A Taste of Water Colour Painting

Highlights

  • Painting sessions with an experienced painter
  • Stay in beautifully renovated farm house with a pool
  • Delicious breakfasts and home cooked dinners with wine included
  • Visit local countryside, vineyards or sunflower fields to paint there
from £1091 pp
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6 nights

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What you'll do

Overview

Experience an inspiring retreat in a beautifully renovated lodge nestled in the picture-perfect countryside of the South West of France. This week is dedicated to painters, offering you ample time to unwind and immerse yourself in your art. Surrounded by breathtaking views that beg to be captured on canvas, you'll find endless inspiration at every turn. Savour delicious, locally-sourced meals provided daily. Enjoy the charm of the house and its gardens, take a refreshing dip in the pool, and soak up the rich, artistic ambiance of French country life.

This week you will have the opportunity to learn new skills in watercolour painting or for the more experienced painters, to hone your skills and find new inspiration in the beautiful French countryside. A local artist will be on hand to mentor, help and advise throughout the week as you progress through practice both at the house and in various nearby locations, en plein air. You will have morning and evening painting sessions on 4 days, all your materials will be provided, and all your meals except one dinner are included, cooked by your hosts with locally sourced ingredients with local wines to accompany meals. Let us be your Chauffeur, Chef, Sommelier and Hosts for a week whilst you concentrate on getting the most from your holiday!

NOTE: There is an extra cost of  €250 euros per person to be paid to the artist on arrival.

Arrival Day

If you choose to take advantage of the complimentary transfer you will be collected from Lourdes airport and driven to Espas and your home for the next seven days.

Take time to settle in and relax, perhaps take a dip in the pool before a welcome cocktail and dinner is served.

You will get to know your fellow painters and be given details about the programme for the week.

 

Water colour painting sessions

A typical walking day will look like this
Breakfast at around 8 o’clock either outside in the summer kitchen, or at the large dining table inside the gite.

After breakfast  you will start your mentored sessions of painting, your materials will be provided and you will cover a wide range of inspirational subjects.

Lunch will be provided, and there will be  time to relax before your afternoon session begins.

You will learn artists painting processes, tips and tricks to use watercolours, your local artist will be on hand to advise and assist.

On two days you will go off site into the surrounding countryside or a vineyard or sunflower field to paint there.

Your day will end with a cocktail by the pool before a home cooked evening meal accompanied by local wine.

Your evening meal with your hosts and fellow painters will typically include an appetiser, a main dish with sides and a dessert. ( please let us know if you have any food intolerances )

You will be staying in one of the two guest bedrooms in the main house , or one of the two guest bedrooms in the gite – each two rooms share a shower room and separate toilet.

There are washing machines on site so you can wash and dry any laundry you need for subsequent days. The pool is available for your entire stay, and will be very welcome after a day of hiking.

The property benefits from a very large 3 acre garden, so there is plenty of room if you would like to relax with a book under a tree. There is a  a covered outside summer kitchen to eat in, a covered outside terrace, a dining area near to pool and a large dining area in the gite.

Free day

Today is the last day of painting and chance to finish off your masterpieces, relax by the pool or explore the local area if you wish.

There will be one free evening during the week when your hosts will drive you to a local town where there are several good restaurants to choose from and of course they will collect you after dinner and take you back to your accommodation.

Departure Day

Today is sadly your last day,  and after breakfast there will be a complimentary transfer back to Lourdes/ Tarbes for your return journey home.

Taking with you wonderful memories of your walks in the stunning french countryside.

What's included

Included

  • Transfers from Tarbes -Lourdes airport
  • Accommodation in twin or double room
  • 6 Breakfasts, 5 lunches
  • 5 evening meals - 3 courses plus wine and beer
  • Transport to and from the local town on your free evening
  • Use of swimming pool and pool towels
  • Evening sun downer cocktail
  • 24 hour tea and coffee
  • Wine or beer for the duration of your stay
  • Two painting sessions per day with a local painter
  • All painting materials and equipment

Accommodation

Stay in either the main house or the two bedroomed gite

The main house has two guest bedrooms ( a double and a twin) sharing a bathroom and the gite has two bedrooms- one double and one twin -with one shared bathroom, a living room and kitchen. The property has very large gardens with stunning countryside views, and a swimming pool with terrace and sunbeds. Breakfast and dinner will be served out on the terrace or in the dining room of the main house depending on the weather.
There is a washing machine for guests use, and pool towels are provided.

Your local host

Andrew and Dan

Andrew and Dan decided to start a new life in the South of France to enjoy the peaceful countryside of the Occitanie region, and start a business hosting guests in their country house and gite. They moved to France from the UK at the end of 2020, during the pandemic, and opened their holiday gite in 2021. Due to its unique position close to the route of the Camino de Santiago they decided to offer hiking breaks and also painting, photography and cooking breaks. They are wonderful hosts and receive rave reviews for their accommodation and their hospitality. They have appeared on C4´s “A new life in the sun“ and it’s sister program “Where are they now?“

Andrew and Dan decided to start a new life in the South of France to enjoy the peaceful countryside of the Occitanie region, and start a business hosting guests in their country house and gite. They moved to France from the UK at the end of 2020, during the pandemic, and opened their holiday gite in 2021. Due to its unique position close to the route of the Camino de Santiago they decided to offer hiking breaks and also painting, photography and cooking breaks. They are wonderful hosts and receive rave reviews for their accommodation and their hospitality. They have appeared on C4´s “A new life in the sun“ and it’s sister program “Where are they now?“

Location

The base for your holiday is in the South west France, with breathtaking views of the Pyrenees, is just  one hour, 20 mins from Lourdes airport /Tarbes.

There are direct flights from Stansted to Lourdes and complimentary transfers will be arranged from Lourdes airport. The transfer pick up time will be between 16:00 and 18:00 which will  coincide with the Ryan Air flight direct from Stansted.

Please let us know your flight details as soon as possible.

The renovated farm house and gite where you will be staying has a lovely and very large garden with outdoor swimming pool for you to enjoy. There are relaxing outdoor areas as well as a cosy living room and dining spaces.

Rooms are either twin/ double or twin with each two rooms sharing a bathroom and separate toilet.

Each day you will have a morning and afternoon painting session with your local painter.

FAQs

What should I bring?

Clothes suitable for painting / apron
Swimming costume for the pool
Sun hat

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