The Loire Valley as You’ve Never Seen It – Between Two Pricked Ears.
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!
Trip Highlights
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Trot-trotting through dreamy French countryside ripe with history
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Stopping for sunshine-filled picnics beside ancient crumbling castles
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Feeling the wind in your hair as you canter along the serene banks of the Loire River
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Snacking on homemade, jam-filled pastries
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Connecting deeply with your horse over six straight days in the saddle
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Spying wildlife and basking in birdsong as you ride through sun-dappled forests
Details
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Riding levels
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.
NB: 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? See the definitions below.
- 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.
- 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.
- Accommodation
Accommodation is in comfortable, clean two– to three-star French B&Bs and hotels with double or twin rooms, sometimes shared bathrooms and modest European-sized beds, so a single supplement is recommended if you prefer your own room and a double bed.
*Also note that some nights the group may be split between two accommodation locations, pending room availability, but you’ll always share dinner together.
- Pace
The pace varies depending on the trail, with long periods of walking and plenty of opportunities for trotting and cantering.
- Weight limit
A strict maximum of 90kg / 198lbs.
It is VERY important that you provide your current weight accurately when booking. If your weight is not accurate, we cannot guarantee that your hosts will have a horse for you to ride.
- Group size
A minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 guests.
- Minimum age
16 years of age
- Time in Saddle
On average, between 5 to 6 hours per day.
- When to go
June, July & August.
- Languages
Instructions spoken in English.
Guides speak French, German and English.
What’s included (and what’s not)
Included
- All meals, wine with lunch
- Accommodation in shared rooms (unless a single supplement has been purchased) with shared bathroom
- Riding, horses, tack, experienced guide, translator
- Luggage transport and excursions described in itinerary
Excluded
- International and regional flights
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Transfers to and from the train station (€20 per person, round-trip)
- Drinks other than wine at lunch
- Any applicable entrance fees (approximately €100)
- Staff tips (€10 per person, per day)
Departure dates and prices
Ride length
8 days, 7 nights with 6 riding days.
Riding level
Strong Intermediate • Advanced
Booking fee
A fixed Booking Fee of €1,253 EUR
Payment plans
Lock in your ride with a 10% deposit and pay the rest over time – interest-free in 10 easy payments. Learn more.
Accommodation types
Single
Private accommodation for one guest (room, tent, or similar). A supplement may apply on departures where a sharing option is available.
Share
Willing to room share with the same gender or travelling with a companion.
Couple share
Sharing a bed with companion.
Non-rider
Sharing a room with a riding companion.
Per person
2026
June 27 to July 4, 2026
July 5 to 12, 2026
August 29 to September 5, 2026
September 6 to 13, 2026
The fun bits
Payment details
- A fixed Booking Fee of €1,253 EUR
- All bookings are charged in the local currency of the ride destination.
- Accepted payment method is by credit or debit card only.
Cancellation policy
We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel your ride, please let us know as soon as possible. Cancellation fees apply based on how close your departure date is, and deposits are non-refundable. We strongly recommend travel insurance to protect your booking. Read our full cancellation policy.
International fees
If you're paying in a currency different from your own, your bank may charge a conversion or international transaction fee.
Please note
Solo globetrotters will be required to pay the single rider rate if we do not have another guest willing to share.
Itinerary
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 surroundings off the horse.
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Day 1: Arrival
Non-riding dayWoohoo, 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?!
If you’re catching the transfer service your hosts offer, you’ll be picked up from Montrichard train station at 6:00pm and driven to your first night’s accommodation in Pontlevoy. You’ll have a group dinner with your French guides and hosts, and get a run-down of the week’s riding. Bring it ON!
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Day 2: Cheverny Castle
5 to 6 hours in the saddleThings are starting off with a bang today with not one, but TWO castles (or should we say châteaus) in your sights. After meeting the 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 Fougères sur Bièvre, 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 country hotel for dinner and some well-earned rest.
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Day 3: Château de Chambord
5 to 6 hours in the saddleAfter 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. You’ll take a look inside, then 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.
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Day 4: Beauregard Castle
5 to 6 hours in the saddleThe 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.
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Day 5: Chaumont-sur-Loire
5 to 6 hours in the saddleToday, 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.
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Day 6: Château d’Amboise
5 to 6 hours in the saddleYou’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.
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Day 7: Château des Dames
5 to 6 hours in the saddleYour 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.
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Day 8: Departure
Non-riding dayToday 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.
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Non-Riders
Should you wish to join this holiday as a non-rider, you will require your own car to transport yourself to the lunch and accommodation locations each day. Having a car will also afford you the freedom to enjoy your own sightseeing throughout the day, before meeting up with the riders. The non-rider price includes all meals and accommodation.
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 6pm out the front of the Montrichard Train Station. On the last day, you can book your train tickets anytime from 9.30am.
Please note
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.
Food
You’ll be served continental breakfasts at your accommodation – think fresh bread and French pastries. Lunches are a buffet prepared by your guides, complete with wine, coffee and water. In the evenings, you’ll enjoy three-course dinners at either your accommodation or a local restaurant (wine not included), and as dinners are often set menus, it’s important to notify us of any dietary requirements in advance.
Reviews
Dorrie F
Barbara F
Theresa McKeon
Micheala Becker
Tara Bedwell
1 ride with Globetrotting 
Janet Brooks
Alexandra Duff
What's my riding level?
Not sure what your riding level is? Watch our videos to see all our levels.
Beginner
Reasonably confident riding a horse at a walk, a rising trot, and learning to canter.
Intermediate
Confident and in control riding at all paces outside an arena, but not riding regularly. Comfortable and competent using aids {the language of your leg, seat and hands} to communicate with your horse.
Strong Intermediate
An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly outside of an arena and is fit enough to ride for at least six hours per day. Strong intermediate riders are comfortable and competent in all three gaits; able to post or sit to the trot; have an independent seat while cantering (don’t hold onto the saddle); and can pick up the correct canter lead. They can also navigate more complex terrain, including asking a horse to sidestep and jump over a small obstacle.
Advanced
A frequent rider who is very fit, comfortable in the saddle for at least six hours per day, and has an independent seat and soft hands. Advanced riders are confident on a forward-moving horse at all paces over rough and variable ground on open terrain. They can ride over small jumps and know the techniques used to collect a horse
Not sure? Contact our team to help you figure out your riding ability.
