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Provence Lavender Road
Provence
France
A Unique Trail in Provence - On the Road of Lavender
A trip itinerary rich in fragrance and color, from the South Luberon to Provencal areas famous for their production of lavender: Plateau of Claparèdes, Plateau of Albion, the Country of Banon, and the foothills of the Lure Mountain. At the end of the third day, you will leave the scented lavender country to discover the historical forest surrounding Peyruis and its two chapels, “Sainte Magdeleine” and “Saint Donat”. The ride will end on the Plateau of Ganagobie and the charming village of Lurs, dominating the Country of Forcalquier and the Durance Valley, the gateway to the Plateau of Valensole, another important place for lavender, to be discovered next time!
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Progressive Ride (no camping)
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Meeting:
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Mas de Recaute
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Airport:
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Marseille
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Transfer:
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Marseille
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Riders:
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Min
5 riders
Max
12 riders
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Trip Brochure (PDF) 
Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2013
Rates include:
6 nights accommodations in guesthouses and inns with private bathrooms, meals, 5 riding days with guide, transfers at pre set times
| A | 2013 | 7 day trip, AP Lavender Road | 7d / 6n | €1225 | $1595 |
| Single supplement | €250 | $325 |
| Non Rider rate | €650 | $845 |
Transfer and Other Options:
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2013
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Transfer from Marseille Airport or Aix-en-Provence Train Station included at set times
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Arrival: Transfer from Marseille airport (5
p.m.), Aix-en-Provence TGV station
(5:30 p.m.) or Aix-en-Provence
central station (5:45 p.m.)
Departure: Drop off in Aix-en-Provence central
station (10:15 a.m., Aix-en-Provence
TGV station (10:30 a.m.) or Marseille
airport (11:00 a.m.).
Rates do not include:
Beverages outside of mealtimes, gratuities
HTML clipboard
Lavender Road and
Wine Trail Route
Lavender Road
Sunday: Arrival to Mas de Recaute around 6 p.m., or transfer from
airport or train station. Meet your guide and assistant who will tell
you about the ride around a welcome drink.
Monday: Lauris - Buoux.
The ride starts on the southern side of the small Luberon. A small
rocky trail will take you up on the hills of the Luberon. Nice view on
the Monts Ventoux (localy called "the giant of Provence") and the Lure
Mountain. A dense green oak forest will then guide you towards the
Plateau of Claparèdes, famous for its production of lavender. Lunch in
the hills. On the afternoon, you will ride down to the Aiguebrun Gorges,
the border between Small Luberon and Big Luberon.
Tuesday: Buoux - Simiane la Rotonde.
This morning you are riding back up on the Plateau of Claparèdes and
follow lavender fields and dry stone walls and " bories " (small
shepherds' pen). You will stop in the perched village of Saignon to
water the horses at the fountain. Ride down towards the Valley of Apt on
ancient paved trails. After lunch you will follow a forest trail above
the ochres of Rustrel and Gignac, before climbing the Vaucluse Mounds,
across a dense forest of white oaks. Beautiful view on the perched
village of Simiane la Rotonde and its fields of lavender. Dinner and
night in a guesthouse.
Wednesday: Simiane la Rotonde - Saint-Trinit.
After taking your breakfast, we will be driven to the village, to
discover its donjon, its narrow little streets, its local shop, and of
course, its local “chestnut beer”. Then, we will ride up the Albion
Plateau, which will offer us great opportunities for canters and more
and more fields of lavender. Discover the forest of chestnut trees and
its different use: the chestnut beer and the famous goat cheese of
“Banon”, wrapped in chestnut leaves. Lunch by a meadow, under oak trees.
After a good nap, we will ride to the village of Revest du Bion. Stop
at the fountain to water your horse, and why not stopping as well for a
drink at the local bar ? After this last stop, ride in an enchanted
stretch of Provence’s natural beauty to a farm near St Trinit, where the
comfort of a host table and a swimming pool welcome us.
