Rider on an adventure horseback trail in the mountains
France > Provence - The Cote D'azur

Trail riding in Provence and the Côte d'Azur

There is more to Provence than just seaside resorts and lavender fields. Far from the busy touristic attractions of the Coast, explore untouched and unspoiled locations, isolated traditional villages and poignant mountainous peaks. In a region that enjoys almost perpetual sunshine, discover picturesque villages full of character and the warmth of its people, riding across truly stunning scenic countryside. A riding holiday that will stay with you forever.
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From the horse’s mouth

  • Beaches of Camargue
    April 2025 Claire aged 60
    We have just returned from the Camargue Beaches ride - it was fantastic! The Equus team have been supportive and responsive from start to finish. Iris could not have been more accommodating for our group arrangements, and the team in France made sure our adventure was everything we expected - and more! Horses were... Read all
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  • Beaches of Camargue
    April 2025 Rachel aged 61
    Very high horse welfare, we had to catch groom and feed our horses before we were served breakfast ourselves!!
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  • Beaches of Camargue
    April 2025 Amanda aged 60
    We loved our trip to the Camargue. Everything went smoothly and we all fell in love with the horses. Mine (Habibi) was very sweet natured and always ready for a good canter. The pace of riding was great and our guide, Aurelys, together with Daniel were both brilliant – v professional and good fun – happy to tolerate... Read all
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  • Beaches of Camargue
    April 2023 Stefanie aged 31
    Exploring the stunning Camargue on horseback was a truly unforgettable experience! From galloping along white sandy beaches to trotting through the marshlands dotted with grey Camargue horses to watching the French cowboys, the Gardians, work with the black Camargue bulls...every moment was pure magic! The combination... Read all
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  • Beaches of Camargue
    July 2022 EMMA aged 45
    Despite the heat (which we expected), we had a wonderful adventure in the Camargue. Brenda has created a unique place which gives a real flavour of the area, exploring different environments and even herding bulls with a guardian! She is also a wonderful cook so meal times were a treat too. The horses are very well... Read all
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Visa & Health

Formalities

Please refer to your home country's Foreign Office website for up-to-date information. Although we endeavour to keep this section updated, requirements can change quickly, and your home country's Foreign Office website takes precedence.

This section is mostly directed towards UK citizen. Other nationalities, please contact us.

Visa

You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training.
Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.

At border control, you may need to:

  • Show a return or onward ticket
  • Show you have enough money for your stay
  • Show proof of insurance
  • Have your passport stamped on entry/exit

Passport Validity

You must have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago.
You should also have an ‘expiry date’ at least 90 days after the date you plan to leave.
Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip.

EU Entry/Exit System for non-EU travellers

From October 2025, the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will start for all non-EU nationals travelling in or out of the Schengen area.
The EES is a digital border system which registers non-EU visitors travelling into the Schengen area instead of stamping their passports.
You will need to have your fingerprints and your photo taken when entering and exiting the Schengen area.

You may experience longer queues at borders when the new system starts. You can read more information here.

Please click here to check the updated entry requirements.

Health

It’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance for your needs. A GHIC or EHIC 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.

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).

Travellers should ideally arrange an appointment with their GP around five weeks before travelling. This appointment provides an opportunity to assess health risks taking into account a number of factors including destination, medical history, and planned activities.
For those with pre-existing health problems, an earlier appointment is recommended.

Please click here to check health recommendations.

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 may request 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.

You can check our "Insurance Guide" here.

Voltage

In France the power plugs and sockets are of type E (two prongs). The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Budget and money

In France, the offical currency is the Euro.

Telephone and jetlag

Country code: +33.

Country information

History

The conquest of the northern Camargue began at the end of the 19th century with the appearance of vineyards, followed by forage crops and grains; more recently fruits and vegetables have been cultivated. The great free-roaming herds of cattle and horses the region is known for are still found, especially around the edge of the Vaccarès Lagoon in what became the Camargue regional park. The growing of rice developed after World War II in an attempt to meet national demand and is still important. The salt that is so intimately a part of the marsh soils is exploited in the southeast between the Vaccarès Lagoon and the (Grand) Rhône River. A nature reserve at the Vaccarès Lagoon protects rare species such as flamingos and egrets. The Camargue is also a centre of pilgrimage (Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer) and of tourism.

Geography

France lies near the western end of the great Eurasian landmass, largely between latitudes 42° and 51° N. Roughly hexagonal in outline, its continental territory is bordered on the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, on the east by Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, and Andorra, on the west by the Bay of Biscay, and on the northwest by the English Channel (La Manche). To the north, France faces southeastern England across the narrow Strait of Dover (Pas de Calais). Monaco is an independent enclave on the south coast, while the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean is treated as an integral part of the country.

The Camargue is a delta region in Bouches-du-Rhône département, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur région, southern France. The region lies between the Grand and Petit channels of the Rhône River and has an area of 300 square miles (780 square km). In the northern part of the delta, the alluvium has emerged as dry land; in the south, the highest ground is along the embankments of present and former watercourses; in the intervening basins are marshes and shallow lagoons. Sparsely populated, the region was formerly entirely wild, with roaming herds of bulls (raised for Provençal bullfights) and wild Camargue horses.

People, culture and traditions

CAPITAL: Paris
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: French
MONETARY UNIT: euro (€)


Useful words

Hello my name is : Bonjour je m’appelle
Hello : Bonjour
Goodbye : Au revoir
Good morning : Bonjour
Yes: Oui
No : non
I am (British) : Je suis (Britannique)
My name is … what is your name? : Mon nom est … comment vous appelez-vous?
Nice to meet you : Heureux de vous rencontrer
What is it? : qu’est ce que c’est?
Where is...? : Où est...?
Thank you (very much) : Merci (beaucoup)
I am sorry : Je suis désolée(e)
I don't understand: Je ne comprends pas
Can you help me? Pouvez-vous m'aider?
I need help: J'ai besoin d'aide
I am lost: Je suis perdu (e)
How much is it? : C'est combien?