Normandy is best known as the landing point for the Allies against Nazi Germany in World War Two. It was in Normandy that vast American, British, Canadian, French and Polish forces landed to liberate Europe in 1944.
This more recent history has partially obscured the other rich history of this beautiful part of France. From the time of the Roman conquest of the area in 51BC to the time the Vikings landed in Normandy in the 9th Century and gradually pushed out and assimilated with the Frankish inhabitants to the birth of William the Conqueror who became the King of England to the French Revolution, Normandy holds a special place in the history of France, Europe and the World.
Normandy is a rich agricultural area where apple and pear orchards dot the countryside and chateaus, small villages and larger towns are especially picturesque. It is great horse country as one might expect given its numerous private and public stud farms. More than 70% of all French thoroughbreds and trotters are bred in Normandy. But the most famous of the Normandy breeds is the heavy draft horse, the gentle tempered and noble Percheron. Horses are considered the “Pride of Normandy.” As such, the horses used on the trail riding vacation are terrific. A gallop along the Normandy beaches is a very special treat where excitement, adventure and history all seem to combine.
A rich agricultural area naturally is an area rich in cuisine also. The food in Normandy is incredible with seafood, meat dishes, vegetables and, of course, fruit. There many concoctions made from apple cider but the most famous is Calvados, a brandy used to aid digestion. A fine meal after a wonderful day in the saddle is an indescribable delight.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival at the train station in Bayeux around midday, where your English speaking guide will meet you and take you to your hotel for the week. Your hotel is a charming country inn where you will be able to settle in briefly before enjoying a lunch of traditional coastal seafood and delicacies at the village restaurant. Afterwards, you’ll change into your riding clothes for your first afternoon of riding in the beautiful Normandy countryside for 8-9 miles. It is an enchanting afternoon to get to know the area and your horse for the ride.
After the ride, you will visit the Arromanches Museum and the Artificial Harbor which are the remains of the famous Mulberry harbor, the most extraordinary industrial and maritime achievement of World War II.
Day 2: After breakfast, you will ride through charming fields and woods until you reach the seaside village of Ver sur Mer (19 miles) which is best known as the main British bridgehead for Gold Beach. There is a wonderful view of the cliffs of Arromanches. Lunch is a picnic in the country with a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery.
After your return to the farm, you will be taken to the German Battery in Longues Sur Mer. Built on a picturesque cliff, where you can walk right up to one of the four German guns which were in control of both Gold and Omaha beach. Before leaving, you will also visit, on the very edge of the cliff, the observation post and control room which was the setting of one of the most famous scenes of the film The Longest Day.
Day 3: Breakfast at your hotel, you will ride through the countryside until you reach the village of Bayeux, the first town to be liberated in the war. Lunch will be “drive through” at McDonald’s – make sure you pull right up to the window. After lunch, the trail will wander back through the farmland and fields that make up this beautiful area until you reach the farm. After riding, you have a chance to change clothes for a visit to the older section of Bayeux and a tour of the Cathedral which still keeps watch over the town with its flying buttresses, bell turrets and crypt.
Day 4: This morning, you will be driven to the American Cemetery which is suspended in a tranquil green lawn overlooking the ocean and Omaha Beach. The Cemetery is the home to 9,385 American soldiers, each honored with a white Carrara marble cross bearing their name and home town. Afterward, you will go to Pointe du Hoc, most widely known as the key place where the first company of Rangers landed in Omaha Beach. You will have ample time to see the landing area and explore the bunkers to see what life was like for the soldiers. A picnic lunch awaits you on the verge of a fertile pasture where local horses graze and enjoy the sunny afternoon.
In the afternoon, you will ride near the cliffs (12 miles) with the spectacular views, and have a mid afternoon break to see and learn (tasting available) how the local cider Pommeau, and its more potent cousin, Calvados are made.
Day 5: After breakfast, you will ride through the villages and woods to the priory of St Gabriel – about 17.50 miles. The trail winds through the charming towns and gives you a glimpse of the lifestyle slightly removed from the coastal towns. Another picnic lunch awaits you. After your ride, you will have the chance to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which is over 1,000 years old and tells the magnificent story of William the Conqueror, the only non English ruler of England.
Day 6: Breakfast this last morning and then a short drive to the train station in Bayeux.
2008 Dates: March 29-April 3, May 17-22, May 24-29, June 4-9, June 14-19, June 21-26, July 1-6, September 6-11, September 13-18, October 4-9.
Meeting Point: Bayeux Train Station.
Saddles: English, limited western and Australian.
Other Activities: Golfing, hiking, fishing, bicycling.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
$2,150 per person, sharing.
$275 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 5 nights hotel accommodation
- 4 ½ days guided trail riding
- All meals
- Transfers during trip
- Guide
- Horse
- Tack
- Transfer to/from train station and tax.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Horse Riding
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