Group of riders riding to Chambord in the Loire Valley
France > Paris - The Loire Valley

Enjoy a horseback holiday around Paris, the Loire Valley

Paris is always a good idea! A horseback holiday around Paris and through the Loire Valley is a delightful riding and cultural experience. Discover the extraordinary history of this beautiful region, riding and visiting beautiful Châteaux such as Chambord or Chenonceau, former playgrounds of the French nobility. Doing it all on horseback is a fantastic opportunity and an experience that will stay with you forever. Enjoy a ride back in time to the 16th Century, in a region ideally suited to riding tours where the flat countryside and former hunting grounds allow for long canters off the beaten track.
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From the horse’s mouth

  • Short riding break in the Loire Valley
    April 2022 Karen aged 57
    We truly enjoyed every minute... Ken and Sophie are wonderful, and it’s obvious they love what they do, and love their horses. Ken regaled us with all kinds of local facts and historical anecdotes all along our trails. We learned a lot, and saw a beautiful array of French countryside, farmland, forests, charming towns... Read all
    More about this trip
  • Riders discovering Chenonceau, Loire Valley, on horseback
    Discover Chenonceau in the saddle
  • Cheverny castle in the Loire Valley, western France
    Cheverny Castle, Loire Valley
  • Riders in medieval costumes in front of a castle in the Loire Valley
    This trail ride is also a cultural experience
  • Riders on a horseback vacation having a picnic lunch
    Sitting-down picnic lunches on a trail riding holiday in the Loire Valley
  • Chambord castle and horseback riders
    Riding to Chambord castle in the Loire Valley
  • Medieval house in France
    Discover France in the Renaissance...
  • Riding holidays with Equus Journeys
    Riding holidays with Equus Journeys
  • Riders near a village in France and next to a river
    Ride to medieval villages and along rivers
  • Manorhouse in France
    Stay in lovely local hotels and experience the French hospitality

Visa & Health

Formalities

UK citizens - other nationalities please contact us:

Visas
If you hold a British Citizen passport, you don’t need a visa to enter France. The rules on travel will stay the same until 31 December 2020.

Visas from 1 January 2021
The rules for travelling or working in Europe will change from 1 January 2021:
- you will be able to travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training
- if you are travelling to France and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel would count towards the 90-day limit
- the 90-day limit for visa-free travel will begin on 1 January 2021. Any days you stay in France or other Schengen countries before 1 January 2021 will not count towards the 90-day limit.

At border control for France, you may need to:
- show a return or onward ticket
- show you have enough money for your stay, and
- use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing
- Your passport may be stamped on entry and exit.

Passport validity
The rules on travel will stay the same until 31 December 2020.
Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you don’t need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.

Passport validity from 1 January 2021
From 1 January 2021, you must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).
If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.
Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You will need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

For up-to-date information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

Health

UK Citizens: A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Union (EU).

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

It’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance for your needs. A GHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and you should have both before you travel. It does not cover all health-related costs, for example, medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment.

Insurance

It is a condition of your booking with Equus Journeys that you have travel insurance which covers you for the riding activities to be undertaken. Your travel insurance should cover you for medical expenses and repatriation. Your guides will require your travel insurance details before they allow you to ride and may refuse to let you ride if you cannot provide them. You should take your insurance documents with you.