galloping stretches.

Day 1: Welcome at 5 p.m. at the riding centre, dinner and overnight stay in guest rooms.

Day 2: After get assigned to your horse and equipment for the week, you will gradually discover an incomparable, unspoilt natural environment. From the forests to the hedgerows and from the hedgerows to the small hamlets, our adventure begins in the east, towards the Lac de Chamboux, which you will discover at the end of the day! You will spend the night in Saulieu, a small town made famous by the late chef Loiseau, in a hotel or guesthouse. (33 km riding distance)

Day 3: A beautiful morning through the Saulieu National Forest and its bridle paths, followed by lunch on the shores of Lac de Saint Agnan, where you can take a refreshing dip. We spend the night in a rustic inn on the shores of the lake. (32 km riding distance)

Day 4: Today, you will go on a journey of discovery to the largest and most famous lake in the Morvan: Lac des Settons. You will reach it via the slopes of Le Breuil and the Saut du Gouloux, which offers another good opportunity for swimming, in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue uphill to reach the lively little village of Brassy en Morvan. Overnight stay at the Hotel du Nord. (36 km)

Day 5: Today, the landscape is different again, between hedges and forests. At the start of the stage, you will ride along the Lac de Chaumecon to reach its big brother, the Lac du Crescent, a little further north. Then you will descend to the west of the Lac de Chaumecon to spend the night in Plainefas on the shores of the lake. Overnight stay at the leisure centre accommodation. (30 km)

Day 6: Today's stage is a little shorter and takes you through Lormes and the many small lakes along the way. The Morvan will surprise you every day and you won't want to leave. Overnight stay in a gite. (22 km)

Day 7: To conclude this wonderful adventure, you will ride along a fairly hilly route to Lac de Panneciere, where you will have lunch and enjoy a last swim and a little siesta by the water before dreaming of your next ride. In the afternoon, you will return to Chateau Chinon, where the transfer will be waiting to take you back to Sommant, a journey of approximately 40 minutes. (34 km riding distance)
End of the stay at around 5 p.m. An additional night can be booked.

Subject to change!

Accomodation
The accommodation is very varied: small typical or modern hotels, a rustic XIIIth century castle and cozy country inns. Breakfast is served at the accommodation. At lunchtime, a 3-course meal with cheese platter awaits you in the middle of nature, comfortably seated at the long table with chairs - time to enjoy and relax! In the evening, you will be spoiled with French cuisine.

Saddle & Tack: English and endurance saddles, snaffle or Hackamore.

Experience: You should have ridden regularly for more than 5 years and have no problems at a fast pace (in the end you will be able to canter downhill without fear)!

Horses: endurance trekking horses, especially Anglo-Arabians, that regularly compete in endurance riding