France - Carcassonne Pyrenean Trail

Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.

Review received from JV of Rossland on 15/06/2023

Day 1
Transfer and afternoon arrival in Granes. Check-in at your overnight accommodation. The guide will meet riders for an aperitif and to discuss the week's ride ahead over dinner.

Day 2
Granes: Today is a 'test' ride with a guide to see how well riders can read their maps and handle their horses, both while riding and on the ground. This is essential as on the following day the unguided trip starts and the riders will be on their own. Ride through woods past the mysterious village of Rennes-le-Château. After a picnic lunch, return to Granes through a green oak forest for dinner and overnight as on the previous night.

Day 3
Granes to Puivert (about 5 hours riding).
Traverse the vinyard studded upper valley of the Aude River to arrive on the plateau of Puivert. Riders cross the plateau and ride into the courtyard of the castle ruin where the travelling troubadours used to enchant the lords of the castle with their songs and tales. Overnight lodging is in the village nearby.

Day 4
Puivert to Labau (5 to 6 hours). Today's route goes through the forest of Picaussel with its huge hemlock, deciduous and pine trees, climbing to a lake, then down through forests and clearings to the ancient village of Labau on the side of a hill.

Day 5
Labau to Ayguebonnes (5 hours).
Follow the valley of Rebenty where there are some good places to canter and really appreciate the qualities of your horse. You have a chance to visit another famous castle called Puylaurens perched high on a mountain, almost in the clouds, which is a textbook example of military architecture.

Spend the night in a home of local cattle farmers. 

Day 6
Ayguebonnes to Cubieres (6+ hours the longest day).
After crossing the valley of Fenouilledes with its small castles, you will ride up to the plateau of Malabrac at the base of Bugarach Peak (4,500 ft.) and then down to Cubieres, a picturesque village where you will stay overnight.

Day 7
Cubieres to Bouchard (5 hours).
Ride through the reserve with deer and wild boar, following the valley of Bugarach at the north base of Bugarach Peak, and on through pine, beech and oak forest, following a small valley with large calcareous rocks before returning to your starting point in Granes.

Day 8
After breakfast a last goodbye as we depart to the airport. This route is for unguided trails. On the guided trail we go directly to Puivert on day 2. The itinerary on this horse riding holiday is for guidance only and may be altered due to weather or other local conditions.

Please follow this link for a map of the start point of this itinerary: Carcasonne Pyrenean Trail

Only two single rooms are available. A single supplement is obligatory for any booking of one person
This trip covers steep mountain terrain and you will need to dismount and lead your horse for up to 15 minutes at a time in a few places.
Unguided Trail: Please note that for unguided trails it is necessary for the group to have good map reading skills and be able to read a compass. It is also very important that the group has a certain degree of horsemanship, you will be required to ensure the well being of your horse at all times.

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.

There are 20 well schooled horses of all shapes and sizes to choose from. From school masters and cobs to fast Arabs and 2 ponies, there is certain to be a horse to suit every rider. The riding can vary in pace depending on the rider's ability. English tack is utilised and the riding style is English. Spanish saddles are used too. Saddle bags will be provided for water bottles, cameras and immediate necessities. Riders are advised to bring their own riding helmet as there may not be any available on site. Tack is well-used but serviceable. The terrain is very steep in parts and you will need to lead your horse in some sections.

Participants should be comfortable at walk, trot, canter and have some experience in rough terrain. Expect to spend an average of 4-6 hours a day in the saddle. You must also be fit enough to be able to dismount and lead your horse on steep sections and remount on the trail.

This is an opportunity to see a seldom seen part of France off the beaten track. There is spectacular scenery en route. You will be staying with local families in their comfortable homes. Some French or the used of a French dictionary and phrase book will add greatly to your enjoyment of the hospitality on this trail.