Thursday: Saint-Trinit - Montbrun-les-Bains.
This morning we will have a chance to visit a lavender distillery. We
ride in the direction of Sault, the Provence capital of lavender.
Crossing the village on horseback. The lunch will wait for us in the
shade at the foot of the village. After lunch, you can walk in the
streets and have some shopping. In the afternoon, we leave in the
direction of Aurel, charming medieval village at the foot of the Mount
Ventoux. In the afternoon, the colors of lavenders, fields of cereal and
the shadows of the Mount Ventoux may tempt you to imitate the numerous
painters who felt in love with this region. We will arrive late the
afternoon near Montbrun-les-Bains, surrounded with green hills and
dominating a plain of perfumed lavenders: one of the most beautiful
villages of France.
Friday: Montbrun les Bains - B uis les Baronnies.
This morning, we follow the foot of the Giant of Provence: the Mount
Ventoux. We follow the Toulourenc, pleasant refreshing stream, we cross
the magnificent villages of Savoillan, Brantes and Plaisians and enter
the Provence Drôme: an alternation of woods and lavenders. We ride
towards Buis-les-Baronies where the truck and the minibus are waiting
for our transfer back to Lauris, and Mas de Recaute.
Saturday: End of the ride after breakfast. Transfer to Marseille airport or Aix en Provence train station
Meeting:
Mas de Recaute
Airport:
Marseille
Train station:
Aix-en-Provence
Transfer:
Marseille
Distance:
45 miles
Arrival: Transfer from Marseille airport (5
p.m.), Aix-en-Provence TGV station
(5:30 p.m.) or Aix-en-Provence
central station (5:45 p.m.)
Departure: Drop off in Aix-en-Provence central
station (10:15 a.m., Aix-en-Provence
TGV station (10:30 a.m.) or Marseille
airport (11:00 a.m.).
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Tack:
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Trail Saddles
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Horses:
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Arab/Spanish cross
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Pace:
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Moderate - with walk, trot and canters, 5 riding hours per day
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Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
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Level:
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(3
to
3
out of 5) Intermediate
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Age:
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Min
12
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Max
80
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Weight:
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Max
220 lbs
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Riders:
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Min
5 riders
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Max
12 riders
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You will ride an average of five
hours everyday. The pace will vary according to the terrain. In order to make the most of the
ride, we require riders to be at ease with walk, trot and canter, in
outdoor riding. Groups are made out of 5 to 12 riders. This limited
amount of riders – often rich of several nationalities – allows each
person to make the most of the trip.
Guides are certified, and are friends
who made a job of their passion. They apply themselves to share this
passion and the pleasure of trail riding. Whether on the Alpes or on
the beaches of Camargue, amongst odorant thym, rosmary and lavander,
our guides insure riders safety in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
All the guides speak English.
During the
ride, we advise you to take care of your horse in order to get to know
him better and to create a special relationship with him.
Passport and Visa Requirements:
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except: (a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. Passport NoteFranc. more
A Mediterranean climate is witnessed
in the Rhône valley south of Valence and the coastal areas of Languedoc
and Provence at the foot of the southern Alps. The glamour, class and fame of this region is accompanied by a glorious
typical climate of warm summers and mild winters. The hottest
summer days are broken up by the evening sea breezes which waft over
the cities and provide a cooling break from the heat and creating an ideal
atmosphere to enjoy what this alluring picturesque region has to offer.
