Loire Valley & Castles | Horse Riding Holidays in France | Globetrotting

The Loire Valley & Castles, France

7 NightsStrong Intermediate to AdvancedFrom €2,285 EUR?Tour costs €2,285 EUR which is approximately $3,779 AUD

If you’re after a ride that will take you on a journey through time, the Loire Valley HAS to be at the top of your bucket list.

Seeing the Loire Valley between two pricked ears will be an experience to treasure forever. The history here is palpable at every turn, from the cobbled villages to the ancient forests to the castles that seem to appear like magic wherever you look!

Your guides on this ride have a deep knowledge of the people, culture and history of the Loire Valley, so you’ll find yourself fully immersed in this beautiful part of France from day one. You’ll also be treated to guest appearances from castle custodians, who delight in sharing the secrets of these story-laden buildings.

And let’s not forget the horses – a herd of experienced, responsive trail horses, most of which were bred at your host’s equestrian farm. Every day you’ll mount up and ride through new landscapes, savouring the contrast between ancient architecture and ever-changing rivers, between timeless forests where you can almost see the royal hunting parties flitting past and hamlets where medieval masonry meets modern living.

There will be plenty of chances to trot and canter, as well as meandering walks where you can really savour the unfolding views. And at night you’ll tuck into spectacular French cuisine before retiring to local, boutique guesthouses.

The Loire Valley awaits your discovery!

Fast Facts

  • Horse Breed:You’ll be riding pure or cross-bred Paint, Arabian, Thoroughbred and warmblood horses varying in height from 15.3hh to 17hh. Most of the horses were bred at our host’s equestrian farm. The horses are level-headed, experienced trail horses that connect with all types of riders.
  • Pace:The pace varies depending on the trail, with long periods of walking and plenty of opportunities for trotting and cantering.
  • Weight Limit:A maximum of 90kg / 198lbs.
  • Type of tack:French trail riding saddles (with a gel pad!) equipped with saddlebags and a poncho. Horses are ridden in ‘Myler’ bits - this style of bit is one of the kindest available. It spreads the rein pressure exerted by the rider over several different areas. Initially, it acts on the nose, poll and back of the jaw, with the mouthpiece ‘floating’. 1/3 of the total pressure will be felt in each of these three areas. Only if the rider continues to pull on the reins will the mouthpiece engage.
  • Seasons:June, July & August.
  • Group size:A minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 guests.
  • Time in Saddle:On average, between 5 to 6 hours per day.
  • Riding Ability:Strong intermediate to advanced. All riders must be comfortable and confident at all gaits (including gallop) over varied terrain in English-style tack. Good physical fitness is essential as you’ll be riding for up to 6 hours each day. Because the riding route takes you from A to B each day, saddle fitness and overall health are very important.
    PLEASE NOTE: A supplement charge of €300 will apply for additional horse transport should you opt to discontinue riding during the week due to lack of fitness or unsuitable riding ability.
     Not sure what your riding ability is? Watch THIS video to find out.
  • Accommodation:You will stay in a selection of quintessential French B&Bs and hotels. There are double and twin rooms available. At some of the accommodation houses you’ll need to share a bathroom, including those who have purchased the single supplement for your own room. Please take note that the accommodation is two or three stars, but is comfortable and clean. Oh, and it’s Europe, so be prepared to stay in modest-sized single beds in a twin-share room. If you prefer your own privacy and a double bed, we highly recommend investing in the single supplement.
  • Ride Length:8 days, 7 nights with 6 riding days.
  • Inclusions:

    The price includes all meals, wine with lunch, accommodation in shared rooms with shared bathroom, riding, horses, tack, experienced guide, translator, luggage transport and excursions described in itinerary.

  • Exclusions:

    The price does not include international flights, travel insurance (compulsory), single supplement, drinks other than wine at lunch, any applicable entrance fees and staff tips (€10 per person, per day). Please note that transfers to and from the train station are not included in the ride price and can be paid direct in person (€20 per person, round-trip).

