Painting Courses France, 2024

21-28 June 2024

If you have always wanted to draw or paint, you can do so under the tutelage of Loreto Reilly, a fully qualified art and design teacher, with over 20 years of professional experience, including 15 years running this course. Loreto is an adept and accomplished teacher as well as a successful Irish artist who exhibits regularly at home and abroad.

Landscape Painting

Loreto will host this year’s painting courses in the beautiful village of Fleury d’Aude in the Languedoc area of Southern France. The location is set in the historic centre of the village, surrounded by vineyards and just ten minute’s drive to the beautiful Mediterranean beach of Saint- Pierre-la-Mer.

This former winemaker’s house and garden is the perfect place to paint and relax. The gardens are filled with sunshine but also with many areas shaded by olive trees and Mediterranean plants where you can sit and sketch, read, or have a cool glass of wine. The pool is always an option if the sun of the Midi gets too strong.

Classes

The course is all about painting your own original landscape. Beginning with selecting a subject, learning how to make a preparatory sketch, and then working that to a finished painting. Each step is demonstrated to the group and then developed through one-to-one tuition. Students are encouraged to work at their own level of art experience.

During the course of the week, you will sketch a number of subjects, often completing several paintings by the end. Following this course, whenever you encounter a striking subject, at home or while travelling, you will have the skills to sketch and paint it.

The group is kept to a maximum of ten, in order to ensure that every student receives the maximum assistance and encouragement from the tutor at all times. The synergy of working together with like-minded people brings its own rewards, and many of our students have become close friends. Many people also return from year to year.

Among the painting and drawing media used during this course are graphite pencils, acrylics, and watercolours if requested.

Most materials for painting and drawing are included.  For a list of things to bring click here.

Accommodation


All care is taken that your stay is an enjoyable experience while attending the course and this includes the accommodation. This year La Maison des Vendageurs offers independent apartments in this beautifully restored winemaker’s house.

The house, gardens, pool, and terraces of the house are open to all students and wifi is available throughout the building. All apartments have a full kitchen, dining area, and bathroom.


Afternoon Time to Yourself

  • Walk into the village and visit one of its cafe terraces or restaurants. There are lovely walks through the vineyards right beside ‘La Maison des Vendangeurs’. A bus service runs to Saint Pierre la Mer and also Narbonne every half hour.
  • Take the bus to the beach and enjoy a swim or a cool glass of rosé.
  • Try one of the many picturesque walking routes in the local area or explore scenery further afield, if car rental is chosen.
  • Indulge in wine tasting in one of the local wineries.
  • Take some time for personal painting development.
  • Or simply relax in these beautiful surroundings and take a siesta by the pool

Car rental, shared or otherwise, is the ideal way to explore this fascinating area and is recommended. Information on alternative private transport can be provided.

   

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Testimonials

Another fantastic week with Loreto painting in France. This year we were in the beautiful chateau de Brussons, an authentic French secluded chateau on beautiful grounds where we were blessed with options to paint whichever way we turned.

This year we had the added bonus of yoga each morning with Marie. We stretched and meditated and with Marie’s encouragement, we grew to love and enjoy the morning yoga. This was so (early!!) relaxing and set the tone for the day. Food was excellent, as usual and the wine flowed and sing songs and laughs with this lovely group made the experience very relaxed and enjoyable.

Loreto’s expertise and gentle tutoring coaxed us along ensuring we grew in confidence and learned to experiment and put our new learning into practice, The culmination of this was our Exhibition on our final evening. We celebrated with champagne with Veronique and her husband, owners of the chateau, who were affirming and appreciative of our weeks work all based on the chateau de Brussons.

I now equipped myself with the basic paint colours, brushes and boards and have the confidence to go forth and paint!

Many thanks Loreto and Marie!
Katerine Kennedy, Longford

I’ve just returned to England following a week in France!
Loreto’s course was splendid and as a novice ‘artist’ I learnt so much in 7 days. She is an encouraging, enthusiastic teacher who offers positive advice yet with suggestions of how I might improve my work. Nothing was too much for her and I never felt belittled or dismissed as a non-painter.
Marie with her yoga was an inspiration too. The morning sessions set the pace of the day and allowed me to feel relaxed yet invigorated.
A truly memorable week – for many reasons!
Sally Edwards, Exeter

Thank you Loreto , for a wonderful week in the amazing chateau de Brussons, loved every minute, especially the painting in the very inspiring surroundings of the chateau, amazing food and of course all the great wines. Marie’s yoga each morning was so good, especially after the late nights. Thank you again for all your encouraging words and patience. Looking forward to going back once again in 2018.
Maura Harty. Dublin

I have just returned from a wonderful week painting with Loreto in the lovely sunny Loire Valley in France. As a beginner I was encouraged by both Loreto and the rest of the class, she is an excellent teacher and was always available for support. All good quality materials were provided and we were introduced to various locations and landscapes which catered for students of all levels. The group comprised of many nationalities, abilities and friendly people who all shared a love of painting , good food, local wine and a sense of fun . I would thoroughly recommend this type of holiday to my friends and I am looking forward to going again next year, to Provence.
Breda Fordham, Essex

Thank you Loretta and Marie for painting and yoga in chateau de Brussons. Lovely meals and wines. Trips to Le Mans and Tours. Going to France with Loretta and Marie for many years each year brings new things. Looking forward to 2018 in Provence.
Maura Rooney, Longford

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