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France: Discovering endurance over the 160 kilometers
(100 miles) Florac Trail |
| What: |
Over the course of 6 days/5 nights/4 riding days you will cover the superb landscapes in Cevennes National Park, following the trail of one of the two greatest endurance races in the world, the other being the Tevis Cup. You will ride on horses bred on the farm and qualified for French endurance races. Your guide will be fluent in French and English. |
| Dates and Rates: |
May 6 – 10, June 10 – June 14, July 15 – 19, Aug. 19 – 23, Sept. 2 -6
Rates: For groups of two to three $1500 US/808 GBP/1200 E per person.
For groups of five or more $945 US/497 GBP/740 E per person
Groups size restricted to 8. Rates are per person, group size of 8 |
| Horsesense: |
The ride is for experienced riders comfortable and all paces, on horses that have been qualified for endurance. The saddles are endurance saddles. All the horses were bred at our farm and are matched up with each rider's level of horsemanship. The centre is certified by the following entities: Ministry for Youth and Sport, DDASS (Department of Welfare), the Haras Nationaux (National Stud Board). |
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| Expect top quality horses, as you move along legendary Florac Trail, led by a national race rider and qualified bilingual guide/instructors. The emphasis is on riding from Mont Aigoual to Mont Lozere, over the Causse Mejean through the Tarn and Jonte Valley. Get with the spirit of endurance racing on this fine opportunity. The destination also offer courses in endurance riding but they are giving exclusively in French. French speakers should contact us if interested. |
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| WHAT TO EXPECT: |
| Getting There : |
| Transfers can be arranged from Mende or Rodez Train Station with preferred arrival time late Sunday afternoon or at 7PM at the Ispagnac hostel and departure Friday after breakfast. Transfers from train staion. The airport is Toulouse is much nearer then Rodez. |
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| Room and Board : |
| We have been careful to choose excellent accommodation and catering in a remarkable environment. Furthermore, a back-up vehicle will follow the ride taking your luggage from one leg to the next and dealing with the ride's practical requirements. Accommodations are basic, in hostels 3 to 4 people per room. Meals will be family style with plentiful picnics based on local fare. |
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| Weather: |
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| From May to September, weather can vary greatly in temperature even in the low mountains. Rider will need warm clothes as weather can change very quickly in the mountains, even at lower altitudes. |
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| ITINERARY |
Day after day – what you can expect |
| Day1: |
You are expected late in the afternoon at the Ispagnac lodge in time to choose your horse . There will be a welcoming drink and dinner.
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| Day2: |
Leaving Ispagnac, we will go to Barre des Cévennes via the Omenet pass. Food and accommodation at the Bouquet guest house. The proprietor Cécile Demierre is a member of the French Competitive Endurance Team. |
| Day3: |
From Barre des Cévennes, we shall climb up to the top of Mont Aigoual at an altitude of 1565 m and reach Meyrueis after following the Valley of the Bonheur River . We will spend the night at the d'Alauze stud, whose proprietor, JC Maurin, has bred many a champion.
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| Day4: |
From Meyrueis we will again go up on to Causse Méjean plateau and its barren immensity, before riding down into the Gorges of the Tarn River . We shall spend the night in a typical “Caussenard” farmhouse.
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| Day5: |
Starting out from La Condamine, we shall go down to Ispagnac from where we set out on the last lap of the race trail, climbing up to Montmirat pass and then back down again to Ispagnac, our final destination.
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| Day6: |
Departure after breakfast at the table d'hôtes. |
| Day7: |
Riders will tend to the horses every evening.
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| TECHNICAL DETAILS |
| Horse riding skills |
• Fit rider who is comfortable with all three gaits
• 4 to 6 hours on horseback per day |
| Horses |
• Horses bred at the stud and qualified in endurance events. |
| Hostels |
• Accommodation in hostels (3 to 4 people per room maximum) |
| Food |
• Mostly table d'hôte meals.
• Plentiful picnics based on local fare. |
| Trail supervision |
• Christian Quet : BEES2 riding instructor diploma, experienced national endurance rider. |
| Group |
• 8 people at most
• Ride guaranteed to take place with 5 people registered at no extra cost. |
Assembly points
How to get there |
• Sunday as of 7.00 p.m. at the Ispagnac hostel.
• Departure on following Friday after breakfast.
• Riders can be taken to the Rodez train station. |
| Luggage |
• A back-up vehicle will follow the ride. |
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Florac in the Lozère |
By train
Mende Station
(Regional lines)
Pre-recorded information service :
Tel. +33 (0)8 91 67 68 69 |
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A shuttle service from the closest station to the assembly point can be arranged. |
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