Laurenan

This quiet little village located right in the center of Brittany is where ArtDip calls home. Drive an hour in any direction, and you will stumble upon breathtaking coastal cliffs, fascinating cultural heritage sites, quaint medieval French villages, and buzzing, lively cities. Or, stay home, enjoy the rolling pastoral hills and farmland, and sink into that slow, sleepy tranquility for which rural France is so well-known.

Like many villages in rural France, Laurenan was emptied out in the mid-20th century as its younger people flocked to the bright lights of Paris and other cities. This means that you won’t find some of the amenities that you’d find in a larger town, like pharmacies or grocery stores. You will find, however, one pretty incredible restaurant and a warm and welcoming community eager to make friends with outsiders. Most basic conveniences are about a 10 minute drive away and we can always make stops to pick up necessities when we are out on excursions.

The Studio

Atelier Neon Heart is the classroom studio of artist Sarah Castille, which she makes available to ArtDip participants. This studio in the center of Laurenan is small, but well-equipped, and offers exhibition, teaching, and working space in a location that draws the attention of locals and passersby. Expect to practice your French with curious onlookers thrilled to see foreign artists taking an interest in their town. (The sentence “parlez-vous anglais?” comes in handy!)

The Landscape

With the English Channel 45 minutes to the north, the Bay of Biscay 1 hour to the south, and the rugged Atlantic coast only 1.5 hours to the west, you are never far from the ocean in central Brittany. This landscape of rolling hills and pastureland, dense ancient forests and quiet moors has a character all its own. From the inland lakes to the wild coastal cliffs to canola fields blooming bright yellow, there is no question that any artist is spoiled for plein air subjects here. The biggest struggle is figuring out how to capture all the variations in light and landscape!

The Gîte

Gîte (pronounced jeet) is the French word for holiday home (what English speakers usually now refer to offhand as an Airbnb). ArtDip participants are lodged in one of many gîtes in Laurenan. The largest belongs to Joseph and is particularly convenient, as it is literally connected to the art studio. With its spacious enclosed garden, large, airy windows and Mediterranean tiling (Joseph is Lebanese and did much of the renovation work himself), Joseph’s gîte is a restful place to work, be inspired, and let all your new travel experiences sink in. Yvette’s gîtes are a one-minute walk away, right across the church square, and give a taste of down-home Breton comfort.