Ride in France - French travel agency specialised in horse riding trails and vacations in France

Choose your ride

After your ride

About France

Practical information

About us

Contact us

Gers : Trail in the heart of Gascony...

Program - Practical information - Dates and rates - Book this ride

Gers has a very special place in the famous South West of France, first of all thanks to its gastronomy, but also to the landsacpes of Gascony, crossed by the way of the pilgrimmage to St Jack of Compostella.

Our riding trail "in the heart of Gascony" follows the footprints of the famous knight D'Artagnan and of pilgrims on the road to St Jacques for a ride into History...

Another ride is dedicated to rider who are not used to long trails, but who can ride at all paces.

PROGRAM

IN THE HEART OF GASCONY

Day 1
Welcome to the ride center, meet your guide and other guests. Dinner and night.

Day 2
Today we start the trail following the famous San Jack of Compostella track. This track goes through many winyardsdedicated to wine and the famous Armagnac production. Then we will cross the historic center of Eauze, a typical village, before having a pic nic near the Gelise lake. In the afternoon we will follow a anciant train track, which is now a beautiful track for canters !
Tonight we will stop in a guest house located in the heart of the excavations site of romans remains in Séviac. (you can visit the site). Dinner and night.

Day 3
After breakfast, we saddle to follow the same tracks and we go through this beautiful scenary sprinkled with fields and winyards. Picnic lunch in Larressingle, known as the most anciant fortified village in France.This afternoon we climb up to the village of Condom, before going straight to the south. Tonight we will stop in Vallence sur Baise, in an anciant renovated house. During dinner, served in a little restaurant near the house, you'll have the opportunity to discover local specialities.

Day 4
Today we will see a real change in the scenary. With our horses, we will ride from winyards to cornfields. Lunch is set up at walking distance from an anciant mill which overlooks the beautiful scenaries of the Gers.
In the evening stop in Lavardens's guesthouse. This small city is famous for its castle, that can be visited if you want to. This day will end by another great cuisine experience at our guest table.

Day 5
We will let the famous St Jack's track to explore unknown countryside with small paths. For lunch, we will have a refreshing stop close to Baise river at the base of a small renovated castle. In the afternoon, we will ride till the sympathetic guesthouse of Caillavet where horses and riders will have some rest. Dinner in guest tables.

Ride in France - Horse riding in Gascony - Gers

Day 6
Gers remains an historic place : today we will follow the tracks of a famous personality, knight d'Artagnan !
The itinerary follows the paths he used to follow when he was young near Castelmore castle, his native house, and Laplagne castle. We will stop for lunch near the lake of Lupiac, where there is a small museum dedicated to d'Artagnan. Tonight we spend the night in a guesthouse at Aignan, with a swimming pool at your disposal.

Day 7
For this last day we will ride from green fields to vineyards, and you will enjoy the breathtaking views on Pyrenean mountains. After going through Aignan's forest we will stop to have the lunch near Moura's pond. End of the trail in the middle of the afternoon.

In the end of the afternoon you can visit an Armagnac distillery and a "fois gras" farm (with tasting and selling).

Day 8
Departure after breakfast.

BEGINNERS TRAIL

Day 1
Welcome to the ride center, meet your guide and other guests. Dinner and night.

Day 2
Beginning with and outdoor session, at a very quiet pace (2-3h).

Day 3
Half day ride to discover Gers scenaries, picnic lunch near a pond. In the end of the afternoon you can visit an Armagnac distilery and a "fois gras" farm (with tasting and selling).

Day 4
Trail in countryside, following partly a 4x4 tracks, with hard and irregular ground. Picnic lunch. After this day, you'll be ready to ride everywhere !

Day 5
Easy ride to recover from the emotions of yesterday, in the North East part of the area. Picnic lunch.

Day 6
Today, our trail will let us will pass from green fields, to winyards. You will enjoy the breathtaking views on Pyrenean mountains. After going through Aignan's forest we will stop to have the lunch near Moura's pond. Tonight we will camp at Aignan (swimming pool at your disposal).

Day 7
Departure for a cross of Gascony landscape with its small villages, its fields and its winyards. Picnic lunch. Dinner and night at the departure base.

Day 8
Departure after breakfast.

RIDING TRAIL FOR EXPERIMENTED RIDERS IN GASCONY

Day 1
Welcome to the ride center, meet your guide and other guests. Dinner and night.

Day 2
Beginning with and outdoor session, at a very quiet pace (3-4h).

Day 3
Half day ride to discover Gers scenaries, picnic lunch near a pond. In the end of the afternoon you can visit an Armagnac distilery and a "fois gras" farm (with tasting and selling). (6-7h)

Day 4
Trail in countryside, following partly a 4x4 tracks, with hard and irregular ground. Picnic lunch. After this day, you'll be ready to ride everywhere !
(6h)

Day 5
Easy ride to recover from the emotions of yesterday, in the North East part of the area. Picnic lunch. (4h)

Day 6
Today, our trail will let us will pass from green fields, to winyards. You will enjoy the breathtaking views on Pyrenean mountains. After going through Aignan's forest we will stop to have the lunch near Moura's pond. Tonight we will camp at Aignan (swimming pool at your disposal). (5h)

Day 7
Departure for a cross of Gascony landscape with its small villages, its fields and its winyards. Picnic lunch. Dinner and night at the departure base. (5h)

Day 8
Departure after breakfast.

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS

Accomodation

Guesthouses with rooms for share. Comfort is quite basic and rustic, but clean.
No single accomodation available.

Horses, tack and riding level

12 horses are at your disposal. They are from various origins, but all of them are used to working outdoor together and have a very good mind. They are doing a lot of trails each year, so they are perfectly trained. Thanks to the various morphologies you will always find you ideal horse.For the first trail you have to be ok at the 3 paces and you have to know how to managed your horse outdoor.
The beginners trail, is dedicated to riders who are already comfortable at all paces, but without a real experience of outdoor riding.

Climate

Gascony is a large area located in the south west of France. During these rides in Gers, you will find a sweet climate in winter and hot and sunny in summer. Summer the best season to descover the region.

How to go there

The meeting point is at the ride center. Transfers are organised from Nogaro bus station, or Mont de Marsan train station. As car rental are quite unexpensive, this could be also a good way to discover the region.

DATES AND RATES

In the heart of Gascony
Actually, no departures for 2006.

Beginners trail
- july 1st & 22
- august 5

Riding trail for experimented rider in Gascony
- 15 & 29 july

~~Crossed dates~~ are fully booked, sorry.

RATES

- In the heart of Gascony : 695 € / person
- Beginners trail : 580 € / person
- Riding trail for experimented riders in Gascony : 580 € / person
- Non riders can follow the rides : 310 € / person

Included
- the trail as described, on full board basis, with English / French speaking guide.

Not included
- transport to Gers
- atour to discover other regions of France before or after the trail (castle life, golf training, thalassotherapy spas...)
- any other prestation,
- optionnal insurrances.

Newsletter