Dressage in Provence riding holiday in France

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Overview
Description
Horses & Riding
Food & Accommodation
Other Activities
Travel
Itineraries

Overview Description Horses & Riding Food & Accommodation Other Activities Travel Itineraries

Special Offer!

Introductory New Ride Offer

10% discount

Offer ends April 27, 2025

Overview

This beautiful rural property is set in the heart of Provence in France and is a mere 40-minute drive from Marseille Airport. These stables were opened in 1987, where Hay de Crau AOC was originally produced and now is dedicated to the breeding of Lusitanian horses and sport horses. Riding guest… read more

Highlights

Ride Professionally Schooled Dressage Horses
Situated in the most beautiful corner of Provence
Luxury Accommodation with Swimming Pool
Lusitano & Warmblood Dressage Horses
Delicious Food & Wine

Essential Facts

1 itinerary available
Max 4 riders per group
Average of 2 - 3 hours riding per day
Weight limit: 90kg / 198 lbs / 14 stone

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Description

Riding guests can enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the farm while refining their dressage skills. Your dressage lessons are suited to your ability with a maximum of 2 riders. When you arrive, your hosts will discuss with you what you would like to achieve during your stay and you will be matched with a suitable horse, they have seven horses of varying ages and levels. Lessons are limited to 2 at a time to allow for plenty of personal attention with one-to-one tuition available subject to availability. Your hosts also use liberty work in the training of their young horses - this is very important to introduce a calm, mature approach to training. If you like, you are able to swap a riding session for one of these liberty training sessions

From a young age, the horses that are bred here are trained to become confident riding horses. Alicia often takes umbrellas and tarpaulins out to the large paddocks where they have a wonderful upbringing. This is so they get used to handling new things early on and become confident individuals. The horses are raised in large paddocks with companions so they can develop their muscles and tendons, all to create the foundation for a sustainable horse. About ten foals are born each year, so if you are interested in buying a young horse, there are great opportunities here.

The facility has a smaller indoor arena and two large outdoor arenas.

Horses & Riding

Tack

All horses are ridden in snaffle bridles with English style dressage saddles.

Horses

There are seven horses available to ride which are all top-quality Lusitano and warmblood dressage horses of varying levels.

Riding

There is 1 itinerary:

Dressage Week & Short Break is a based ride

Ages

Riders must be 14 years or older. There are no ponies so children must be happy on horses.

Health

General good health

Weight

90kg / 198 lbs / 14 stone

Food & Accommodation

Food

The refrigerator will be stocked with a generous breakfast. Fresh bread will be delivered, and you are welcome to serve yourself and enjoy it indoors or on the terrace. Lunch consists of a cold buffet with wine, water, and coffee. For dinner, your local chef will prepare 3-course meals, which also include fresh bread and a cheese platter. This meal can also be enjoyed with good wine either indoors or by the pool.

Accommodation

A beautiful eighteenth century style house- 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, large living room with its veranda, beautiful kitchen with adjoining dining room. The setting is rural and quiet, in the natural park of the Alpilles - a short drive from the Mediterranean, close to the Luberon, Aix-en'-Provence and, of course, the area's fabulous gourmet restaurants.

Itineraries

Dressage Week & Short Break Standard accommodation.

Other Activities

Visit local markets, historic sites, Roman museums, Les Baux de Provence and Carrières de Lumières, flea markets and the region's hilltop old towns, or simply laze by the pool.

Travel

Guests can collected from Marseille or Nice Airports (not included). If you are travelling by train, then Avignon and Aix-en-Provence are 40 minutes drive away - there are good train connections from Paris. Arles and Saint Martin de Crau are both only a short drive away (approx 20 minutes).

Car hire is recommended as the surrounding area is perfect to visit during your free time when you are not riding.

Dressage Week & Short Break

at a glance

This fantastic stud farm and dressage paradise is situated in the heart of Provence, only a 40 minute drive from Marseille and the Mediterranean sea. When you arrive at the stud farm, the beautiful iron gates and impressive driveway shaded by majestic plane trees set a spectacular scene as you arrive for your stay. Your accommodation is an 18th-century style house, nestled within a sculpted garden, where you will find the large pool guarded by stone lions.

The renowned stud farm is set in beautiful extensive grounds which are home to around 60 horses. The stud farm was founded by your hosts 50 years ago and initially, the focus was on breeding highly rideable Lusitanos. In later years, the family have chosen to develop their breeding programme to include crossbreeding with active warmblood Grand Prix stallions. Now, there are offspring who are sired from, among others, the two-time world champion Glamourdale (successfully ridden by Charlotte Fry) and Jovian (ridden by Patrik Kittel).The goal is to breed horses that, in addition to being highly rideable, also have excellent gaits to compete with world-class dressage horses.

Proof of their successful breeding is liberty rider and world artist Alizée Froment, who has performed all over the world in big arenas with her two stallions, Sultan and Mistral du Coussoul. Both come from the stud farm, and Mistral still contributes to the birth of more fantastic individuals.

