Champagne Trail

8 Days  |  From £1990pp

France ( Best airport: Paris)

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For lovers of horses and wine, visit the region of Champagne where you can canter across scenic vineyards, through rural French villages and sip champagne in after a day’s riding. This trail is a fascinating exploration of rural France coupled with excellent riding terrain.

The Riding

The pace on this trail is varied to suit the terrain with long periods of walk and plenty of opportunities to canter and gallop. The scenery encompasses rolling hills, green, sun-drenched vineyards, woods and forests.

Riders must be comfortable in all paces and happy to do some fast riding in open spaces on an obedient and responsive horse. Riders need to be in good physical condition, you will be in the saddle for between 4-6 hours per day. The weight limit is 90kg.

Guides and Group Size

As well as being experienced horsemen and women, your guides on this trail have a thorough knowledge of local history. All guides are multilingual French/English and the group size is between 5-10.

Any questions?

Contact us now on WhatsApp with any queries you have about this trail.

The Horses

The horses are pure or cross-bred Arabian or Thoroughbreds and warmbloods varying in height from 15.2hh to 17hh. The horses are exceptionally well-schooled and good-mannered at this destination and many of them have been bred and trained by your hosts themselves. The tack used is specialist trail riding saddles and you will be provided with saddlebags, a rain poncho, and a water bottle. Horses are ridden in Myler bits which help to facilitate effective communication between horse and rider and a relaxed and happy horse. Helmets are not mandatory but are strongly recommended.

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Accommodation and Dining

Accommodation is in twin or double rooms at small, charming hotels or B&Bs, nestled into the rural surroundings. Single rooms are available for a supplement. You’ll stay in a different location each night of the trail, and your luggage will be transferred between stops. Most of the rooms will have an en suite bathroom although this cannot be guaranteed. The luggage is transported in the support vehicle and transferred to each accommodation so you only need to carry daily essentials in your saddle bags.

Continental breakfasts are served at your hotel each morning typically consisting of a hot drink (tea, coffee, hot chocolate), juice, breakfast pastries (croissant, pain au chocolat, pain aux raisins), bread, butter and jam, and sometimes yogurt. Lunches are traditional french pique-niques, expect fresh baguettes, sumptuous cheeses, salads and tasty charcuterie, along with a bottle of something local. Dinner will be typical French fare comprising several courses of regional specialities. Please note that wine is not included with dinners.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Meet with your hosts and fellow riders at the TGV train station in Champagne-Ardenne at 6.30pm, dinner and overnight. Accommodation at Hotel Akena or similar www.hotel-akena-reims.fr
Day 2 Today is a gentle introduction to the horses with a morning ride starting at 10am. Once you’ve been matched with a suitable horse you’ll head out into the countryside glimpsing your first views over the famous vineyards. Cool off on the route which takes you through the forest of Sermiers before returning to your guesthouse for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the city of Reims with its spectacular cathedral, Notre-Dame de Reims before dinner and overnight back at the guesthouse. Accommodation at Hotel Akena or similar www.hotel-akena-reims.fr
Days 3 After breakfast head out on the trail and enjoy some relaxed canters that will lead you through the woods to the heart of the Verzy forest, 'Les Faux de Verzy', where you can enjoy a typical french picnic. In the afternoon, ride south to Trepail, a typical wine village of the Champagne region, where the white Chardonnay grape is very much at home. Dinner and overnight in the village of Bouzy. Accommodation at Les Barbotines in Bouzy or similar www.lesbarbotines.com
Day 4 After breakfast you will ride through vineyards to the village of Mutigny, taking in the far reaching views over the Marne Valley, the Côte des Noirs and the Côte des Blancs. Your picnic lunch today is in the village of Hautvillers, birthplace of the Champagne wines. You will head down through the vineyards, crossing the Marne River at the village of Cumières, enjoying some nice canters along the river. Dinner and overnight in the town of Epernay. Accommodation at Hotel de Champagne in Epernay or similar www.hoteldechampagne.fr
Day 5 Today you’ll travel through both forests and vineyards on horseback before arriving at the 'Blanc de Blancs' vineyards and enjoying a wine-tasting there. There is no riding in the afternoon but a chance to visit Epernay on foot. The town lies at the region's epicentre and every famous Champagne brand has a headquarters there, most of them located on the famous Champagne Avenue where 110km of wine cellars lie underground. Dinner and overnight in Epernay. Accommodation at Hotel de Champagne in Epernay or similar www.hoteldechampagne.fr
Day 6 This morning you will saddle up again and head for the Mountain of Avize and its chalk cliffs, arriving in the Darcy valley where you have a beautiful view of the village Monthelon and a picni lunch. After lunch, cross the Marne River before continuing through the gentle rolling hills of the vineyards. Dinner and overnight in the village of La Neuville aux Larris with champagne-tasting. Accommodation at Hotel de Champagne in Epernay or similar www.hoteldechampagne.fr
Day 7 After breakfast, head out on your last day of riding across the sloping vineyards. Your final picnic lunch will be at the Natural Regional Parc House of the Reims Mountains, located in Pourcy, before riding through the forest to finish the trail. Dinner and overnight in the village of La Neuville aux Larris. Accommodation at Hotel Akena or similar www.hotel-akena-reims.fr
Day 8 After breakfast your hosts will drop you off at the Champagne-Ardenne TGV station for your journey home.

Champagne Trail

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days riding
£1990pp

Extras
Single occupancy: £380
The wine tastings and visits will require guests to pay an additional fee to take part. The extra costs for these total approx. 80€ (EUR) per person.

Flights & Airport transfers
Do not book flights until you have received the Booking confirmation email from saddletravel.com.

Please arrange to arrive at the TGV train station in Champagne-Ardenne in time for the group transfer at 18.30 on Day 1. Train station transfers cost €20 return per person and are payable on arrival in cash.

Price Includes
  • 6 days riding
  • 7 nights accommodation in twin or double rooms
  • Breakfasts
  • Lunches
  • Dinners
  • Coffee, tea, water
  • Wine with lunch
  • Accommodation in twin or double rooms
  • Luggage transport
Price Excludes
  • Airport transfers
  • International flights
  • Drinks with dinners