Darla Bostick Retreat 11 – 20 July 2027

2027 will be my 4th time taking a group to Perigord Retreats. We return to my favorite Art Adventure Abroad in Southern France at the Perigord Retreat on the Dordogne River 11-20 July 2027.  The owners bought a place in the countryside of Southern France in the Dordogne area with special accommodations for our art group. We eat the eggs their chickens share and soon everyone feels part of the family! The meals prepared for us are extraordinary and wine is included.

Instruction & Studio Painting

Delicious Homemade Dinners

Daily Excursions

To Beautiful Locations

10 Days of Painting, Exploration & Creative Renewal

We all show up in Gourdon the day before the actual date of our art retreat (you can fly from Paris and go by rail south 5 hours or fly into Toulouse and take the rail 1.5 hours north) to meet our group the day before we actually begin. Our retreat hosts pick us up and transport us to the hotel. It gives us all time to adjust to the time difference and get to know each other a bit. The next day we are escorted to Perigord where we drop suitcases and never touch them until we are ready to leave 10 days later.

Between those times we are taken to a different and charming village each day to investigate as we stroll. The churches, cafes, historic views and open markets provide plenty of artistic inspiration and occasionally we have riverside picnics. (I love to visit the prehistoric painted caves, so I always slip at least one into the itinerary!).

Each year is different…we kayak, visit the caves, picnic, laugh, play…and DO ART!!!

    A Day out Looks Like this:

    You’ll start your day with a breakfast of freshly baked French pastries, homemade yoghurt, or fresh fruit, which you can enjoy in the conservatory as you watch the sun rise. We’ll head out around 9 am when the places we visit are quiet and the weather is perfect.

    You can spend a morning exploring a new place by walking around the side streets to get a feel for the local atmosphere or by sitting in a quiet spot to do some sketching. There’s always a beautiful picnic lunch of fresh salads, quiches, homemade cookies, and much more waiting in the shade when you’re ready to eat (wine, of course!).

    Then, in the afternoons, we generally head back to the studio for some creative time as well as some time to use the pool, nap or find a quiet spot for reading, sunbathing, painting or chatting.

    In the evening, we put on a homemade, locally sourced 3-course meal complete with wine. Katel really is the star of the show; you won’t be disappointed with her cooking!

    After dinner, you’re free to head back to the studio to paint, enjoy the sunset or use the hot tub. There are plenty of little walks to go on, lots of nature to experience or time to catch up with family and friends.

    We design our workshops so that everyone gets what they want out of their time with us.

    Some Excursion Locations

    Excursions may include but are not limited to the following

    Rocamadour

    Part of the Camino Trail. Historical & religious significance. Breathtaking village perched on a cliff.

    Sarlat

    One of the most well preserved medieval towns in France. Amazing market with local produce.

    Beynac Castle

    Home of Richard the Lionheart, perfect for a picnic by the river and plein air painting in the shade.

    Saint Cirq Lapopie

    One of the most beautiful villages in France. Incredibly picturesque. Perfect for shopping & painting.

    The retreat is designed for creating with paint, collage, photography—really whatever makes you happy! No art experience required at all. My husband, Gary, comes along and leads a morning yoga session under the trees for those interested. We have a studio where we leave our art stuff (it doesn’t require much at all) and we use it before/after dinner to dabble on our travel journal. We are not a group that sets up for the day with easels. Rather, we each have a spiral watercolor pad to draw in, glue bits collected as collage, and/or paint. I have a lot of ideas for photography challenges each day as well as things to try in the journal. Some of us pause long enough to sketch in our journal during the day and visit. It’s all very relaxed.

     In 2023 I wrote and published my “Making an Art Journal…as You Travel—with Ideas from Darla Bostick.” It is given as a gift to those who accompany me on my Art Adventures Abroad annual art retreat trips.

     If you want more out of your trip to Europe, join us for a wonderful Avalon river cruise on the Seine River, France 20-27 July. We will visit the haunts of Van Gogh, the Giverny Garden of Monet, the Cathedral of Rouen, the beaches of Normandy and more. Details are on my website on the tab for Art Abroad 2027 France!