Along the coast, summers are hot, with scarce rain for a 3 month period
in the midst of summer. However, when it rains – it pours and often
associated with thunder. Sunshine is plentiful - up to eleven to twelve
hours a day in summer and around five in midwinter. Winters in the region are generally mild and sunny but this pleasant
weather is often interrupted by very unsettled cold and squally weather
brought in by the famous northerly ‘mistral’ wind. The mistral blows
with particular strength through around Marseille and through the Rhône
Valley.
| This list is only a guideline for you |
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| Travel documents and Voucher |
| Flight tickets |
| Passport |
| Visa (check with your consulate) |
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| RIDING GEAR |
| Jodhpurs or comfortable jeans (used if possible!) |
| Riding boots and mini chaps |
| Riding helmet |
| Riding gloves |
| Hat (with chin strap) for sun protection |
| Lightweight Waterproof |
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| PERSONAL CLOTHING |
| Jacket or sweater for cool evenings |
| Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts |
| Jeans |
| Shorts |
| Underwear and socks |
| Pyjamas |
| Bag for dirty clothes |
| Jacket |
| Trekking boots/ comfortable shoes |
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| ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING |
| Personal Toiletries |
| Insect protection |
| Personal medications |
| Sore cream (for an emergency) |
| Sewing kit |
| Handkerchiefs |
| Adapter for electric appliances |
| Camera and extra batteries |
| Sun glasses with strap |
| Sun tan lotion and lip balm |
Sorry, no video is currently available for this tour.
*Important Notice: The following ratings have been submitted by guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Hidden Trails, its partners or employees.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy but Hidden Trails is not liable for any errors or omissions.
..view other reports for different trips
Accommodations during the trail will be in guesthouses
and country inns. They are basic, but clean and with character and charm. We select our
accommodations according to the beautiful settings and friendly
atmosphere and ambiance for riders to enjoy a most pleasant and authentic stay.
For lunch, the
assistant will prepare a substantial buffet. A “pastis”, a glass of red
wine, a barbecue by a mountain stream, a refreshing salad, and then have a quick nap before
leaving again! The many small pleasures which will add to the enjoyment of
our rides. In the evening everyone meets
around the table to discover the delicious local foods - or we should say "cuisine" -
don't count on losing any weight!
This trip includes
some wine with dinner
and can accommodate special dietary requests.
|
Tack:
|
|
Trail Saddles
|
|
Horses:
|
|
Arab/Spanish cross
|
|
Pace:
|
|
Moderate - with walk, trot and canters, 5 riding hours per day
|
Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
|
|
Level:
|
|
(3
to
3
out of 5) Intermediate
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Age:
|
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Min
12
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Max
80
|
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Weight:
|
|
Max
220 lbs
|
|
Riders:
|
|
Min
5 riders
|
Max
12 riders
|
|
You will ride an average of five
hours everyday. The pace will vary according to the terrain. In order to make the most of the
ride, we require riders to be at ease with walk, trot and canter, in
outdoor riding. Groups are made out of 5 to 12 riders. This limited
amount of riders – often rich of several nationalities – allows each
person to make the most of the trip.
Guides are certified, and are friends
who made a job of their passion. They apply themselves to share this
passion and the pleasure of trail riding. Whether on the Alpes or on
the beaches of Camargue, amongst odorant thym, rosmary and lavander,
our guides insure riders safety in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
All the guides speak English.
During the
ride, we advise you to take care of your horse in order to get to know
him better and to create a special relationship with him.
Passports
Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.
Passport Note
France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.
Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) nationals of EU countries for an unlimited period;
(b) nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
1 |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
No |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
No |
| Other EU |
No |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
No |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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Provence Lavender Road
Tour Code:
IT-FRPV04
7 days /
6 nights
~$1,595.00
Dates :
June-July, Sept-Oct
Trip Rating :
Difficulty :
Riding Level Explained | A | Beginner
 | Beginner A rider who has limited experience, is unable to post the trot and does not canter. | | B | Novice
 | Novice A rider who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, capable of
applying basic aids, comfortable and in control at the walk, moderate length posting
trots, and short canters. | | C | Intermediate
 | Intermediate A rider who has a firm seat, is confident and in control at all paces
(including posting trots, two point canters and gallops), but does not ride regularly. |
| D | Strong Intermediate
 | Strong Intermediate An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least 6 hours per day. | | E | Advanced
 | All of the above, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and capable of handlinga spirited horse in open country. |
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