Painting in:

The Midi-Pyrenees Region, France

Have you ever dreamt of a place where the sun shines warm on your skin, the breeze is rose scented and the villages are plucked from a fairy tale, then the Midi-Pyrenees region in the south of France is for you.

A quieter, less touristy region than Provence, the Midi-Pyrenees has yet to be discovered by the masses. The go-to spot in coming years, this region is an inspiring location for plein-air artists. Sleepy medieval towns and lush landscapes are the norm. The natives are friendly, the food is terrific and the prices are affordable.

It’s not a bomb… it’s my pastels!

It was our first time traveling with pastel overseas. Worried about loosing our pastels to the land of lost luggage, we decided to take them as “carry-on” instead. All was well until we passed through security in Gatwick Airport. In case you don’t know, pastels look a lot like small sticks of explosives to an x-ray machine operator. The boxes were opened and swabbed for explosive powders. After a few minutes of head scratching by airport security we were free to carry on – pastels in hand.

I like to settle into an area for at least a week, get the feel of the place and make it my own. To do this we rent a “gîte” when in France. A gîte is a French holiday home that is available for rent, fully furnished and equipped for self-catering. They generally rent on a week-to-week basis, Saturday to Saturday. Find your gîte on the Internet. A good place to start is www.gite.com We stayed for a week in Puy L’Eveque, a lovely medieval town on the banks of the Lot River. Puy L’Eveque is a good home base to explore the surrounding countryside and is within day tripping distance to Sarlat and Cahors.

Each morning we would climb up from our gîte by the river to the bakery at the top of the town for breakfast. Fresh brioche, croissants and raspberry tarts, still warm from the oven were packed into a bag. With fresh, hot coffees in hand, we would walk over to the benches by the city hall that overlook the Lot valley far below. The perfect breakfast, the perfect view – a wonderful way to start a day of plein air painting!

B&B’s are also a good option, especially if you plan to stay in one location for less than a full week. We highly recommend Le Boire Grande, it's located in Cordes Sur Ciel, a must see, thriving artist's community. Climb to the top of the town to visit the many art galleries and studios.

Duck is BIG in Midi-Pyrenees. Baked duck, roast duck, pressed duck, barbeque duck, duck pizza, duck pate, duck salad, duck, duck and more duck. Every menu’s staple, be prepared to eat a lot of it. You wouldn’t want to be a duck here or a goose for that matter – it is foie gras heaven. I loved the “amuse bouche” offered by some restaurants, it’s a small pre-appetizer, very delicious, very creative, very French.

We spent our time exploring the areas to the north and east of Toulouse. Painting locations are around every corner. The most difficult task is deciding which of the many locations to paint that day. The Midi-Pyrenees region is a relaxing, wonderful place to go. Life is slower, warmer, sweeter there.

Where to stay...

CORDES SUR CEIL: La Borie Grande

Borie Grande, just outside of Cordes Sur Ceil. I can't say enough good things about this B&B, you just can't get much better than this. Make sure you book in for one of their delicious dinners. English & French spoken.

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