We still have a few stones to turn! This will be my 4th Art Adventure Abroad to Perigord Retreats in the Dordogne River area of Southern France. 

Learn how to record your travels with an art journal and enjoy plein aire sketching. Or, if you choose to rest and relax at the property, our studio at Perigord is available to us at any time.  Our private family-owned villa in the countryside.

Harrison and Katel have a new retreat center in the works for us!

Of course, we will still have our wonderful gourmet meals prepared daily for our group by Katel and the riverside picnics midday are a welcome surprise each time!  

We spend 10 days, 9 nights with the Perigord Retreats. Usually most of us arrive in Gourdon one day early just to get our feet under us again.

For travel: There are several options.

1) Fly into Paris and spend the night in Paris Austerlitz, then take a train to 46300 Gourdon (it takes about 5 hours)

2) Fly into Paris, take the train to 46300 Gourdon and spend the night in Gourdon. Connect with fellow group members at breakfast and spend the morning investigating the town. After lunch we are picked up by our hosts, the Turners of Perigord Retreats.

3) Fly into Toulouse. This is the nearest airport (TLS is the airport code). Spend the day and night in Toulouse and then travel north to Gourdon by train.

4) Fly into Toulouse, catch the afternoon train to 46300 Gourdon, spend the night in Gourdon the day before we begin at Perigord Retreat. [This is what I recommend for those going through TLS]

All alternatives require taking a train into 46300 Gourdon. As the time nears we can coordinate travel plans (Darla is flying from DFW airport). 

Note: for some reason, there are 2 Gourdons in France...be sure you come to 46300 Gourdon in Southern France, Dordogne and Lot River area.

Additionally, you may choose to add days on your own before or after our event to acclimate and discover more! 

In 2024 we added an optional 8-day rivercruise with Avalon Waterways in eastern France and visited Van Gogh's haunts. The schedules are not out yet, but we may try to add on something special following our Perigord Retreat. (Join Darla in Paris for a bit of time after our workshop to view the newly opened Notre Dame Cathedral. The resurrection of this structure following a devastating fire is nothing short of breath-taking!)

This note from Perigord Retreat: 

"Some participants have found it easier to fly in to Toulouse a day or two early to get acclimatised to French time which leaves you ready and raring to go when you arrive at Perigord Retreats. On departure day, anyone flying back to the USA via Paris may find it easier to take the train from Gourdon, 5 minutes from Perigord Retreats.  This is approximately a 5 hour train ride taking you through the countryside of France before arrival in central Paris. Some find this a nice alternative rather than taking an extra plane ride.The choice is yours. For anyone needing to travel on a different day, the train also travels to Toulouse, one hour 40 minutes with a shuttle service to the airport.

For reference, our transport is air conditioned minibus/people carriers and dependant on the number in the group, one or two vehicles may be used."

[Note from Darla: In 2019 most of my group flew into Paris then took the train to Gourdon. It is 5.5 hours but a lovely ride and you can buy food on the train if you wish. There is more than one Gourdon. The one to use is the Gourdon 46300 train station (directly south of Brive-Gaillarde). My group spent one night in Gourdon and strolled through Gourdon the next morning shopping,visiting the church, had a beer at a sidewalk cafe and lunch outside at our hotel. After lunch we were picked up by our Perigord hosts. Ask me for details.]

From Darla: Perigord is a lovely property. Rows of lavender grow behind the studio. My husband, Gary, provided morning yoga when we were there last and half our group partook of the relaxation. Come and see why we are anxious to return!

What is included: The 10 days include your Gourdon pickup/return with the group, excursion transports, lodging and gourmet meals prepared for our group (with the exception of 2 lunches and 1 dinner) plus your workshop instruction from Darla. 

Where we are visiting: I will be canvasing returning artists for favorites, but I hope to see all new places this year. Of course, our visit will include a visit to ancient caves to see the remarkble pre-historic cave paintings! 

The Nitty Gritty:

The rates include your workshop, transport from Gourdon and excursion transport, entry to those locations that charge,  lodging and chef-prepared meals.  (It does not include your airfare or train travel costs).

Check with Perigord Retreats for rates.  https://perigord-retreats.com/about/

The Perigord website video shows the property and a 3-D video of the villa rooms.

To register use the Perigord website. https://perigord-retreats.com/   Email me with any questions, or the Turner family at Perigord Art Holidays is very patient with questions, so feel free to ask!

I will be checking out airfare options. Let me know if you want that info! It's fun to fly together. Check your passport now to be sure it doesn't expire at least 2 weeks after travel is due to complete. Due to the pandemic there is a delay in passport renewal.

If you have never been to France and want to add more, talk to Darla about ideas for a longer holiday. For example, from Paris Giverney is only a day train trip from Paris to see Monet's garden. Versailles Palace is the same if you wish to see the opulance of the palace and grounds. Of course, the Louvre and many other world-class art museums are in Paris. The train from Paris is about 5.5 hours, so you will need accomodations in Gourdon for one night before the workshop/retreat begins the following day. It allows the perfect amount of time the next morning to visit the sites in Gourdon and have lunch before being picked up to begin our art adventure.  

BE SURE YOU ARE ON MY CONTACT LIST...NEXT FRANCE TRIP WE HOPE TO INCLUDE:

SAINT CERE (and perhaps a glimpse of the Chateau de Montal nearby)

Our visit here will included some fascinating medieval and turreted houses surrounded by two main squares. Up the hil are the reinsSaint-Laurent-les-Tours dating from the 12th century. Saint Cere had an important role during the Second World War as the French resistance operated a secret radio base in the Chatea de Saint-Laurent-les-Tours. It was later bought by and restored by a artist, Jean Lurcat, whose widow bequeathed it to the town on condition the art displayed in the castle remain open to the public. Another interesting fact is Charles Bourseul lived here. He invented the use of electricity to transmit the human voice through wires (later used by Graham Bell to invent the telephone).

FIGEAC AND CAPDENAC (combined same day)

Figeac dates back to the Middle Ages and many of the houses were build by the wealthy merchants. Visible are the "soleilhos" (open graneries) where the fruit was dried. At Place des Ecritures an exotic perfume is available. There is a large black granite slab covered with heiroglyphs in the village square. It represents the Rosetta Stone and this piece of the Egyption stele allowed Champollion to decipher the writing of the ancient Egyptians. The Champollion Museum is housed in his former home and presents writing objects and characters from all over the world. The museum has a acade with "1000 letters" of glass and copper which spills fragments of light on the exhibition hall floors.Figeac also hosts a historical market on Saturdays.

Capdenac is only 4kms from Figeac. reaching 110 meters above the Lot River, this was once the hill fort where Caesar fought his final battle against the Gauls. Today one can see the ramparts, keep and troglodytic fountains. This is touted as one of the most beautiful sites in France. Even the rooftops are of interest being made of 3 different materials; flat tiels, lauzes (stone slabs) and pantiles.. 

CARENNAC

A one-lane bridge welcomes you  to this village, lined with flower baskets. Most homes of yellow stone were bult in the 15th century. The village center has ancient fortifications with the Church of Saint-Peters dating from the 11th century. The priory and cloisters are particularly not to be missed.The 16th century castle, the Chateau es Doyens includes an exhibition explaining the history of the town and area.