Quad Biking near St Remy de Provence

The only other time I can remember handling a quad-bike was during primary school when I was invited round to a friend’s house who lived on a farm for an after school play-date. I spent five-minutes whizzing around the farm as fast as I dared and then I remember crashing into a steel gate that my friends mum was opening to let some cows into another field. I wasn’t allowed on the quad bike after that.

To be fair I was 7 years old and not one word of instruction was given to me on how to operate the controls at the time, so at 10am on a Sunday morning I was very interested in everything Jerome from Provence Quad Location had to say when giving the detailed safety brief and explaining how to drive the bikes.

There were fourteen others on this particular trip; a small family, some couples, a group of friends and me, so the groups were split in half and two guides had seven people each.

We start off by hopping kerbs around the cul-de-sac of the business to get to grips with the handling of the quad, and then as we venture out over a main road our terrain becomes ever-changing; encountering dirt mounds, grassy vineyards and gravel roads along the route.

Our group leader took us to an off-road circuit that veers around tight bends and over bumps and jumps. It’s all about counter balancing the weigh and the quad will do the rest - he explains, as we raise the speed a little around the track, but it’s only a minute later that the two ladies riding together in front of me come a cropper and teeter slightly off the side into a bush. They’re immediately helped back on track and we continue through a narrow passageway to begin the “Discovery” part of the ride.

As you would expect with this kind of extreme sport there will be a lot of dust and dirt flying around. The helmets have face-guards which stop any debris popping up and hitting you in the face, but your arms and legs might get a few scratches from rogue thorns and hedges. It’s also a good idea to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting down and dirty in, because bombing through the countryside on a quad isn’t exactly the cleanest pastime ever.

We’re deep into the heart of the countryside by now and for miles around there are only vineyards, farms, lavender, animals and mountains. This is a part of Provence that usually only those who work these fields will ever see. This is where the grapes for the AOP wine are grown, this is where the lavender is harvested and this is where goat’s cheese is created. This is Provence at the ground level. 

We take a few water breaks in some spots with great views of Les Alpilles mountain range, Jerome and his partner lead the light-hearted conversation and when everyone is ready we set off again trying to stay to the track to lessen our impact on the environment around us. It’s not long before we’re back in Graveson and driving through the quiet Provençal town like a wannabe gang of Hells Angels going 10km per hour on quad bikes.

The “Discovery” tour is fantastic for so many reasons. It will appeal to people who have an interest in where Provençal delicacies are made; it will appeal to people who enjoy the thrill of riding a quad through interesting terrain; and it will appeal to people who enjoy nature and exploring places off the beaten track.

The 2-hour “Discovery” tour costs €90 with refreshments provided.

Provence Quad Location is located at; 5 Avenue du Docteur Pramayon, Graveson.