A 48-Hour Artist’s Dream Trip to Paris
A 48-Hour Artist’s Dream Trip to Paris: The Perfect Itinerary for Art Lovers
If you’re an artist — or simply an art lover traveling to France, the question isn’t if you should visit Paris, but how to make the most of your time there. Whether you’re stopping over before or after an art retreat or painting workshops in Normandy, spending two days in Paris can be an unforgettable experience. The enchanting city is filled with world-class museums, inspiring neighborhoods, and charming cafés where some of the greatest painters once gathered.
Vermeer to Van Gogh, Dutch Masters at Carrieres des Lumieres
This year we returned to the show titled; Vermeer to Van Gogh, The Dutch Masters and we were not disappointed. Included in the list of stellar painters from Holland are Vermeer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Imagine being transported inside these paintings when the projected masterpieces are monumental in size and you are able to observe the art pieces in ways you never imagined…
Rooftop gardens are painting the Parisian landscape green
In Paris, Urban Gardens are making city life more enjoyable while combating the detrimental effects the city has on the environment at large.
Fine Art + Parisian Fashion
Paris is renowned for many things, including art and fashion. In 2017, Vanessa Rothe lead a group of 12 artists to Paris to experience the kind of life that the renowned painters of the late 1800s knew so well. They painted together, studied the masters at the museums, and discussed the influence of art, literature, architecture, and fashion in their work.
Tech, Art and a Starry Night.
Think, marvelous. Think, spectacular. Think, cool. Very Cool. There is nothing to prepare you for what you encounter at Les Baux.
You step from bright, hot sunshine into the dark, refreshing, cavernous realm of a fantastic world. Impossible to accurately describe…
Experience more – extend your stay
Come to Paint, Stay to Explore. Your time with us will be full of wonderful painting spots, breathtaking views and charming villages. But why not take in more? Shouldn’t you extend your stay? Guests ask us “Where should visit?” before or after their workshop or art retreat. You have invested in an overseas trip and seeing more of what France and Europe have to offer just makes sense. It’s not hard to fall in love with France and here’s our advice on where to go. Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Paris Most of our guests prefer to stay in the South of France or to venture up to Paris, so that’s what we’ll focus on here. We use two principal locations for our workshops and retreats, a château near Avignon and another near Aix-en-Provence. It’s a no-brainer that if you come to one chateau and want to stay longer in Provence, you could simply opt to explore the area around the other. One château is about 30 minutes from Avignon and while there you can expect to visit some of the area’s most paintable places. However, there are other fabulous villages where we can’t paint due to the crowds or lack of facilities – in other words, they are not suitable for setting up painting gear. Since these locations are still a must-see, we usually squeeze in a drive-by and quick stop-off to shoot pictures on our Photo Safari, and they are well worth a return visit! This part of Provence is famous for its “perched” villages – villages built upon rocky hills, that leave the good arable land below open to farming grapes, olives, fruit and lavender in abundance. They vie for the Most Beautiful Villages in France designation. These locations are full of character with winding streets and jaw-dropping charm. Take loads of pictures to fuel inspiration for months, if not years. Turning back time Some of the villages perchés include Gordes, Bonnieux, Les Baux and Roussillon, each with its own character and flavor. A favorite is Lacoste, a hillside village that connects you to the past. Imagine it – a hilltop château overlooking the Luberon valley, with winding, stepped, cobbled streets that allow pedestrians to meander through the village below. There is a sense of both timelessness and anachronism in Lacoste. Made infamous by the Marquis de Sade who occupied the château in the mid-1700s, the village is now home to (SCAD) the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Study Abroad Program. You’ll often see art students in the village practicing contemporary art in the traditional surroundings of a medieval fortress village. The city of Avignon is one of the gems of Provence. It has a rich history and still boasts its walled, medieval center with the Palais de Papes (the Palace of the Popes) at its heart. The old city has great cafés and restaurants, charming shops and plenty to see. We don’t paint here as parking is a veritable nightmare due to the construction of a tram system around the walled city’s perimeter. But, for intrepid guests, it is virgin territory. Our other Chateau is outside of Aix-en-Provence, the home of Cézanne. Although we will be spending time in Aix, it is well worth another visit as there is so much to see and do in the ancient Roman Capital of Provence! It has some of the most impressive 17th-century architecture outside of Paris, with broad tree-lined streets, fountains galore (they say there are a thousand) and a thriving café scene. Oh, and Art Museums! The villages of Lourmarin and Cucuron are both visit-worthy, as are any of the other little villages tucked away in the nearby Luberon hills. Does a swim in the Mediterranean sound divine? Keep in mind that this is the South of France – so spending time by the Mediterranean Sea is a must! Our favorites fishing villages are Cassis and La Ciotat, and there are plenty more to explore. You can travel the coast all the way to the Italian border stopping to delight in Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Villefranche-Sur-Mer or Eze. Nothing compares to having lunch at one of these spots, watching the fishing boats unload their catches and of course, the seafood is as fresh as can be! Well, perhaps returning to a seaside bar for an evening glass of Rosé as the sun sets would be just as fine. From either Avignon or Aix-en-Provence, Paris is only 3 or 4 hours away by high-speed rail. Many guests love to explore the city of lights and love, France’s romantic capital. The museums in Paris are among the top rated in the world. Monet’s garden at Giverny can be reached easily from Paris. So different from the South, Paris can add another whole level of experience to your trip. As you can probably tell, we fell in love with France and could go on with more suggestions but part of the joy of this region is discovering it for yourself! Taking a diversion from your planned trip can often lead to you stumbling upon your own hidden treasure. Happy hunting! W.I.F. Blogger: Shirley Hambrick Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley has been part of the Workshops in France team over the last few years and attended over 10 of these trips. Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Tips For Tipping in France
