THE VALLEY TRAIL
This 3-day trek preceeds and prepares you for The Ridge Trail that follows after. You may do either trek or both.
On the first day we learn about the particularities of riding in the mountains. Navigating slopes, obstacles, leading the horse on foot. Return to the Cavalus farm in the evening.
2nd day : Via a succession of paths thousands of years old and leafy forests we arrive at the Cominac plateau to spend the night in a gîte with a panoramic view of the mountains.
3rd day : We finish this loop via the shaded trails through the valleys of Aleu and the Arac river.
THE RIDGE TRAIL
This second part of the week has us climbing in altitude to 1800m via the cols de la Crouzette, Peyguere and Marrous where we pass our first night in tents after supper in an auberge.
2nd day : we cross the massif of the Arize valley with its extraordinary simultaneous view of the Spanish border on one side and the Garonne river valley to the north. Supper in the auberge, spend the night in tents.
3rd day : return via the lovely pine forest of Candail and the Massat valley
THE LITTLE BEAR
1st day : a loop in the valley to familiarise ourselves with our horses and the mountain trails. Return to the Cavalus farm.
2nd day : We travel south via the Garbet river valley with its superb barns to reach the Mont Béas farm for an evening meal and a night under the stars.
3rd day : We follow the cool, clear waters of the Garbet river and let the horses have a dip. At Soueix the riders cool off on a terrace shaded by plane trees. We spend the night in a gîte d'étape.
4th day : Return via the beech forests of the Arac river valley.
THE BIG BEAR
This circuit is one of the most beautiful of the region. We follow ancient paths and climb to the cols that join the valleys of Massat and Oust.
1st day : a loop in the valley to familiarise ourselves with our horses and the mountain trails. Return to the Cavalus farm.
2nd day : We travel south via the Garbet river valley with its superb barns to reach the Mont Béas farm for an evening meal and a night under the stars.
3rd day : A high mountain stage in which we cross the "estives", the pastures where cows, sheep and horses spend the summer months in total freedom. We picnic at the étang de Lers (mountain lake) and then undertake a dizzing descent to Aulus-les-Bains and the Gîte du Presbytère.
4th day : We approach the border with Spain via the Fouillet valley, an immense territory of flowers and rushing streams before reaching the estive of Ajéou where we set up camp.
5th day : The cobbled track that hundreds of herds have followed brings us back into the valley and it's the col de Saraillé that indicates the way back.
PYRENEES SAUVAGES
Become a nomadic traveler through the wild beauty of the Ariège mountains.
This circuit is one of the most beautiful of the region. We follow ancient paths and climb to the cols that join the valleys of Massat and Oust.
1st day : a loop in the valley to familiarise ourselves with our horses and the mountain trails. Return to the Cavalus farm.
2nd day : We travel south via the Garbet river valley with its superb barns to reach the Mont Béas farm for an evening meal and a night under the stars.
3rd day : A high mountain stage in which we cross the "estives", the pastures where cows, sheep and horses spend the summer months in total freedom. We picnic at the étang de Lers (mountain lake) and then undertake a dizzing descent to Aulus-les-Bains and the Gîte du Presbytère.
4th day : We approach the border with Spain via the Fouillet valley, an immense territory of flowers and rushing streams before reaching the gîte at Cominac with its magnificent view of the high peaks.
5th day : Riders and horses cool off while we ride alongside the Garbet river. We stop at a bistrot shaded by plane trees at the pretty village of Seix, then spend the night camping on the property of an inhabitant.
6th day : Return via the shady beech forest of the Arac river valley.
THE VALLEYS OF THE ARIZE
We ride through the rolling hills at the foot of the Pyrenees, passing by the cave at Le Mas d'Azil, the Mondély lake, the Cathar chateau of St Barthélémy and... the auberge Les Myrtilles with its beautiful view and Eric's pies. Level 2, 3. Overnights in rustic gîtes and bivouac. Special trek for teenagers.