6 & 3 night stays are available all year expect January, February, July and August when the hosts will concentrate on their dressage horses and the harvest their hay.

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Dressage Week & Short Break

Itinerary & Pricing

Day 1 - Arrival

Riding: No riding.

The arrival time is the same for the 6 night and 3 night stay. You should arrive at the farmhouse in the afternoon or early evening in time for dinner.

Days 2 to 6 - Daily Programme (Days 2 & 3 for Short Stays)

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

Your programme begins with a discussion about your riding experience and what you would like to achieve during your stay. At the stud farm there are horses of various ages and training levels so your hosts will match you with the most suitable for your level. Your hosts will focus on what is needed for you to develop your riding with your seat and balance being the most important thing for the horse in order to understand your aids. Then you can move on to more advanced movements.
If you wish you can also exchange one or more riding sessions for liberty work or perhaps a hack out.

You may have the opportunity to see the horses being worked in hand which is very important for their education, from young horses right through to the more advanced older horses. With the young horses there is never a rush to push them to reach a certain level, each horse develops and matures at its own pace. All horses also are turned out every day in big paddocks where they have the opportunity to graze and relax.

Day 7 - Departure (Day 4 for Short Stays)

Riding: No riding.

Enjoy breakfast before saying goodbye and heading home.

Accommodation	Luxury double rooms with private bathrooms in an 18th farmhouse. Please note: The pool is only open in April, May, June, September & October and is not heated. WiFi available.
Experience	Intermediate / Experienced Suitable for intermediate and experienced riders. To benefit from the dressage tuition, you should at least be comfortable in walk, trot and canter and be able to ride with a balanced seat and independent hands.
Minimum group size	2
Maximum group size	4
Departure windows	March 10, 2025 - March 16, 2025 (6 Night Stay) March 13, 2025 - March 16, 2025 (3 Night Stay) March 24, 2025 - March 30, 2025 (6 Night Stay) March 27, 2025 - March 30, 2025 (3 Night Stay) April 7, 2025 - April 13, 2025 (6 Night Stay) April 10, 2025 - April 13, 2025 (3 Night Stay) April 24, 2025 - April 27, 2025 (3 Night Stay) May 19, 2025 - May 25, 2025 (6 Night Stay) May 22, 2025 - May 25, 2025 (3 Night Stay) June 16, 2025 - June 22, 2025 (6 Night Stay) June 19, 2025 - June 22, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Sept. 8, 2025 - Sept. 14, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Sept. 11, 2025 - Sept. 14, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Sept. 22, 2025 - Sept. 28, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Sept. 25, 2025 - Sept. 28, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Oct. 2, 2025 - Oct. 5, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Oct. 6, 2025 - Oct. 12, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Oct. 20, 2025 - Oct. 26, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Oct. 23, 2025 - Oct. 26, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Nov. 3, 2025 - Nov. 9, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Nov. 6, 2025 - Nov. 9, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Nov. 17, 2025 - Nov. 23, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Nov. 20, 2025 - Nov. 23, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Dec. 1, 2025 - Dec. 7, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Dec. 4, 2025 - Dec. 7, 2025 (3 Night Stay) Dec. 15, 2025 - Dec. 21, 2025 (6 Night Stay) Dec. 18, 2025 - Dec. 21, 2025 (3 Night Stay)

Pricing

£ $ €

2025 3 Night Programme, Sharing, November & December	£785 $990 €950
2025 3 Night Programme, Sharing, March to October	£910 $1145 €1100 Thursday Arrival - Sunday Departure
2025 6 Night Programme, Sharing	£1825 $2290 €2200 Sunday Arrival - Saturday Departure
Included	Accommodation in a shared room (single supplement payable if you would like a private room), riding as per programme (8 x 50 min lessons on 6 night programme / 4 x 50 min lessons on 3 night programme), full board from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day. Half a bottle of Rose Wine with evening meals. Other wine & drinks available to purchase.
Not included	Flights, personal travel insurance, drinks other than with meals, tips and personal expenses.

Extras

£ $ €

2025 - Extra Lesson	£41 $52 €50 Paid to Far and Ride Extra lessons must be booked in advance.
2025 - Marseille Airport Transfer	€110 Paid locally One way, per car up to 3 people (extra 30 euros on Sundays or during night)
2025 - Marseille Airport Transfer	€130 Paid locally One way, per car up to 6 people (extra 20 euros on Sundays or during night)
2025 - Saint Martin de Crau Transfer	€15 Paid locally One way, per person
2025 - Single Supplement - 3 Nights	£124 $156 €150 Paid to Far and Ride Must be paid if booking alone. If a sharer can be found this will be refunded.
2025 - Single Supplement - 6 Nights	£245 $310 €300 Paid to Far and Ride Must be paid if booking alone. If a sharer can be found this will be refunded.

Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.