For the unguided trail you need to be comfortable caring for your horse – feeding, grooming, catching and saddling them daily. You need to be able to follow a route on a map, use a compass and will also be given a written trail description. If, after the inital assesment ride, your host feels that a private guide will be necessary a supplement of will apply. It will also be beneficial to be able to speak some French in order to be able to get maximum enjoyment from the unguided experience. You must carry a mobile phone with you at all times.

There is a minimum riding age of 10 years for this ride.

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

Accommodation is in B&B style home stays known as gites. This means a comfortable room and hot shower is available each night of the trail. This also gives a unique opportunity to meet local people, who are invariably delighted to meet visitors. Bathrooms may be shared and there might be 3 beds in one room. Please note that if the gites are fully booked during peak season, hotels may be used instead where wine is not included.

The food features French style home cooking. Picnic lunches are prepared by the hosts for riders to take along in their saddle bags each day. It is recommended to bring a water bottle to take along. A 3-course dinner is prepared by the hosts.

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

The climate in the mountains are always changeable so you should come prepared with a raincoat and warmer jacket even in summer time. The temperatures below are for the nearest town on the plains and are cooler in the mountains, although it can be hot during the day in July and August.

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).

No special health precautions are required for visits to France, for further details please see your local doctor. We do advise taking plenty of sunscreen!

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.

Good quality film is widely available for purchase as well as batteries (normal, alkaline and lithium).

It is recommended that you bring clothes that air-dry quickly.
Riding pants - jeans or breeches
Endurance type riding boots (for walking beside your horse over rough terrain)
Lipbalm with sunscreen
Half chaps (optional)
Insect repellent
Riding gloves
Sunblock
Riding hat with brim
Sunglasses
Hard hat (recommended)
Plastic bags for wet clothing
T-shirts and shorts
Mobile phone
All terrain sandals
Camera and film
Long sleeved shirts
Binoculars (recommended)
Heavy sweater or sweatshirt
Informal wear for evenings
Lightweight rainwear
Water bottle
Copy of your passport

This is an 8 days / 7 nights programme with 6 days riding. Unguided trails are available on request throughout the year, guided trails are available on set dates. For safety reasons a minimum of 2 persons must book the unguided trail to depart together.


On the guided trail we go directly to Puivert on day 2. On both trails your luggage is transferred by back up vehicle to your accommodation daily.

2023 Guided Trails: 9 April; 7 May; 11 June; 9 July; 13 August; 17 September. Other dates available on request for minimum of 4 riders.
2023 Unguided Trails: (FULL)
2024 Guided Trails: Dates are available between 5 May and 1 Sep for a minimum of 4 riders
2024 Unguided Trails: Dates are available between 15 Apr and 15 Oct for a minimum of 2 riders

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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 Henry James ‘A Little Town In France’. For an excellent selection of equestrian travel and adventure books visit www.horsetravelbooks.com (part of the Long Rider’s Guild).

Walking and with car rental exploring the local towns and villages.

While in Carcassonne you might like to stay on in the town before or after the ride - we have experienced 2 of the hotels in Carcassonne;

Hotel L'Octroi
A very basic 2* hotel 2 minutes walk from the main gate of the city. The bus from the airport goes right past the hotel so ask the driver to stop for you. The rooms are small and basic, but clean and have everything you need. There is a lovely breakfast area and a comfortable seating area with loads of information on the area.
email: hotel-octroi@ataraxie.fr

La MontMorency
A lovely 2* hotel with views of the walled city. Very pleasant rooms, some with balconies. A lovely terrace area with plenty of seating. An outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi. A large breakfast area/bar. This hotel is at the foot of the main gate to the city and is one minute walk from where the airport bus stops. Highly recommended.
Website - www.lemontmorency.com

Things to do in Carcassonne. There are lots of things to do in the old city, including a train or horse and cart tour around the outside. Inside are numerous museums as well as the castle itself. There are lots of lovely cafes, bars and restaurants, the nicest being in the main square. A good value and great service restaurant is La Troubadour in the main square where french singers sometimes perform. It has a nice atmosphere in the evening.

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 character 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.