PAINTING, DRAWING & SKETCHING HOLIDAYS in the Heart of France.

BED & BREAKFAST ACCOMMODATION in the HEART OF RURAL FRANCE

FULL BOARD SIGHT-SEEING HOLIDAYS

FULL BOARD ART, PAINTING and SKETCHING HOLIDAYS

FANTASTIC FOOD - AMAZING ACCOMMODATION - LOVELY LOCATION

   

Joe setching in the Old Town of La Châtre

Our Art holidays in France offer relaxed and friendly painting and sketching time mingled in with good company, good French food and an experience of the French way of life.

Would you like to be taken to the most picturesque places in the centre of France? Would you like to spend time sketching and painting in chateaux gardens surrounded by roses? Would you like to spend a day in a forest over-looking a lake where you can enjoy a picnic lunch between sketches? Would you like to get back in the evening to to enjoy dinner and spend evenings painting, relaxing or simply chatting to your fellow artists? If you answer yes to any of the above questions then our painting and sketching holidays will really suit you.

It does not matter if you are a beginner or an accomplished artist. We provide beautiful picturesque locations for you to work in. We provide wonderful accommodation for you to relax and feel at home in. We provide delicious food (we cater for many diets). We take you out on picnics and to a restaurant (special diets permitting). We provide a further "French experience" by visiting markets and maybe a local fete, so that you go home brimming with ideas and inspiration and also feeling relaxed and ready to take on the world!

All you need to do is get here (if you are driving) - or fly to Limoges Airport and we will collect you. We can also collect from Chateauroux or Montlucon Train Stations - there is a connection from Paris for those travelling by Eurostar. You may want to bring a little spending money, but pretty much everything is included.

Your hosts on this course are Debbie and Anne - you can find out about them on our home page

A typical Art, sketching and painting holiday would be something along these lines (we are flexible to suit your requirements):

Day of travel: You will either arrive here under your own steam, or you can be collected from Chateauroux station or Limoges airport. You will be welcomed, allowed time to settle in and then relax over drinks and nibbles followed later by a meal.

Day One: Easy going morning, as you may be tired, but maybe a trip to a local market. Here, if you like, just unwind, maybe do a sketch or three. Followed by lunch out at a local restaurant. Afternoon at home, simply settling in and maybe doing a bit of sketching around the house gardens and country lanes.

Day Two:  Today we will go on a sightseeing / sketching / painting tour. We will have a picnic lunch and while out will visit several sights frequented by many famous impressionist painters. There will be plenty of time to paint, sketch, photograph or simply soak up the beautiful surroundings.

Day Three: This is a half day. Visit to local market (for shopping or sketching or both). Late lunch at home followed by relaxing afternoon. Maybe, if you like and weather permitting you could be taken to the local swimming lake, where you can also take the shoreline path for some superb places to sketch and paint. There is a cafe near the lake for refreshment. Or you may like to stay home and play with paint, in an experimental art afternoon - lets get mucky!

Day Four: Today we visit a local chateau and gardens for a day's painting (or photography, sketching etc). Picnic lunch.

Day Five: A trip to an area of history - here you will be able to sketch the medieval town centre, visit the superb museum of archaeology and then go on to the nearby riverside town for some superb townscapes and river-scapes.

Day Six: (last full day) Visit to some beautiful woodlands with a choice of short walks to explore with nooks and crannies and a bubbling a brook. Afternoon at home either relaxing or doing some painting.

Day Seven: A hearty breakfast then we take you back to the station or airport. If going to Limoges, and the flight times allow, and all agree, we can visit Oradour sur Glane before your departure.

The aim: You should go home with a sketch book full of material, maybe a completed painting or two and plenty of photos. You will also have enjoyed a superb relaxing holiday and experienced a bit of French life.

For those with digital cameras, each day, you can download to the PC and at the end of your stay, we will create a CD with all your images on - so no need to worry about buying extra memory cards.

All guests have access to the internet and PC. We have a library of books and other material for inspiration. For rainy days, we have plenty of indoor spaces to be able to paint and sketch. We can provide materials for sketching and painting for those that want to travel light.

This is not a course, it is a holiday, but we are more than happy to help out with tuition and guidance when requested. The most important thing is for you to have fun being creative and having a lovely time here in Central France being pampered.

Holiday Price:

Sketching & Painting Holiday in Central France: 680€ per person - full board (no single person supplement).

BOOK NOW 

AVAILABILITY CALENDAR

Trips and meals out included. You will be taken to some of the most picturesque places in the area to paint, sketch, photograph or just sight-see. This is a great holiday for "non-participating" partners (we say non-participating lightly - as there are many enjoyable activities that can be coincided). They will pay sight-seeing price of 550€.

Picnics, meal out in restaurant and relaxation time included. Collection from airport or station included if required.

We provide some sketching materials and additional materials can be purchased on site at cost. Please bring your own paints and brushes.

 

TESTIMONIALS:

From Joe in Dublin, July 2008..........

I spent a wonderful week at Coeur de France in early July 2008. The holiday was everything I expected, and more.

Among the aspects of my stay that deserve special comment were:

  • the fascinating trips to sites of interest from a painting/drawing perspective

  • the excellent and comfortable accommodation

  • the quality of the meals both in restaurants in the locality and in the house each evening

  • the quality of the encouragement and guidance which was always helpful and gave maximum freedom to explore my own style

  • the opportunity to see very gifted artists treat subjects in their own individual way

Two things I'd single out for special mention were the genuineness and warmth of the welcome I received, becoming for the week a member of the family and the invaluable assistance the whole experience gave in terms of my own development as a painting enthusiast.

JOE H., DUBLIN

Thank you Joe for your lovely comments.....Debbie and Anne

 

Go to Reservations Page for more information.

See our art gallery

Working in the studio after a day sketching in the field

Sarzay Castle. The Indre in Central France has many superb castles and chateaux to visit.

Sarzay Castle painted in watercolour by Anne Waller, your host

Confluence of La Creuse and La Petite Creuse, where the famous Impressionist painters painted.

Ste severe sur Indre - film location of Jacques Tati's "Jour de Fete" 1947

Painting by Debbie, in Acrylics, of a local landscape.

Sketch from a riverbank

Sunset at La Loge Sagrolle - a common occurence to see such beautiful colours.

| Home | Bed & Breakfast | Full Board Holidays |

| Art Inspiration Vacations |

| Culinary Delights | Prices & Reservations | Location & Contact Details |

Art Gallery  | Useful Resources |

©2007 all rights reserved. No images or text may be copied from this site for any use, unless by written permission of the site owner.