Véronique Dargier de Saint Vaulry
Centre
Equestre de Montcharlon
58
170 CHIDDES
Tel/Fax : 33 3 86 30 42 78
ce.montcharlon@free.fr
HomeChâteaux de la Loire
8 days riding trip
The Loire valley, known as « La douce France » (« the
soft France ») has privileged weather: never too cold, never too
warm. That explains why during the Renaissance period the kings of France
decided to live there. At
that time, they ordered the construction of outstanding and unique castles
that they used to visit on regular basis. Today we will be the kings who
will arrive on our horses to visit these magnificent properties during 6
days.
We
will start at Blois, a city full of history, which you will also be able
to visit on your own before or after our horse trip, if you wish to do so.
A long day along the Loire River will take us through the forests and fields that lead to the well-known « Château de Chaumont ». This magnificent property dominates the River. Marie de Medicis once offered it to Diane de Poitiers in exchange for the Chenonceau Castle. Needless to say that women at that time did not stop surprising us.
After our meal nearby the Chateau, we will visit it. A short ride in the after noon will take us to the Castle of La Haute Borde where we will spend the night in order to get used to old castle life style and charm.
We will then discover the marvelous machines invented by Leonard de Vinci. To do so, we will spend half a day riding in order to reach « le Clot Lucé » at Amboise, where the inventions are exhibited.
In the after noon, we will leave the Loire valley and we will follow an affluent river, the « Cher ». To do so, we will ride across the Amboise forest where the kings loved to hunt. We will ride down this River in order to reach the «
Château de l’Isle » where we will spend the night.
The fourth journey will be shorter in terms of distance but richer in terms of adventures and discoveries. Our horses will take us to the « Château de Chenonceau ». You will finally understand why Diane de Poitiers was so unhappy to leave this castle.
In the afternoon, a short ride through the forest will take us to the « Château de Chissey ». This property was built in the fifteenth century. Before us, this castle was the home of two kings of France, Charles VII and Louis XI, as well as the home of General de Gaulle and the French Government in 1940.
You will be able to appreciate the old concept of luxury and the modern concept of comfort, as evidenced by the new swimming pool.
Between the Loire and the Cher Rivers, you have a wild region covered y trees, lakes and sandy fields full of vegetables (leeks, asparagus, carrots,…). This region is called La Sologne. To reach the Loire we must cross across this region. We will pause once during this long journey. Indeed, we will visit a typical hotel of the region known for its outstanding regional cuisine.
As we reach the Loire River, we will find again the castles again. At lunchtime, we will visit Cheverny, one of the most prestigious horse hunting spots in France, to this date.
In the after noon, we will ride, gallop and run through forest and valleys until we reach the Loire River and its famous
Manoir du Bel Air where we will indulge ourselves with their local specialties.
On Saturday we will spend most of our time getting acquainted with of the most splendid castles of the Loire Valley: Chambord, the masterpiece of François Ier. Thanks to a special permit granted to us on exceptional basis, we will have the privilege of living an unforgettable moment: galloping all the way down the canal that leads to the gate of the castle where our meal will be waiting for us.
In the afternoon, we will cross the Valley of Cosson in order to reach the
Manoir du Bel Air.
Departure after breakfast
