Horse holidays abroad · France
Horse Riding in France: the Camargue, the Auvergne and the Pyrenees
Horse riding in France runs as point-to-point trails through the Camargue marshes, the volcanic Auvergne hills and the Pyrenean mountains, on trips of 4 to 8 nights.
- Best monthsMay to Sep
- Level
Confident to expert - Typical trip4 to 8 nights
- Price guide
Higher
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in France involve?
- Best monthsMay to September; May, June and September are best in the Camargue
- Riding level
Confident at walk, trot and canter in open country - Hours in the saddle4 to 6 hours a day
- Typical trip4 to 8 nights, most with 5 or 6 riding days
- Weight limit80 to 90kg, depending on the region
- Group sizeNot published for most of these rides
- HorsesMérens, Camargue horses and Anglo Arabs, about 14hh to 16.3hh
- TackCamargue saddles in the delta; English saddles on the Atlantic coast
- AccommodationGuest houses and cottages on the coast; mountain huts and tents in the Pyrenees
- Price guide
Higher for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in France like?
Horse riding in France usually follows a point-to-point route called a randonnée, with luggage moved by road while you ride onward each day.
In the Camargue, the delta south of Arles, you ride through salt marsh and lagoon, often with the horse walking belly deep in water.
In the Massif Central and the Auvergne you ride over old volcanic hills on open grass tracks, with room for a long canter.
In the Ariège and the Pyrenees the paths are narrow and the climbs are steep, and the horse does much of the balancing on the descent.
The Camargue
The Auvergne and Massif Central
The Ariège and Pyrenees
The Atlantic coast
When to go
When is the best time to ride in France?
The best time to ride in France is May to September, though the right month depends on the region.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
The Camargue rides best in May, June and September, because July and August bring heat and biting insects to the marsh.
The Auvergne and the Pyrenees run through high summer, when the ground is dry and the mountain passes are open.
The Atlantic coast rides through the whole season and suits dates fixed by school holidays.
Your level
What riding level do you need for France?
You need to be confident at walk, trot and canter in open country, and able to ride for 4 to 6 hours.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You ride several times a week and are fit
- You are comfortable on a forward horse in open country
- You want a short crossing and a first riding week abroad
It is not for you if
- You weigh more than 90kg
- You are learning to canter
- You dislike riding through water or mud
The Camargue is the gentlest region on pace, mostly ridden at a walk. The Auvergne asks the most of a rider's canter, because the ground invites speed over long grass tracks. The Pyrenees ask little of pace and a great deal of balance on steep descents.
Camargue horses carry a working weight limit near 90kg, which is enforced. Weight and age limits are set out at the time of booking.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in France?
The Mérens is the black mountain horse of the Ariège, compact and deep bodied, bred for sure footing on loose ground. It is ridden at a careful walk on steep paths, not for speed.
The Camargue horse is grey once mature, though a young one can be brown, and stands about 14hh to 15hh. Gardians ride them in a deep Camargue saddle with a high pommel and cantle, built for a long slow day rather than a fast one.
On the Atlantic coast, rides also use Anglo Arabs and Thoroughbreds, ridden forward in English saddles, standing from 15.3hh to 16.3hh.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in France?
Accommodation depends on the region. On the Atlantic coast you stay in a guest house or a shared cottage, with rooms for one to six riders.
In the Pyrenees, nights are spent in simple mountain huts and two-man tents, with full board from the first dinner to the last breakfast.
On a point-to-point route your luggage travels by road, so you sleep somewhere new most nights.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in France cost?
A riding holiday in France is a higher price, like most riding weeks, for a week on the Atlantic coast, and rises through the summer season, before flights.
Atlantic coast trek, low season
Price guide
Higher
Atlantic coast trek, mid season
Price guide
Higher
Atlantic coast trek, high season
Price guide
Higher
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in France?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Camargue delta ride
Four or five nights in the Camargue on the region's own white horses, one of the oldest breeds in the world, chosen from a family herd and still used to work cattle.
Cantal trail, Massif Central
A week in the Massif Central, six days in the saddle among green peaks and rocky outcrops in the volcano country of the Cantal.
High mountain trail, Pyrenees
The Pyrenees on Mérens mountain horses, over passes above two thousand metres and past mountain lakes. This route suits riders who have ridden mountain trails before and are strong and experienced.
Atlantic coast trek
Six days along the protected beaches of the Landes and through the forest behind them, on Anglo Arabs and Thoroughbreds, covering around forty kilometres a day.
Common questions
France riding questions
Do you need to speak French on a riding holiday in France?
Not usually. Most rides run in English throughout. On a small family run randonnée the guide may speak little English.
What is a Camargue saddle like to ride in?
It is deep, with a high pommel in front and a high cantle behind, built for comfort at a walk over long hours. Most riders find it unfamiliar for a day and then settle into it.
Is riding in the Camargue suitable for a nervous rider?
It is one of the gentler rides in France, because the ground is flat and much of it is ridden at a walk through water. Heat and insects are heaviest in July and August.
Can tall or heavy riders ride the Camargue horses?
Camargue horses stand about 14hh to 15hh and carry a working weight limit near 90kg. A different horse or region can sometimes be arranged for heavier riders.
Which part of France is best for cantering?
The Auvergne and the wider Massif Central, where open volcanic pasture gives the longest stretches of canter ground. The Camargue is mostly ridden at a walk.
Is France a good first riding holiday abroad?
The Atlantic coast is a common choice for a first trip, because the crossing from Britain is short.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.