Castles and Caves in Malbec

Bergerac arrival

Meet at Bergerac Railway Station at 3:30 pm and transfer to your first very comfortable accommodation (about 1h30 drive). Dinner will be a regional meal with excellent local wines.

Chateau Chambert - vineyards

After breakfast and allocation of the horses, you ride East, through the woods and many of the area’s vineyards. You will stop at the Chateau Chambert, an award-winning Cahors vineyard that has produced Malbec wine since the 12th century. Before lunch, you visit the cellar and taste the Chateau’s wines. The afternoon will take you through more vineyards and forests covering the rolling hillsides. You will leave the horses at a family-owned vineyard for the night. Then you will be driven to your B&B from the night before for dinner and overnight.

Riding time: 3 hrs in the morning and 2.5 hrs in the afternoon.

Le Montat to Chateau Hautes-Serres

Today the ride crosses the calcareous and wild plateau of the Lot with a mid-day stop at the small 13th century village of Le Montat. After a long morning ride, enjoy a marvelous lunch and then a short ride in the afternoon on through varied countryside, valleys and oak woods to arrive at Chateau Hautes-Serres, another award-winning Malbec vineyard, for a visit and a taste of wine. After the wine tasting, you will be transferred to a nearby charming B & B located in the center of the Quercy black truffle region. At dinner you will taste the “Black Diamond” truffle which is world renowned, famous for its delicate and rich flavor. The truffles are paired with wonderful local French wines, making this a very special dining experience. Enjoy your overnight stay at this B&B.

Riding time: 4.5 hrs in the morning and 1.5 hrs in the afternoon.

Cremps to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie,

Your day starts with a short morning ride to the small village of Cremps. There will be time for a quiet walk around the village and its 12th century church before having a delicious picnic lunch in the village. In the afternoon, ride north to the wondrous 13th century village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, perched on a cliff face with a commanding view of the Lot valley. After settling in at your hotel in the village, you can visit this village which is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in all of France. Dinner will be at one of the local restaurants where you will dine on traditional French cuisine.

Riding time: 2 hrs in the morning and 3 hrs in the afternoon.

Caves of Pech-Merle to St Cirq Lapopie

A spectacular morning ride along the cliffs, crossing the Lot River, to the prehistoric caves of Pech-Merle, decorated with Magdalenian rupestrine (on the stone) paintings. Enjoy another picnic lunch before visiting the caves in the afternoon. Then you will be transferred back to St Cirq Lapopie and will have more time to explore this beautiful village. In the evening enjoy another dinner at a restaurant in St Cirq Lapopie.

Riding time: 2.5 hrs in the morning.

Chateau de Cénevières to Cahors

Today’s ride will cross the plateaus above the valley, then along the Lot River, before arriving at the Chateau de Cénevières, an 11th century chateau with an impressive addition and renovations from the 14th and 16th centuries. After a picnic lunch, you will have a guided tour of this private chateau.
This evening you will transfer to Cahors to spend your final night and farewell dinner.

Riding time: 3 hrs in the morning.

Departure from Cahors

Your accommodation is very near the Cahors train station, so you may depart from there at any time. Before leaving Cahors, it’s recommended to take the time to enjoy wander through the tiny streets of the medieval downtown on this Saturday morning market day. Also don’t miss the great opportunity to see and walk on the Valentré Bridge, a remarkable example of medieval architecture built on the Lot River at the 14th century and now registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela.