LaRébenne team
Henri FAUR
"Born into a family of Pyreneans, I've been roaming the Pyrenees since I was a child. After a career in the commercial sector, I decided to change my life by taking the mountain guide diploma. In 2001, with the diploma in my pocket, I decided to leave for Morocco with the idea of setting up hiking circuits."
Fleur MICHENAUD
"Originally from Anjou, I trained as a guide-interpreter-conférencier. Combining my profession with a passion for horses for several years at the prestigious Cadre Noir de Saumur - École Nationale d'Équitation, I felt the need to change horizons. In 2012, I embarked on a new adventure in Ariège, notably with the LaRébenne “family”, where I advise, manage and fine-tune every detail of the tours to offer you a trip with no nasty surprises. Because with us, it's the little things that make great trips!"
Valentin BESSON
“Although I'm originally from the ”flat country of the Deux-Sévres", I've always dreamed of the mountains. An avid fisherman, I later discovered mountain biking, hiking, trail running, climbing and skiing... For me, these outdoor activities are a pretext for discovering new landscapes, cultures and flavors. After studying sports and tourism management, I moved to Ariège to join the LaRébenne team. I can help you with your travel plans, both from my office in Foix and in the field."
Gwendoline GEORGET
"I'm passionate about preparing walking and cycling trips, with a specialization in itinerant experiences. Dynamic and creative, I design tailor-made trips, always oriented towards the well-being and needs of my customers. Outside the office, I slip on my hiking boots or get on my bike to explore new horizons. My cycling style is a bit surprising, but for me what's important is the freedom to pedal! I'm also interested in reading essays, wellness and art, passions that feed my approach to travel."
Jonathan GAUTHIER
"It's already been several years since I set up my base camp in the Ariege Pyrenees! I love leaving them for new journeys... and coming back to explore them again and again. I'll be your logistician on mountain biking or cycling trips, or your guide on some of our hiking and snowshoeing trips (Mountain Leader)."
Loïc GALLOT
"Settled in the Ariège Pyrenees a few years ago, I share with you the singles played on LaRébenne mountain bike trips, from the Pyrenees to the Sierra Nevada in Spain! As a mountain leader and mountain bike instructor, I'll accompany you to the summits to pass on the passion of my profession."
The LaRébenne story
"Born into a family of Pyreneans, I've been roaming the Pyrenees since my earliest childhood. After a career in the commercial sector, I decided to change my life by taking the mountain guide diploma. In 2001, with the diploma in my pocket, I decided to leave for Morocco with the idea of setting up hiking circuits.
After a pleasant trip and meeting many new people, I was about to leave the country without having found what I was looking for. My address book was full, but all these contacts were based on a money relationship with no real exchange. A little disappointed, I set off on my return journey and at the foot of the Tizi'n Tichka, I stopped in front of a fossil store, just one of many. Out of this modest shop comes Lahcen Telhaoui, with his direct, powerful gaze. He greets me and invites me in for tea.
I spend 3 days with him in the middle of the village among his people. Over the course of time and long discussions, in which we revisited the world several times, we got to know and trust each other.
From there, the great adventure began.
6 months later, I returned to Morocco to set up our first tour: The Four Valleys. We set off with Lahcen, Omar the muleteer and Gilles a friend. Everything matched what I'd imagined: the landscapes, the encounters with mountain peoples, the muleteers.
Then came the revelation: one evening we arrived late afternoon at the gîte in the middle of the village. It's perched high above the valley. Sitting on the overhanging terrace, I watch life in motion. The sun is slowly declining, and the colors are getting warmer. In the terraced fields, children are herding their flocks, their songs echoing up the valley - I had tears in my eyes, what happiness! "
Henri Faur, founder of LaRébenne
Since then, our ambition has been to let you experience these emotions as we saw them. To see you not as customers, but as friends for whom we reserve the very best. That's why we build most of our hiking and biking tours ourselves. Whether in France or abroad, we try to emphasize the spirit of roaming with as few vehicle transfers as possible. This is important for a good immersion in the region crossed. Of course, we are guided only by the choice of the most interesting stages, but always by the idea of the caravan: a team making progress together.
After fifteen years of collaboration and a widely shared spirit of travel, we decided to join forces in 2024 with the Vélorizons agency, based in the Alps. We have thus become members of a large family of cycling and walking enthusiasts.
Our spirit
A trip on foot or by bike is a jigsaw puzzle involving a host of people: guides, gîte or hotel managers, refuge wardens, restaurateurs, cabs... A well-paid team is happy to welcome you and help you enjoy a unique stay, treating you as a friend, creating the conditions for you to experience emotions and encounters that are very human. Our prices are carefully studied, with a view to combining the interests of the customer, the service provider and the organization. We don't negotiate rates, but prefer to be very demanding when it comes to the quality of our services.
Far from the charters that flourish in many catalogs, we make our fair tourism a daily reality through simple, concrete actions and long-term partnerships with our local service providers. Whenever possible, the LaRébenne teams live in the valley or region they're helping you discover.
Welcome to LaRébenne!
LaRébenne - 10 Rue de la Comédie, 09000 Foix - Tel : +33 (0)5 61 65 20 93
La Rébenne is a brand of SAS Vélorizons - 273 rue Branmafan 73230 Barby
Certificate of registration with the register of travel operators: IM038100057
SAS au capital de 4 425 € - RCS/SIREN Chambéry 449118694
Intracommunity VAT FR01 449118694
Guarantor: Groupama Assurances-crédit & caution, 8/10rue d'Astorg, 75 008 Paris. Tel : 01 70 96 63 40
RCP ALLIANZ IARD, 87 rue Richelieu, 75002 Paris