France - Burgundy Unguided Short Break

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Day 1
Arrival afternoon and check into the accommodation. The heated swimming pool is available from 28 April to 15 October. Supper with fellow riders and the host at the farmhouse.

Day 2
Breakfast at the farmhouse. After discussing each person's skill level and preferences, riders are allocated a horse before heading to the arena to ensure riders and horses are well matched. Head out for a relaxing ride around the farm and into the nearby forest and local countryside. Sight seeing or relaxing at the farm in the afternoon.

Day 3
The next day, unguided riding in the morning and then relax, or go sight seeing in the afternoon.

Day 4
Departure after breakfast.

Non-riders and other activities:
There are nice walks around the farm and the heated swimming pool is open 28 April- 15 Oct. Extra activities such as a ride in a horse drawn carriage or a flight in a microlight are possible, but these must be booked in advance. The farm can also be used as a base for exploring the local area by car.

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

The horses are calm, well trained and willing, but unguided riding is not suitable for beginners. There are four Friesians, two Axois draught horses and a Westfalen for unguided riding. Your host will chose the horse most suited to your riding ability. The riding is around the farm, local village and into the nearby forest for 2 hours a day. More riding can be booked on site. There is one trial ride with the owner to asses your suitability for unguided riding.

Riders need to be reasonably experienced and comfortable at all paces and be comfortable catching and saddling your own horse. The horses are sweet and affectionate, this is relaxed riding on the owner's personal horses, so you would be expected to ride carefully, as though they were your own, not fast and furious! All riders should be knowledgeable in First Aid.

The weight limit for this ride is 209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

The farm has been renovated and there are comfortable air conditioned double (not twin) rooms available all en-suite, except the family room with 2 beds. Meals are table d'hôte, prepared in the family kitchen with your chef host, made from fresh local and regional products. Languages spoken: German, English, Spanish, French and Dutch.

If you are interested in the loft apartment, please enquire. It is 160 square meters and suitable for up to eight people. The loft has a private entrance and home cinema and a roof terrace. It comprises two separate rooms, with double beds and four single beds with kitchen, bathroom with bath, shower, toilet.

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements within reason can be accommodated with advance notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests before booking.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip. NB: Be sure to check the COVID status of the country you plan to visit including entry procedures and requirements while travelling. Passport and Visa requirements can change regularly depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country. Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate should you need a visa. In the UK the British Foreign Office gives advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france In the USA: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/France.html In Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/france

Another useful resource is Sherpa - this summarises any travel and vaccination requirements based on when you are travelling simply by entering your home country followed by your destination country: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

The climate in this area is considered warm and temperate with quite a bit of rain, ideal for wine production. Summer begins here at the end of June and ends in September. The months of summer are: June, July, August, September.

COVID: Be sure to check the latest COVID regulations for travelling in any country you visit.

Please refer to your country’s latest health guideline for travel in France and contact your own GP for up to date advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis prior to travel.


Please take along sun cream and anti-allergy medicine for possible insect bites.

The emergency phone number in France is 112. If you need to contact other emergency services, call 15 (medical), 17 (police) or 18 (fire).

In France the supply voltage is 230V. If the appliance is a single voltage rated appliance, it will need to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country i.e. 230V. If this is not the case it should be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly.

There is WiFi at the farm and reasonable mobile phone coverage, depending on your network.

- Riding Helmet - we strongly recommend that you wear a properly fitted riding helmet of the current standard which is PAS015 or BSEN1384
- Gloves
- Jodhpurs - jodhpurs, breeches or other comfortable trousers (jeans may rub and can also be quite hot)
- Riding Boots - it is important to have correct shoes or boots for horse riding. Jodhpur or ankle boots with a rubber sole are recommended but sturdy shoes with a definite heel are acceptable (such as walking boots)
- Half chaps (recommended) - these are great when worn with ankle boots and help prevent the stirrup leathers rubbing against your legs
- Light summer clothing is needed on summer departure dates.
- Jumper/fleece
- Warm jacket (spring and autumn)
- Shorts
- Long sleeve shirts
- T-shirts
- Underwear
- Raincoat
- Swimsuit (seasonal)
- Sunglasses with a string
- Sun screen
- Personal Items - toiletries, any medicines you require and please be sure to take insect repellent
- Refillable Water Bottle - it's very important to drink a lot of water when it's hot, especially when doing physical activities
- Camera on a shoulder strap with a pouch which can be secured to your belt
- Clothing for sightseeing etc If you wish to ride with a body protector, please bring your own.

4d / 3n programme with 2 riding days. Longer on request.

All year round.
High season: May- Sept
Low season: Oct - April

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Theodore Zeldin ‘The French’,

Francoise Sagan ‘Bonjour Tristesse’,

Peter Mayle ‘A Year in Provence’ and ‘Toujours Provence’,

Louis Stevensons ‘Travels with a Donkey’ and

For the equestrian traveller who would like to see what is possible on horseback, visit www.thelongridersguild.com. An excellent source of equestrian travel books is www.horsetravelbooks.com  

The owners are keen on renewables and the farm has solar panels and biomass heating. A ride in a horse drawn carriage or flying experiences (light aircraft, microlight or gyroplane) can be arranged only with prior notice.
This is a quiet corner of Burgundy quite near to the pretty village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, France and the place where the movie "Chocolat" was filmed.

The French wrote the book on la vie en rose and gave the world champagne and camembert, de Beauvoir and Debussy, the Tour de France and the Eiffel Tower. It is a country steeped in history. Staggering monasteries and castles dotted all over the country are a reminder of a turbulent and often violent past, especially in the Carcasonne region where the Gnostic Christian organisation the Cathars, held fast against a crusade launched in the 11th century by an angry and vengeful Catholic church for over twenty years. Despite their vow of non-violence they had a strong support base, including the Knights Templar, and their name often pops up in the legend of the Holy Grail. The French character has undoubtedly been influenced by their past, today they are a proud and patriotic people famed for enjoying the finer things in life and displaying a great generosity in their willingness to share their country with the millions of visitors they receive each year. Food is very important in French culture, almost a passion. Families eat dinner together late in the evening and their diet is usually very healthy, packed with home grown fruit and vegetables. You will hardly ever see anyone eating on the street; if you do chances are they're not French! France is one hour ahead of GMT and they use the metric weights and measures system, so kilometres and kilograms instead of miles and pounds. There is approximately 1.6 kilometres in a mile and 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. The international dialling code for France is +33.