Painting holidays

Discover your artistic flair!

Our Painting Holidays in the Ardèche, France, are suitable for people of all abilities, whether you are an accomplished artist or haven't picked up a paint brush since school! You will have both group and one-to-one tuition from our highly experienced and friendly tutors allowing each individual to get the most out their Ardèche experience! In order to give you the attention you deserve we ensure that the group sizes are kept small, between 6 and 12 people. You will receive a great insight into this spectacular region of Southern France with private access to a pebble beach directly opposite the hotel and the chance to visit some of the most beautiful and recognised "Villages de Caractère" and "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" in the Ardèche region.

• If you are part of a group, family or club that wishes to keep the week for themselves or wants to provide their own tutor, then please contact us or complete a group enquiry form.

• Tutors interested in running trips to the Ardèche should contact us to discuss options available.

• Things to consider before choosing your Painting Holiday - Useful reading from about.com if you are planning on taking a Painting Holiday.

  There are numerous caves to be found in the area with the most famous Chauvet Cave containing elements and images by prehistoric man. The cave contains the oldest known drawings created 32,000 years ago by a great master of the Upper Paleolithic period (that's about 10,000 years older than the famous Lascaux paintings). The cave was discovered by chance next to the Pont D'Arc in 1994 and an exhibition is open to the public in Vallon town centre. The paintings show animals such as the ibex, mammoth, horses, lions, bears, rhinos and even an owl! What makes these drawings so unique is their representations of perspective and movement often using the contours of the cave walls to emphasis the shapes. According to the Musée régional de Préhistoire, the Chauvet Cave is important to the world of art "because of the age and aesthetic quality of the figurations,the variety of the animals that are represented, the diversity of the techniques that are used, the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc cave emerges as one of the major sites for prehistoric artwork: its study will result in a complete revision of our knowledge in that field."

The near-by medieval villages of Labeaume and Vogue are another source of great inspiration with their beautiful narrow streets and historic buildings wrapped around with a wonderful landscape and meandering ancient rivers that will provide us with plenty of material to paint. A day will be spent (weather dependent) at each location giving you plenty of time to explore and capture these magnificent locations.

• Click here to view the programme.

• Click here for more information about your tutors.

• Remember, don't just visit...Experience!