
The Transalpine
4 days to understand how sea and mountain interact. A ride that borders the Mercantour national Park, crosses the border between medium and high mountains, between France and Italy.
The Transalpine
4 Days-825€
May 7 - 11
The following itinerary is provided as an example and may change. The final itinerary will be sent to you at most one month before departure. The starting point may be different from the arrival point. If this is the case, we will take care of the transfers.
Day 1 /
Meeting at 5 PM in Sainte-Agnès
Overnight stay in a double room at Saint-Yves
Day 2 / 6 hours of horseback riding
Departure at 9 AM from the Village. The first day connects Sainte-Agnès to Peira-Cava. From the sea to the mountains, from the garrigue to the pine trees. In the morning, we traverse the Segra plateau, an unexpected fertile plateau that lends itself to various paces. The bay of Nice reveals itself in the distance, while the mountains, sometimes snow-covered, appear when you turn your head. After a lunch break at the Col de Braus, off-road trails take us through the first mountains. The tree species already begin to change, heralding the vast beech forest that we cross during the last part of the day. Winding paths and trails follow one another, with varying paces! We spend the first night with dear friends, in chalets at Peira Cava, one of our best tables!
Paces: Gallop and trot on the trails, walk in the maquis.
Picnic lunch prepared by us
Overnight stay with Karine Lebrun, dinner prepared by her.
Day 3 / 7 hours of horseback riding
We skirt the backcountry and its mountains, which are not accessible to us at the time of this ride due to snow. We cross the village of Moulinet, with its generous countryside and marked trails. In spring, the scents of broom and thyme make it an olfactory experience. We then take almost forgotten paths and abandoned military roads before descending to the village of Sospel. The generous countryside of the southern Alps. We make a stop at La Chapelle Saint Gervais, at Pascale's. The stage is a dream, a 16th-century farmhouse renovated with subtlety.
Paces: A day with varied paces, some elevation in the afternoon, trot and gallop on the flat sections.
Picnic lunch prepared by us
Overnight stay: Half-board at La Chapelle Saint Gervais
Day 4 / 8 hours of horseback riding
Today, we go to Italy! A climb through the forest, on winding paths, where we pass from one col to narrow rivers, leads us to the Col de Brouis. In the afternoon, taking our breath away, we take a path that overlooks the Roya valley, from Breil to Péone. It's dizzying. Sometimes, an encounter of a different kind with an almost wild herd of sheep intensifies the sensations. A gentle descent through the olive trees leads us to our last stage: the border village of Olivetta. Paces: .
Picnic lunch prepared by us
Overnight stay: Half-board in an apartment in the village, sometimes in a villa at Remo's
Day 5 / 7 hours of horseback riding
We cross the village early in the morning to take the stone bridge of the old mill and climb towards the Passo dell Treitore… Nearly 1000m of elevation, where it feels like we are going back in time. The intensity of past cultures is evident: dry stone walls, arbergh, watering holes…. We stop for lunch in a clearing, in a mountain refuge, a haven of peace. In the afternoon, we return to France, once again by a cow path! We quietly return to Sainte Agnès via the Col de Castillon; the last trails offer a unique view of the sea, a final salute to the landscape that has transported us.
Picnic lunch prepared by us.
We ask all riders to be comfortable at all paces and do not accept beginners. The ride takes place in the mountains, and it is essential to have good physical condition. All descents are done on foot; these can last up to 2 hours and involve up to a thousand meters of elevation change.
It is possible to book an additional night at the end of the ride. We can also organize a transfer from the train station or airport.