 

DEPARTURE DATES & RATES

NEW! Secure your saddle seat NOW with a 10% deposit - as part of our 10x 10% interest-free payment plan!
Departing FinishingAvailabilityTotal
June 21, 2025June 28, 2025SOLD OUT!
From: €2,545 EUR ?Tour costs €2,545 EUR which is approximately $4,209 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €3,005 EUR ?Tour costs €3,005 EUR which is approximately $4,969 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €1,495 EUR ?Tour costs €1,495 EUR which is approximately $2,472 AUD - Non Rider?To twin-share with a riding guestWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
June 29, 2025July 6, 2025SOLD OUT!
From: €2,545 EUR ?Tour costs €2,545 EUR which is approximately $4,209 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €3,005 EUR ?Tour costs €3,005 EUR which is approximately $4,969 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €1,495 EUR ?Tour costs €1,495 EUR which is approximately $2,472 AUD - Non Rider?To twin-share with a riding guestWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
August 23, 2025August 30, 2025SOLD OUT!
From: €2,545 EUR ?Tour costs €2,545 EUR which is approximately $4,209 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €3,005 EUR ?Tour costs €3,005 EUR which is approximately $4,969 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €1,495 EUR ?Tour costs €1,495 EUR which is approximately $2,472 AUD - Non Rider?To twin-share with a riding guestWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
August 31, 2025September 7, 2025SOLD OUT!
From: €2,545 EUR ?Tour costs €2,545 EUR which is approximately $4,209 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €3,005 EUR ?Tour costs €3,005 EUR which is approximately $4,969 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.
From: €1,495 EUR ?Tour costs €1,495 EUR which is approximately $2,472 AUD - Non Rider?To twin-share with a riding guestWaitlist Me!You'll be notified if a spot becomes available on any of the listed departure dates.

*Solo globetrotters will be required to pay the single rider rate if we do not have another guest willing to share.

PLEASE NOTE: A supplement charge of €300 will apply for additional horse transport should you opt to discontinue riding during the week due to lack of fitness or unsuitable riding ability.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price includes all meals, wine with lunch, accommodation in shared rooms with shared bathroom, riding, horses, tack, experienced guide, translator, luggage transport and excursions described in itinerary.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price does not include international flights, travel insurance (compulsory), single supplement, drinks other than wine at lunch, any applicable entrance fees and staff tips (€10 per person, per day). Please note that transfers to and from the train station are not included in the ride price and can be paid direct in person (€20 per person, round-trip).

Accepted payment is by credit or debit card only. Depending on the ride you choose to book and your country of residence, there will be a 1.2% to 2.9% surcharge.

Click HERE to read more about our fees and charges.
Click HERE to read our recommendations on which cards are best to use to avoid international transaction fees.
WHY IS THE PRICE QUOTED IN EUR?
With our riding destinations, the currency is dictated by our ride partner in that country. Therefore due to fluctuating exchange rates we have to quote in the same currency.

Itinerary

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*Please note: this is a suggested itinerary only and subject to change at the discretion of your guides due to weather and other influencing factors.
This holiday is all about the riding {the part we love most!}. Aside from the excursions mentioned in this itinerary, there is no scheduled time to explore your surrounds off the horse.

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  • Day 1

    Woohoo, the day has finally come! You’re about to set off across the spectacular Loire Valley on your perfectly matched trail horse! Does it get any better than this, globetrotters? Nope, didn’t think so. If you’re catching the transfer service your hosts offer, you’ll be picked up from Montrichard train station in the late afternoon and driven to your first night’s accommodation in Pontlevoy. You’ll have a group dinner with your French guides and hosts, David and Britta, and get a run-down of the week’s riding. Bring it ON!

  • Day 2

    Things are starting off with a bang today with not one, but TWO castles (or should we say châteaus) in your sights. After meeting your herd of horses who will transport you safely across the French countryside throughout the week, you’ll ride to Fougères sur Bièvre, a 16th century castle. It may be small as castles go, but packed into its walls are a curtain wall, dungeon, gunboats and some impressive defences. After enjoying lunch beneath the castle, you’ll carry on to Cheverny Castle, which has been lovingly maintained by the same family for more than 600 years! Finally, you’ll ride to a hotel for dinner and some well-earned rest.

