With the Ecrins National Park mountains on your left and the wonderful Serre Ponçon Lake on your right, horse riding as part of your Summer Activity Holiday in the Undiscovered Southern French Alps is one of the best activities to try. If you are looking for a pure horse riding holiday in France, we can also tailor make a trip, so please do ask.
Trot through the meadows amongst the spring flowers, race along with the butterflies, enjoy the glorious sunshine or go deep in the woods to experience the unique freshness of the alpine forests, go up rocky paths and let your horse drink the pristine water of our waterfalls - experience a piece of paradise by trying horse riding on holiday!
Back in the day, horses and ponies were the main means of transport in the Alps. Their stamina and agility far outdid any means of wheeled transport for some time! Along with donkeys, they were the only way for the locals to go from a village to another on the narrow alpine paths, and were able to carry big loads. Today, these brave and dedicated animals are still used for transporting supplies up to some of the mountain refuges, but most are ridden for pleasure.
We work with several riding schools in the region of Gap, with a range of horses and ponies which are suitable both for beginners and for experienced riders. It doesn't matter if you just want to give it a try for an hour or so, if you just want to be on the back of a horse with the stunning mountains in the background for the photo, or if you are an experienced rider ready to embark on a full day hack, our instructors will be able to adapt to all your wishes.
You could even go for a real and memorable adventure and ride out in the afternoon to a perfect remote place in the mountains where you'll settle for the night, make your fire and prepare your barbecue, and spend a romantic night in your tent. Think about the great breakfast in the alpine sun the next day before you ride back to the centre!
As for your younger children, they will be able to go out on a pony trek on easy trails and tracks and have a perfect introduction to horse riding in the mountains.
All the riding schools we work with are fully licensed and the instructors are all qualified equestrian instructors with years of experience with horses and ponies in the mountains. Most of all, we make sure that all animals are healthy and well cared for.