French Painting Holidays
Celebrating the Essence of French Impressionism
At French Painting Holidays, we offer plein-air painting retreats in the Loire Valley, France—an experience that sparks your artistic spirit and creates lasting memories.
During your seven-night retreat, you'll have daily art tuition (six days) and the chance to learn, create, and connect with fellow artists in a friendly, relaxed, and informative environment.
Imagine waking up to the sounds of the countryside, painting in historic villages, vineyards, and châteaux, and then coming back to a traditional farm home to relax.
Our fully renovated 200-year-old farm stone buildings sit around a large courtyard. You will stay in the Barn and Studio, which offer five bedrooms with stunning stone walls and large beams, three bathrooms, a spacious studio, a welcoming kitchen and salon, and a private courtyard.
Across the courtyard, the Farm House offers even more space for you to relax, a formal lounge, a library, a dining room, and a large bathroom with a bath.
Enjoy fresh, home-cooked meals made with local produce under the portico with a bottle of wine you have selected from the cellar, sharing laughter and great conversation with fellow art lovers.
Nurture your talent and create art in one of Europe's most enchanting settings, The Loire Valley, often called The Garden of France. - Taking expressions of interest for 2026.
Extend your painting journey in the medieval town of Chinon, located in the Loire Valley, with a stay
at La Maison des Artistes, our dedicated artist residence offering a distinct setting
for further inspiration and creative exploration.
Join us for an unforgettable artistic journey!
Impressionism
Impressionism is an art movement that began in France during the late 19th century. It is characterised by a focus on capturing fleeting moments, often using visible brushstrokes, vibrant colours, and a study of light and its changing qualities. Rather than painting in a studio, impressionists found that they could better capture the momentary effects of sunlight by working quickly outdoors (en plein air). This approach led to a heightened awareness of light, colour, and the shifting patterns of the natural scene. Their brushwork became rapid and fragmented, using separate dabs to depict the transient quality of light.
In our Painting Studio, we will provide tutorials developed by the impressionists on the use of colour and tonal qualities, along with instruction on light and brushstrokes. In the afternoons, we will practice painting en plein air to capture light in our chosen subjects. The following morning, studio sessions will continue to focus on impressionistic techniques and the application of colour and composition to help you develop your individual style.
Your Stay
Included
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Enjoy 7 nights' Boutique Accommodation, including transfers to and from Chinon Train Station. You will have your own room. We offer two Queen Rooms with en-suites, three Queen Rooms that share two bathrooms.
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Participate in 6 days of guided oil painting tuition with excursions to memorable locations
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French Painting Holidays will supply all painting materials, along with a complimentary apron
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All meals are included (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), with wine served during dinner
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A self-service laundry facility is available
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€2250 per person with own bedroom
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€4,000 for a couple sharing a bedroom, including tuition for both.
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€3375 for a couple sharing a bedroom with tuition and outings for one. (Please note we welcome your partner, but may not have room to take them out as guest artists take precedence)
Important Notes
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If having your own bathroom is essential, please book early.
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Please be aware that, like most traditional accommodations in France, there are stairs.
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We have one bedroom with an en-suite located on the ground floor.
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Guests should be able to carry their easels and navigate uneven ground, including cobblestones and small uphill rises, unassisted during outings.
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You are welcome to arrive by rental car.
Free Time
Enjoy the beautiful formal lounge in the Farm House and the mezzanine library, and peruse the many art books.
Relax under the portique within the courtyard, explore the quiet lanes of the hamlet, play petangue, take a bike ride or continue painting in the studio on your own painting storyboard.
Excluded
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Flights or travel to Chinon Train Station
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Travel insurance
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Alcoholic beverages or additional drinks on outings
About the Painting Holiday
Tutor: Bret Gibson
Location: Nouzilly, Chalais - Loire, France
The Painting Holidays cater for beginner artists in a relaxed, friendly, fun environment.
Experienced artists are welcome.
The Painting Studio and accommodation are located in the hamlet of Nouzilly, set in a group of traditional French farm buildings surrounding an enclosed central courtyard.
The farm buildings have been renovated with loving care for the painting holidays.
Each painting course runs for six days. To ensure that each individual receives one-to-one tuition, we limit the number of painting guests to six.
The Painting Course delivers a mixture of studio tuition and painting excursions to local scenes -
a 14th century windmill, the local villages of Montsoreau, Chinon and Richelieu and to the stunning
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau and Château de Villandry.
Painting Holidays are held during the summer, from May to September DATES TO BE ADVISED
The Painting course is designed to encourage guests to discover and express their own
personal creative spirit using the French Impressionist style.
The course begins with tuition of the basics of painting in the Impressionist style using simple subjects, and progresses in easy steps towards the more complex.
The guests are shown how to mix all the Impressionist colours using three primary pigment colours, and
white. After these basics have been delivered and practiced, the class is taken on an excursion to nearby
locations where the tuition is put into practice, under the watchful eye and guidance of the
tutor.
The course is structured so that the experience of the previous day is consolidated the following morning back in the studio.
At the end of the 6-day course, each student will have completed five to six paintings.
Typical day:
Breakfast 8.00 - 9.00
Tuition 9.00 - 12.00 with a break for light refreshments
Lunch 12.00 - 1.00
Painting Excursion 1.00 - 4.00 with a break for light refreshments
Free time
Dinner 7.00 traditional French cuisine in the regional style
Free time
Day 1: Arrival
Participants arrive from 4 pm and settle in. Welcomed by hosts Bret and Kathryn.
7 pm Dinner
Social gathering after Dinner. Meet and greet.
Day 2: Nouzilly Windmill
Morning: Meet in the Studio
Share aspirations, expectations
Supply and demonstration of equipment and materials
Technique demonstration on the use of oil paints. Introduction to the Impressionist Colour Palette with Mixing Demonstration.
Drawing demonstration on the use of charcoal sticks, followed by composition, perspective and horizon line.
Afternoon: Excursion to a 14th-century local windmill and its surrounding landscape. Guests then proceed with their first painting.
Day 3: Richelieu Landscapes or Streetscapes
Morning: Drawing: Demonstration; charcoal composition, form, shadows, followed by colour mixing demonstration
Afternoon: Drive to Richelieu to paint a landscape or streetscape applying composition, colour and tonality
Day 4: Montsoreau Scenes on the Loire
Morning: Drawing: Demonstration; charcoal composition and perspective, followed by the Impressionist colour palette with mixing demonstration and the technique of painting water scenes and reflections.
Afternoon: Excursion: Drive to Montsoreau to paint scenes on the Loire River
Day 5: Chateau d'Azay le Rideau Painting the Chateau or Gardens
Morning: Demonstration on Impressionist colour, composition and content and how to paint flowers and garden scenes.
Afternoon: Excursion: Drive to Azay-le-Rideau. Painting in the garden of this magnificent Renaissance Chateau
Day 6: Chinon Streetscapes
Morning: Drawing demonstration on perspective and horizon lines, followed by the Impressionist colour palette with mixing demonstration with the use of light and shadows
Afternoon: Excursion: Drive to this Historic Village to paint streetscapes
Day 7: Chateau de Villandry Choose your scene - paint as you wish
All Day Excursion: Chateau de Villandry, painting in the grounds of one of France's most celebrated gardens.
Evening: Assemble all paintings on the guest's studio storyboards, critique and select the strongest painting for the class display, and discuss over a glass of champagne.
Celebration Dinner in the formal dining room.
Day 8: Morning: Departure after breakfast, guests delivered to the Chinon Train Station
or to our residence, La Maison des Artistes Chinon, to continue their Loire experience.
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