The Perched Villages of Provence, France by Crystal Brumme Kimball, publisher, with photos by Amber Brumme Brengel
T e Luberon Re- gional Park is the heart and soul of Provence,
France:
approximately 375 square miles (almost 150,000 acres) of rugged mountains
and open valleys containing a mix of forests, cultivated fi elds of lavender or poppies, cliff s of ochre or blinding white limestone, and orderly orchards, pierced by ancient villages and all laced together by ancient Roman stone roads, dry stacked stone walls and stone aqueducts. T ere are only two ways to really experience the magnifi cence of the Luberon: on foot or on horse. We highly recommend using a horse! Established in 1987, Cap Rando is a primary
provider of horseback rides in Provence. In France, individual trail guides are required to be
licensed by the government, and in order to be licensed must be certifi ed through a licensed riding school, and Cap Rando also has its own guide school. Cap Rando provides primarily
Spanish or Barb crosses, many of which were bred specifi cally for their riding program. T e horses are well-trained, reliable packers – exactly what you want for a trip like this. T e ranch can accommo- date all levels of riders. T e week- long 90+ mile ride consists mostly of walking, with some trotting and a bit of cantering. Beginner riders should understand that this par- ticular ride means a minimum of six hours in the saddle every day continued...
You will love this ride IF… • You are a horseless horse person in serious need of inti- mate bonding with an equine friend for a week; • T e idea of feeding, watering and haying your horse four times a day every day is charming; • You love trail riding; • You appreciate a good packer and are not picky about what kind of horse you ride; • You’ve always wanted to wander through cherry orchards on horseback, picking and eating fruit as you ride; • “Rustic” and “roughing it” ARE synonyms in your book; • You are shy around strangers but do want to meet new people (your riding mates will not be strangers by the end of the ride); • You are looking for a great bonding experience with fam- ily or a close friend; • You’ve always wanted an architectural and agricultural tour of Provence.
If you have always wanted to see the fi elds of poppies and lavender that in- spired Cezanne and Van Gogh, this is the ride for you!
The best meal of each day was usu- ally the mid-day tail- gate, which always featured a hot dish! Horses enjoyed lunch at the same time, and then everyone would settle down for an hour nap.
This is NOT the ride for you if…
• Just the thought of being in the saddle for six or more hours gives you saddle sores; • You are not comfortable hiking straight down a rocky mountain trail for an hour; • You absolutely can neither pee in the woods nor wait eight hours until you arrive at a restroom; • “Rustic” and “roughing it” are NOT synonyms in your book; • Feeding, watering, and haying feels too much like doing chores at home and not enough like being on vacation; • Your idea of a vacation is to hand the reins off to a groom, enjoy a cocktail, a hot shower and then dinner; • You are shy and prefer not to talk to strangers; • Your idea of sightseeing includes touring inside the castles and historic churches, browsing in shops or hanging out in cafes; • You are looking for a culinary tour of Provence; • You are particular about your horse’s size and way of going; • Walking trail rides bore you to tears, no matter how spectacular the scenery and the vistas; • An average traveling distance of 15 miles a day is too long; • An average traveling distance of 15 miles a day is not far enough!
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
You will love this ride if the clatter of hooves echoing off ancient stone walls while riding through villages on cobblestone streets too narrow for cars is inexplicably romantic.
You will love this ride if riding on the stone roads laid by the Romans as they conquered Europe makes you feel con- nected to the arc of modern civilization in a way that no car can (and yes, all roads DO lead to Rome).
OCTOBER 2012 | THE EQUIERY | 33
854150-121012
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