A Tip about Tipping Your guide to tipping in France. Don’t Tip Excessively! How much should you tip in France? Here’s a tip – over tipping can backfire. The French have high respect for their waiters. Very often they aren’t just waiting tables until they get a real job or because they aren’t qualified to do something else. In a nation that takes food so seriously, waiting tables is a respectable occupation. Waiters are paid a living wage and do not rely on tips to make ends meet as they often do in the U.S. and other countries. So, (and this is the tip) Don’t Tip Excessively! At the bottom of your bill you might see “service compris”. That means “service included”. A few coins after a coffee or a couple of Euros after a meal will suffice. We have had waiters chase us down after leaving a restaurant to give us back the excess tip. Embarrassing? Oui! Taxi Tipping? Another tip about tipping. As some of you may be using a taxi, you are expected to tip the driver. Some places advise you to round up the cost of the trip to the next Euro, but it depends on how long the taxi ride was. To be on the safe side, a tip of around 10% of the fare is acceptable. Most Important Tip of All Express gratitude. Be friendly and respectful of those who are serving you! It brings out the very best in those people waiting upon you, and the best out of yourself. It will make your stay so much more pleasant and with sweeter memories. Blogger: Shirley Hambrick Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley has been part of the Workshops in France team over the last few years and attended over 10 of these trips. Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Do you measure up?
Does the idea of coming to an art retreat scare you? Over the years we have heard people say that when they first came to one of our workshops or retreats that they were nervous. Their nervousness stemmed from things like flying, traveling alone, and the general unease caused by the unknown – but by far the biggest cause was the feeling that they might not “measure up”. Interestingly, the people who confess this tend to be the ones who have gained the most out of the retreats, as they have learned so much from painting alongside other artists! We offer two different types of experience, the Uninstructed Retreats and the Instructed Workshops. During both you find that the initial unease evaporates as each one is designed to allow you the space to grow as an artist. You will enter a “no-judgement” zone with Workshops in France. Our 2024 recipient, Sahil Singh Masand, traveled from India to Spain and then to Provence to join our workshop with Jane Hunt and Michele Usibelli. Sahil is now studying at the Barcelona Academy, refining his skills while dreaming of capturing the world through his art. We recently caught up with Sahil to find out about his progress, get feedback about his experience as a scholarship recipient at our workshop, and get the inside scoop on his exciting future plans. The Instructed Workshops are all about learning directly from a master, and we make sure that the people we chose to instruct with us are sensitive to our guests. They too were beginners at one time and are considerate of their students. There will be lots of discussion and everyone will learn from each other as well as the master. We will be following the grand tradition of artists travelling and painting together in the south of France. During the Uninstructed Art Retreats, we have individual mentoring available and we are happy to give demos. Our guests find them most useful when key points such as values, perspective and composition are explored. The uninstructed retreats are where artists tend to share the most with each other, as tips and skills are passed around as generously as the wine. So, are you good enough? We welcome every artist, from fearless beginners to consummate professionals. We recommend that you throw caution to the wind and to remember that the only person you are in competition with is yourself!The Instructed Workshops are all about learning directly from a master, and we make sure that the people we chose to instruct with us are sensitive to our guests. They too were beginners at one time and are considerate of their students. There will be lots of discussion and everyone will learn from each other as well as the master. We will be following the grand tradition of artists travelling and painting together in the south of France. During the Uninstructed Art Retreats, we have individual mentoring available and we are happy to give demos. Our guests find them most useful when key points such as values, perspective and composition are explored. The uninstructed retreats are where artists tend to share the most with each other, as tips and skills are passed around as generously as the wine. Blogger: Shirley Hambrick Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley has been part of the Workshops in France team over the last few years and attended over 10 of these trips. Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Tim Horn Workshop in France
Tim Horn’s plein air workshop in Provence is at our château near Avignon. Tim Horn is an internationally admired and collected artist who specializes in landscapes, rural scenes and man-made objects, including cars. Most of all, he is a painter of light.
Traveling with Art Supplies
The Workshops in France team has taken the mystery out of traveling with art supplies. The TSA has imposed rules about traveling with all kinds of things, including paints. Every now and again, your bag might be the one that is chosen for a random search, but if you do as we do, you shouldn’t encounter any problems.