CHARENTE PAINTING HOLIDAY

Where:
Chateau L’Age Baston, St Projet St Constant, La Rochefoucauld, France.

With your own space in the orchard studio and someone else doing all the housework, you’ll have plenty of time to develop into the artist you always wanted to be - I’ll provide the attitude, all you have to do is bring your own sun hat. Between us, we’ll work out your own personal painting program for the week. No clipboard or jogging pants, but we’ll make sure it includes plenty of time off to explore the 20 acres of grounds and woodland as well as the four corners of the solar-heated outdoor pool.

You’ll also enjoy French country cooking at its best. The French invented the long lunch and Alex and John provide it in style in the courtyard. The superb four course suppers under the stars or in the tapestried dining room are fit for a duc or a duchesse and with the Bordeaux included in the price, you won’t lose your head over the cost. The bedrooms are spacious, designed with your comfort in mind and most are en suite.

And if your friend or partner doesn’t paint, don’t let that hold you back. There’s plenty for them to do. L’Age Baston also offers French tuition with one of the château’s own professional tutors, or they can walk up an appetite with John or master a tarte tatin with Alex. The town of La Rochefoucauld is a twenty minute stroll away. There are country markets, Cognac distilleries and chocolate shops and er, other shops. There’s also an excellent golf course nearby and the quiet roads and gentle landscape are ideal for cycling.

In previous years, we’ve visited street markets in the Dordogne, water-mills, Cognac distilleries and the donkey fair at Villognon. Most of the time, however, students at L’Age Baston are happy to spend their days, sketching in the orchard under the shade of the walnut trees, or grappling with the tricky angles of the pigeonier.

When:
09 to 16 June; 16 to 23 June; 23 to 30 June; 30 June to 07 July 2011.

Cost:
Early Booking prices (offer ends 28 February 2011):
7 nights £835; 14 nights £1620.

Non-painting partner rate:Sharing room: 7 nights £535; 14 nights £1020.
Own room: 7 nights £630; 14 nights £1210.

Discounts available for groups.

What's included:
7 or more nights bed and full board at Chateau L’Age Baston, wine with meals, tuition (individual and group). Transfers to and from Angoulême Station and Bordeaux, Poitiers and Limoges airports.

What's not included:
Travel costs, holiday insurance (which is obligatory for all participants).

To reserve your place on this holiday:
Email David; visit www.lagebaston.com or telephone Alexandra or John Waddington on +33 5 45 63 09 03.

They can tell you immediately if we have a place for you and mail you a reservation form.

How to get there:
By car: the journey from Le Havre or Caen takes 5/6 hours.

By rail: Eurostar/SNCF St. Pancras - Angouleme 7 hours via Lille Europe or Paris. There is just a platform change at Lille, which is the easiest but slightly longer journey. The journey via Paris requires you to change stations.

By air: to Poitiers, Limoges or Bordeaux.