France's Castles and Villages Inn-to-Inn Trail

Dordogne Valley Horseback Riding Vacation

The Dordogne Valley lies in southwest France where little has changed since the end of the Middle Ages. A static population, no great industrial revolution and a pattern of farming that has remained much the same combine to make the area a delight to visit. It is here that Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard I and the Black Prince lived.

The region in which you will ride is the Perigord Noir, a beautiful part of the beautiful Dordogne. With the greatest number of historic sites outside of Paris, the area is incredible. Here you will ride through and around wheat fields, breeding pastures, strawberry fields and plum and chestnut orchards. You will pass farmhouses and castles, which have stood in place since the 13th century. The Dordogne area boasts over 1000 castles.

You will have an opportunity to visit one of the famous bastides. The bastides are a type of small town, wide spread in southwest France. They were constructed in the Middle Ages. They are gridiron in shape with surrounding fortifications and gates on each face of the town walls. There is always a centrally placed church adjoining a market square with covered arches. The style of architecture is usually Gothic.

The bastide you will visit, Monpazier is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. It has had a turbulent past. Founded in 1284 by Edward I, it was captured by the Huguenots in 1574 and was the scene of a peasant revolt in 1594 and again in 1637. It was also greatly affected by the French Revolution beginning in 1789. For a small town, it has been the center of much history.

The horses you will ride are of mixed breeding and are usually indigenous to the region. Some may even have the lineage of the Chargers that fought so many of the wars on French soil.

The accommodations are a mixture of bed and breakfasts on some nights and small hotels on others depending on the night. The food is incredible as one might expect given the availability of fresh produce and the traditional French compassion for food. For the lover of beautiful scenery, horses, great food and a rich history, this is a magnificent horseback riding vacation.