Our Destinations

Letter Randocheval

Why travelling with Randocheval ?

FRANCE - HIGH PROVENCE : TRAIL RIDE ON JEAN GIONO LANDS...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

During this horseback trail, you will discover the high places of Provence celebrated by Jean Giono. The pleasant climate all the year round allows you to appreciate this country of thousand one landscapes...   The crossing of the valley of Banon and its fields of lavenders as far as the eye can see, the Roman ways and the perched hamlets, the river of Lauzon and its "bathing" places, the Mountain of Lure, the remarkable architecture of crossed villages (Forcalquier, Lurs, Sigonce), the geologic site of Mourres...   A ride to be absolutely discovered!

ITINERARY

Day 1 : Sunday

Welcome of the riders at about 7 pm to the riding school, or transfer at 6:45 pm since the station of Brillanne - lines TER Marseille / Briançon-(approximately 30 minutes drive).
Our first meeting allows us to get acquainted with the other riders and also to receive more precise explanations concerning the route and the horses. Meal and evening on the spot.

Day 2 : Monday

Today, we leave for a beautiful day around the riding school to get acquainted with our frames. Our first ride takes the Roman way, then we cross the attractive village of Banon, built in side of mountain and overhanging the valley. We reach the spring of Oboeuf for the picnic. The afternoon is convenient to some canters on beautiful forest tracks and between the fields of lavenders...

Tonight, we have dinner and night to the riding centre.

Day 3 : Tuesday

This morning, we get into the saddle and leave in the direction of Seigne wood and its beautiful forest tracks. On the way, we cross villages and hamlets in the remarkable architecture! Later a break picnics on an often brightened up hillside, we arrive to the city of Forcalquier by the hill of Zinzine then the old town. We spend the evening in the shelter of Parise in comfortable dormitory.
In summer, this stage can be replaced by a circuit in height where we appreciate the coolness of beech groves. The evening is planned in that case in a pastoral sheepfold.

Day 4 : Wednesday

Today, we join the surprising geologic site of Mourres, with its rocks in the form of faces, of mushrooms... It is not still Cappadoce, but there is for a small similarity... We continue by the valley of Pierrerue, where we take advantage of canters. Tthe picnic of this day takes place in a charming place, because we stop in the waterfalls of Moneyssargue (possibility of bathing at the end of season).

During our afternoon ride, we pass by the famous village of Lurs, where we make a small break, deserved well.
We spend the evening at our friends goatherds in the equestrian relay of Meadow Giraud, where they make us sample their own production of goat's cheeses. We accommodate in comfortable rooms of 3 and 5 places (possibility according to available funds to accommodate in single room with supplement 10 € to be adjusted directly).

Day 5 : Thursday

After the breakfast, we leave for a magnificent stage, on a very air circuit, allowing to admire magnificent sights on all Provence! Our steps lead us then towards the valley of Holy Etienne les Orgues, village celebrates for its numerous chemists. Then, in the afternoon, we pursue our ride in the mountain of Lure. We discover then the site of the chapel of Lure, dating the XIIth century, before arriving at the refuge, where we spend the night (1500 metres altitude).

Day 6 : Friday

Our trip of this day continues on crests and through high mountain pastures, where we have maybe the luck to perceive a herd of chamoises either the golden eagle! After a small bend by the summit of the Meadow of Fau, peaking in 1700 metres, we come down again in the valley by the Coomb of Sapiée and its magnificent beech grove. We picnic then in the sheepfold of the Big Oak where we take advantage of a siesta under a majestic tree. We take the way back to the riding center via the Lardiers' valley and his lavender fields.

Dinner and night to the riding centre.

Day 7 : Saturday

Breakfast to the riding school and possible departure from 09:00 am.

The riders come by train will be seen out in station of Brillanne for the train of 10:42 am (arriving at Aix in Provence Centre at 11:45 am (bus of connection for the station TGV(HST) at 12:15 am arriving at 12:30 am) and in Marseille at 12:51 am).

This circuit is communicated as a rough guide. According to the season and the weather conditions during the ride, we can take a different circuit in the same regions. From May till September, we take a route a little more in height to find some coolness, at certain nights being planned in bivouac, sheepfold or refuge of mountain. Conversely, at the beginning and at the end of season, we privilege more valley sites and some accommodation could be replace by guesthouse accommodation.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Please consult us for any extra stay in France !

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
Our horses are issued from varied bred crossing. They are used to live and make the trails together and perfectly adapted to the ground and the climate.

Tack
English or trail tack.

Required riding level

We ride about 5 hours everyday, so you should be comfortable at all paces and have a good stamina to ride 25 to 30km a day.

We will ask you to take care your horse : brush, saddle, unsaddle.

Children from 12 years old are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Teenagers from 14 years old are welcomed on that trail.
Maximum weight : 95 kg

YOUR GUIDES

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation
On the 6 nights included on that trail, we spend 4 nights in guesthouse in small dormitoriesand 2 nights in refuge or under tent depending of the season.

Possibility to have a hot shower 4 days only.

Food
You'll eat picnic lunch everyday. Lunches will be packed in your saddlebags.

For dinner, our support vehicule will join you with the luggages and a hot meal.

DATES AND RATES

RATE INCLUDING

RATE NOT INCLUDING

- transportation from and to the meeting point,
- extra drinks,

- any other prestation,

- tips,

- personal expenses,
- optional insurance : more information.

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Please, contact Anne for any enquiry !

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

LENGTH

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

Provence enjoys a clement temperature, rains are there rare and the exceptional luminosity. The climatic conditions are not less irregular there from one year to the next. The influence of the relief and the sea plays an important role. Maritime Provence benefits from a climate more pleasant than internal Provence where the temperatures are less sweet. At the beginning and at the end of season, the snow is exceptional in no way.

REFERENCE :

CH145-Haute-Provence