  • Day 3

    After breakfast you’ll mount up for another history-filled day, travelling through a beautiful and ancient forest, stopping in the middle for a relaxed picnic lunch. Then the trees part to reveal the jaw-dropping Château de Chambord, the largest and most architecturally stunning castle in the Loire Valley. After a look inside, you’ll ride on to 16th-century Villesavin Castle, where you can get a sense of how these incredible buildings must have looked and felt back in their heyday. Again, you’ll ride to a hotel and dine on regional cuisine before hitting the hay.

  • Day 4

    The morning brings yet another delicious French breakfast (pastries, croissants, cheese!) and yet another serene forest ride, where the timelessness of the landscape and the history-filled itinerary will have you feeling like part of an Aristocratic hunting party – who knows, you might even spot a deer flitting away through the trees! Today’s picnic lunch is set in the former hunting farm of Chambord, on the lawns surrounding Beauregard Castle. You’ll step inside the castle and walk through the gallery of 327 portraits before getting back in the saddle to ride to the village of Candé-sur-Beuvron, where more French hospitality awaits to sate your hunger and lull you to sleep.

  • Day 5

    Today, after breakfast, you’ll ride along the beautiful Loire River to Chaumont-sur-Loire, a charming village and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village is known for the impressive 15th-century feudal castle that towers over it from a nearby hilltop. You’ll ride up the hill and rest the horses while you enjoy your picnic lunch, then head inside for a tour of the castle. The horses can’t come in, though, or they may never be convinced to leave – the 19th-century stables are some of the most luxurious of their time. In the afternoon, you’ll make your way along sun-dappled paths within Sudais Forest to reach your destination, another quaint French B&B or hotel.

  • Day 6

    You’ll have breakfast and be in the saddle by 10am, crossing back over the hillside to head towards Amboise, a beautiful town on the banks of the Loire. On your way you’ll pass swathes of vineyards and crops, before picnicking in the grounds of Château d’Amboise, a 15th-century castle famous as the residence of Charles VIII and the location of Leonardo da Vinci’s tomb! Charles VIII wasn’t the only ruler to live in this luxurious castle, and you’ll hear plenty of juicy stories from centuries past before riding on. After passing through Amboise Forest, you’ll arrive in the village of Saint Martin le Beau. Here, the Guestault family will be your hosts, inviting you to taste wines from Touraine and Montlouis, treating you to dinner at the family restaurant, and bedding you down in their hotel.

  • Day 7

    Your last day of riding is made all the sweeter as it brings you down into the Cher Valley and alongside the Cher River, where you can canter to your heart’s content. Today’s castle, Chenonceau, was built over the river in 1513 and is nicknamed ‘Château des Dames’ thanks to the many women who have owned, lived in, developed and protected it over the centuries. After lunch and a castle tour, you’ll leave the river and ride to your hotel in the town of Pontlevoy.

  • Day 8

    Today you’ll bid adieu to your trusty steeds and be transported to Montrichard Train Station, where you can farewell your fellow globetrotters and travel onwards as per your plans.

  • Transfer Information

    A transfer service is available from Montrichard Train Station on the first and last days of the itinerary for €20 per person round trip (to be paid in cash upon arrival). We recommend guests fly into Paris International Airport a day or two prior to the start of the ride. From there you can catch the train south to Montrichard (you’ll have to change at St-Pierre-des-Corps in Tours) which will take approximately 2.5 – 3 hours. You’ll need to meet the transfer at 6.30pm out the front of the Montrichard Train Station. On the last day, you can book your train tickets anytime from 9.30am.

    Self drive to Pontlevoy is also an option as you stay in the same accommodation place on the first and last evenings of the ride.

    Globetrotting is happy to provide a competitive quote on international flights, travel insurance, hotels and any extensions before and after your ride.

  • Non-Riders

    This itinerary is suitable for non-riders who have their own car and want to follow the riders and meet up to enjoy meals and share accommodation with them. The non-rider price includes meals and accommodation.

