castles of the loire valley
spring, summer & autumn | €3990pp | france
RIDE WILD on this renaissance castle tour
Overview
This route takes you deep into the Gredos Mountains and across the Salamanca province, blending scenic riding with time in some of the region’s most historic villages. You’ll follow old cattle paths, forest tracks and valley trails that link medieval settlements, each with its own castle, stone bridge or centuries-old church to explore.
The riding is varied and rewarding: long canters across open valleys, steady climbs through pine forests, and quieter stretches through farmland and small rural communities.
Traditional Spanish lunches are served outdoors beside rivers, under oak trees or in quiet countryside clearings. Evenings are spent in traditional inns and rural hotels, each offering warm hospitality, regional food and a sense of authentic village life.
If you enjoy a balance of cultural exploration and full days in the saddle, this ride delivers landscapes, history and relaxed Spanish charm in equal measure.
What you need to know
€3990 pp shared room (€850 single supplement)
All gourmet meals, drinks, accommodation in luxury hotels, 6 castle visits, riding and transfers during the ride included.
19 - 25 April, 03 - 09 May, 10 - 16 May, 31 May - 06 June, 21 - 27 June, 12 - 18 July, 19 - 25 July, 10 - 16 August, 6 - 12 September, 13 - 19 September 2026
7 days & 6 nights (5 days riding)
1.5 - 3 hours riding everyday
Riding around renaissance castles and visiting on foot
Shared luxury hotel accommodation
Generous and friendly hosts
Dates: 19 - 25 April, 03 - 09 May, 10 - 16 May, 31 May - 06 June, 21 - 27 June, 12 - 18 July, 19 - 25 July, 10 - 16 August, 6 - 12 September, 13 - 19 September 2026
Price: €3990pp
Location: France
Riding level: Advanced and experienced. Able to control horse in a group up to a canter within open spaces.
Time in the saddle: 1.5 - 3 hours a day
Horses: Franches-Montagnes & Arabian x Franches-Montagnes.
Weight limit: 85kg
Currency: Euros
Saddle type: English
Need to know
OVERVIEW
Accommodation during the trip in luxury twin hotel rooms / rooms in manor houses
All activities including riding and 6 castle visits
Gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner and drinks with meals
Transfers during the ride
What’s included:
Flights into and out of France
Accommodation outside of the trip
Tips / gratuities.
Travel & medical insurance (this is mandatory)
Transfers before/after the ride
Single room supplement 850 EUR
What’s excluded:
Food: Breakfast will be had at your hotel everyday. Lunch will be picnics or in small restaurants in charming villages. Dinner will usually be in your hotel for the night.
Accommodation:
Accommodation is in luxury hotels, manors and mansions along the way. This is where you will have many of your evening meals too.
Accommodation and food
The horses at Cheval et Chateaux are the highlight of the holiday. They are calm, confident and reliable, a result of excellent horsemanship and training by Ken and Sophie. Lots of their horses were born at home making them truly a part of the family.
Most of their horses are beautiful Franches-Montagnes and Arabian x Franches-Montagnes.
They all live stabled next to their friends with low walls allowing them to socialise and groom each other. They also spend time out in the fields together and live a very happy life with time off between rides and no work between November - March.
Horses
Riding hat, gloves and comfortable riding boots
Light and loose layers of clothing.
A light rain jacket
Sunglasses
Sun hat
Sun cream
A water bottle
Bum bag
A power pack for charging your phone
A charging adapter
A book for entertainment
Toiletries (remember lip balm, hand cream and moisturiser), towel, jodphurs etc
Camera gear
See our what to pack guide here for a full packing list.
What to pack:
Itinerary
Day 1:
You’ll arrive at Chateau de la Borde where you’ll have your briefing and a gourmet dinner. This is where you’ll sleep for the night before beginning your journey tomorrow.
Day 2:
You’ll start your journey from Chambord along the Grand Canal with a spectacular view of the Château. You’ll enjoy the beautiful sand paths of Boulonge and Chambord forest before you ride back to Chateâu de Chambord for a royal lunch.
In the afternoon, you’ll visit Château de Chambord which is the largest and most magnificent of all the Loire valley castles. It was ordered to be built by Francis the 1st and finished in 1519. You’ll stay and have dinner in Chateau de la Borde again.
Day 3:
You’ll begin your ride to Chateau de Beauregard via the Boulonge forest. You have the privilege of entering via the front gate of the chateau which is an unforgettable experience. You’ll visit Chateau de Beauregard and its famous ‘Gallerie des illustres’ which has been intact since the 17th century. For lunch, it’s a gourmet picnic in Chateau de Beauregard.
In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a lovely ride from Chateau de Beauregard via the forest of Sologne, extensive countryside and the Cheverny vineyards region. You’ll then be driven to Cheverny castle for a visit, viewing lots of its renaissance furniture. You’ll sleep and dine in either Relais de trois châteaux or Relais des Landes
Day 4:
Today you’ll ride from Chaumont village through the Loire valley countryside to reach the Beuvron river. You’ll have lunch in a lovely local restaurant and then enjoy a short ride through Touraine towards the Château of Chaumont sur Loire which you’ll visit alongside its famous international garden festival. You’ll have dinner and sleep at Le Clos d’Amboise
Day 5:
You’ll start your day on the Loire banks in Mosnes before you ride along the river, appreciating its beautiful biodiversity, classified in UNESCO’s world inheritance. Lunch will be in a local restaurant in Chargé, a charming village.
In the afternoon, you’ll ride to Chateau d’Amboise by the Loire valley with a special arrival on horseback by the medieval King’s gate. Your gourmet dinner and night stay will be in Chateau de Noizay
Day 6:
You’ll start your last day with a visit of the castle, appreciating its gorgeous furniture and decorations. You’ll then begin your last ride on Cher banks with its amazing view Chenonceau castle’s famous arches. Lunch will follow in l’Orangerie of the château.
You’ll finish the week with some free time in Amboise to visit the lovely château of Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo Da Vinci, or the old town and its lovely gift shops. You’ll have a goodbye drink with your guide in Amboise and your last dinner and night stay will be in Chateau de Noizay again.
Day 7:
You’ll have breakfast in Chateau de Noizay before you depart. Transfers to nearby train stations / beyond are not included.
your guides
The team at Cheval et Chateaux will be your guides and hosts during your trip. Cheval et Chateaux is owned by Ken and Sophie, both incredibly passionate about what they do. Ken is an equine osteopath and since 2015 has dedicated himself to leading the rides and teaching a program for future French riding guides. Ken enjoys sharing as much as he can during the rides and always has a smile on his face.
Sophie, Ken’s wife, has always loved teaching and learning about horse behaviour and she graduated from a horsemanship teaching program in 2014. She is currently the sales and business manager at Cheval et Chateaux and her rigorous, friendly and organised nature means she will do everything to make your trip unforgettable.
The horses are truly the star of the show at Cheval et Chateaux, most being Franches-Montagnes and Arabian x Franches-Montagnes. Many were born with Sophie and Ken and they’ve all been trained with them, resulting in calm, happy and confident horses. The horses are stabled next to their friends with lower walls, allowing them to groom and touch each other and they all receive time outdoors in the fields together.