Horse riding
Discover the Verdon on horseback: ride alongside Europe’s largest canyon, follow the turquoise lakes, cross the lavender plateaus. From a first led pony ride at age 3 to a multi-day trek, the centres on both banks open up a Verdon that few visitors ever see.
The area doesn’t have just one face: on horseback, you move from the dizzying heights of the gorge to the emerald shores of the lakes, then to the vastness of the lavender plateaus. That’s what makes riding in the Verdon so rich — three radically different settings, less than an hour apart, with centres on both banks, in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence as well as the Var.
Ride just minutes from Point Sublime and the Route des Crêtes, below the great cliffs. From La Palud, base camp for canyon adventurers, the ride faces Europe’s largest canyon — a view few riders anywhere in the world know.
Follow the emerald water of Lake Sainte-Croix from Les Salles-sur-Verdon or Bauduen, among oaks and lavender. Some centres even offer summer swimming with the horse in the lake — one of the most memorable experiences the Verdon has to offer.
Above Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and towards Riez, the landscape opens onto the plateaus of Provence. In June and July, ride among fields of flowering lavender, or at sunset when the heat eases.
Five centres, from the gorge to the plateaus, run by professionals. We don’t publish their contact details until they’ve been checked one by one: book via their website, or find them, as they’re verified, in our provider directory.
In the heart of the gorge: one- to two-hour rides and pony rides for children, led by a qualified instructor, in an exceptional setting.
A long-established equestrian tourism centre beside Lake Sainte-Croix: from a pony ride to a one-hour outing to a full day, with packages combining meals and water activities.
Discovery and “sunset” rides lasting one to three hours, all year round; led pony from age 3, horse from age 8. Summer ranch above Moustiers.
Le Grignolet trekking centre and its herd of 71 horses: rides for every level, horse + canoe packages, accommodation, and spring and autumn transhumance.
A riding club on the Var shore of Lake Sainte-Croix, another gateway to discovering the Verdon at a horse’s pace.
You don’t need to be a rider: centres offer led ponies from age 3 and accompanied first horse rides from around age 8, with qualified instructors. It’s one of the loveliest ways to introduce children to the Verdon — peacefully, away from the crowds.
Beyond the one-hour ride, the Verdon lends itself to longer equestrian adventures, some of them unique in France:
Travel in stages from village to village, from the lake to the plateaus, and sleep near the horses: several centres organise multi-day treks for experienced riders.
A formula unique to the area: one part on horseback, one part by canoe on the Verdon or through the lower gorge. Le Grignolet has made it its signature.
Help move the herd across the Verdon with the seasons — a rare immersion far from mass tourism (dates announced each year by the centres).
The finest seasons are spring, early summer (lavender flowers on the plateaus in June and July) and autumn. In midsummer, it’s best to set off early in the morning or at sunset. Combine your ride with a swim in Lake Sainte-Croix, a stop in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie or La Palud-sur-Verdon, and plan your visit with When to visit.
There are riding centres on both banks. In the heart of the gorge, Cheval et Soleil Verdon at La Palud-sur-Verdon; beside Lake Sainte-Croix, Verdon Équitation (Les Salles-sur-Verdon) and Ranch de la Blache (Bauduen); on the plateaus and lavender side, EquiVerdon (Riez and above Moustiers-Sainte-Marie); in the lower gorge, Les Chevaux du Verdon at Artignosc-sur-Verdon. Find them in our provider directory.
Yes. Most centres offer led pony rides from age 3, on marked routes, and accompanied horse rides from around age 8. It is one of the most accessible activities in the Verdon for discovering the landscape as a family.
As a guide: a led pony ride costs around €15–20 (half an hour), a one-hour horse ride around €29–30, a half-day €45–55, and a full day €85–95 depending on the centre and package (some include a meal or a water activity). Prices are indicative: confirm with the centre when booking.
Yes. Several centres, especially Les Chevaux du Verdon at Artignosc, organise multi-day travelling treks, combined horse + canoe packages, and even spring and autumn transhumance, where you help move the herd across the area.
Spring, early summer (with lavender flowering in June and July) and autumn offer the most pleasant conditions. In midsummer, it’s best to ride early in the morning or late in the day (“sunset” rides) to avoid the heat. Book ahead in high season.