What our valued Globetrotters say about the The Loire Valley & Castles Ride

Loire Valley & Castles | Globetrotting Horse Riding Holidays in France

Dorrie F

‘The Loire Valley & Castles ride in France was an absolute delight! The transfers between the airport, accommodations, and riding destinations went smoothly. The accommodations were charming and even nicer than expected. The daily picnics were outstanding, with freshly baked baguettes – OMG! The horses were excellent – I rode a mare named Samantha who was responsive, pretty bombproof, and quite fast. She had quirks but I enjoyed her spirit. The guides provided exceptional service, knowledge, and hospitality. Standout moments were galloping through the woods near Amboise and visiting the stunning Villesavin chateau. I would definitely recommend this ride!’

Loire Valley & Castles | Globetrotting Horse Riding Holidays in France

Barbara F

‘The Loire Valley & Castle ride in France is definitely a fun adventure with lots of opportunities to gallop past vineyards and through open fields of beautiful sunflowers and corn. Walking and trotting through quaint little villages and exploring the depths of thick forests always brought us to a moment where we would take a mid-day break for a picnic lunch on the grounds of some magnificent castle that we could tour while our horses patiently waited for our return. Our boutique hotels were very welcoming and the evening dinners were beautifully presented. I couldn’t think of a better way to explore the Loire Valley than on horseback with Globetrotting.’

The Loire Valley & Castles, France - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Theresa McKeon

‘The ride, the horses, the guides, and the logistics exceeded my expectations in almost every way. That’s hard to do when it has been a bucket list adventure for 20 years! From the moment we mounted to the moment we dismounted was an adventure. I loved that we moved from field to forest to town to castle grounds every day. The midday breaks to walk around amazing castles, well, what can I say? It was more than I ever could have hoped for!’

Loire Valley & Castles Ride, France - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Micheala Becker

‘This was our first Globetrotting experience in France and it exceeded expectations. The horses, guides, castles, food and wine were spectacular. I got to ride Davidson and my dad rode Baboo. I was totally pleased with Davidson and enjoyed every minute riding him. The horses lived together as a herd and were so reliable, responsive and friendly with each other. The tack was immaculate and there’s nothing our guides wouldn’t have done for us if asked. Cantering along a field of sunflowers, or down the driveway of a large estate, and of course through the forests was amazing. Riding up to the front of Chambord Castle to get a photo was just surreal. I highly recommend this ride!’

The Loire Valley & Castles, France - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Tara Bedwell

‘This ride was so magical. From riding through sunflower fields to ancient forests, every day was a new adventure! The history of the area is incredible, and I enjoyed learning about it each day from both David and the chateau visits. Cantering along the river flats while the church bell rang as we approached Chaumont-sur-Loire was incredible – I won’t be forgetting it any time soon! And riding along the front of the Chateau de Chambord was a ‘pinch me’ moment for sure. The days were long, but worth it – we had a sense of achievement at the end of the week! The horses were amazing, and so loved and well cared for. I rode Taram, a big draft cross. He was an absolute star – forward and confident, and responsive to my aids. I highly recommend this ride to any keen horse rider!’

The Loire Valley & Castles, France - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Janet Brooks

‘The guides took great care of us and the horses, and the food was unbelievable! The chateaux were amazing and due to a fire hazard, we had to ride through the town of Amboise. It was like we were on parade – people came out to film and greet us! I loved it. But the best part was the camaraderie of the group. We were 4 Americans, 2 Aussies, 2 Belgians and 1 Finnish friend, plus our French crew of 3. Unbelievably fun and supportive.
Kate and the Globetrotting team kept us constantly in the loop as we waited over 2 years to make this ride. I always felt I could reach out and ask anything. The response was so quick. I love that they have personally vetted the rides and can give specific information as needed. This was my second ride with them and it won’t be my last.’

The Loire Valley & Castles, France - Globetrotting horse riding holidays

Alexandra Duff

‘The Loire Valley was beautiful to trek through on horseback. To ride in the forests of a chateau where kings once rode is just magical. I don’t think I’ll ever forget seeing castles between the ears of a horse! I rode a paint called Davidson, who was a perfect match for me! Very easy on the mouth, he could go fast and stop well with minimal aids. My favourite part of the experience was when we would reach a castle after hours trekking through the French countryside. All of a sudden, the trees would part to reveal a magnificent chateau. Unforgettable and incredibly satisfying!’

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