Come and experience the art of French hunting - la Vènerie, hunting deer (chevreuil) and wild boar (sanglier) across some of the most beautiful private estates in the Dordogne. We are delighted to invite you to Le Bourdil Blanc Hunting Holidays.

Especially created for the discerning and experienced rider, our exclusive riding and hunting holidays offer:

* The finest riding on fit and healthy horses through private chateaux estates in the heart of this very lovely part of France, the Dordogne
* The ability to learn and participate at first hand in the fascinating ancient art of French hunting, la Vènerie - so different from hunting as practised in England, with experienced guides who love their horses and know the area
* Gracious living staying at Le Bourdil Blanc, our elegant 18th century manor house
* The best regional cuisine prepared by our chef, Bernadette, and the chance to try some of Bergerac's best regional wines.

Please contact Jane Hanslip for more information on Hunting weekends and breaks.

Our riding holidays are centred in and around the spectacular countryside of the Dordogne in south-western France, near the town of Bergerac, and we think they are the best rides in France!

From the moment you leave the stables you will be riding through thousands of hectares of the region's most beautiful private estates .Following trails which take you through a countryside of thick forests, hidden valleys, vineyards and meadows, we have taken great care to plan the rides - different each day - to ensure that experienced riders have the opportunity to enjoy long energetic trots and exciting canters, as well as lazy relaxing walks.

Each ride allows for approximately 3 hours riding in the morning and 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon, and one of the highlights of each day's ride is lunch! Around 12.30 we stop for an hour or so, to rest the horses and enjoy a marvellous picnic lunch, which is served in the grounds of, or inside, the private chateau whose land we are riding through. Lunch will have been freshly prepared by our own chef, Bernadette, and will typically consist of various country salads, regional delicacies (including foie gras), locally baked bread, fresh fruit, and of course the best local Bergerac wines. We encourage any non-riders in the party to join us for the lunchtime feast.

After lunch and a well-earned rest, both horses and riders are relaxed and ready to continue on the day's ride. A typical one week holiday will consist of 5 full days riding and 1 rest day for the horses. We also do shorter stays of 3 and 4 nights which include 3 and 4 days riding with between 4 and 6 hours spent in the saddle each day.

Fitness: Riders need to be reasonably fit and competent, and confident at walk, trot and canter in open country. We try our best to match riders of similar ability, so please be honest in filling out the application form. We regret that we cannot accept absolute beginners or any riders under 12 years old, and we normally impose a weight limit of around 96kg (210lbs or 15 stone).

For Hunting breaks - see www.dordognehunting.com

The horses are mainly a mixture of saddle horses and arab crosses, specialised in trekking, with pretty calm temperaments, but very reliable and not easily spooked. We can assure you they are definitely not 'nose-to-tail' trekking types. The saddles are specialised trekking saddles ( Forestier, Gaston- Mercier etc) and are very comfortable.

We select the horses from a wide range according to the experience and ability of the riders, which is why it is important to complete the booking questionnaire as fully and honestly as possible.It is as important to us as it is to you that you and your horse are well suited and will get on well from the start.

CONTACT
DORDOGNE RIDING

email [email protected]

Dordogne Riding
Tel 00 33 5 53 22 76 08
Mobile 00 44 7768 747610
Contact: Jane Hanslip

www.dordogneriding.com

For Hunting breaks - see www.dordognehunting.com

Le Bourdil Blanc, 24520 Saint Sauveur de Bergerac, Dordogne, France