What's Included in your holiday at Painting-Photography-France

All prices include five days painting or photography tuition, seven nights accommodation in your own en-suite room, including breakfast, picnic lunch and evening meal, teas, coffees, beer, soft drinks, aperitifs and wine taken 'chez nous'. Transfers from and to airports or train stations are also included (subject to our Terms and Conditions), Wine, beer and coffee taken in cafés and restaurants is not included.

With restaurant dining in the evening, picnicking at lunchtime, (and maybe even enjoying a night-market), a week of French gastronomic delight may mean a diet when you get home!

But, hey, you're on holiday, right?

Most evenings will see us taking you to a different restaurant in the area so that you can experience a variety of local eateries **

If your visit coincides with the night-market season, we will take you to one. Here you will join with locals to enjoy food and wine from regional producers in a unique and unforgettable ambience - eating in beautiful outdoor locations, and with live music ( view video here )

One or two evenings during the week you might dine "Chez Nous" (Jill is an excellent cook).

And on one very special evening, dinner is cooked and served in the home of one of the most respected chefs in the area, Yvette Pompele (or "Vétou" to all who know her) **

An expert in the cuisine of southwest France, Vétou was featured in Episode 3 of Rick Stein's television series 'A French Odyssey' which was broadcast by the BBC in the UK. In his Times newspaper feature on the subject of his series, Stein said

"There are restaurants beside the canal, too - not as many as you’d think, but one in particular stands out, in Lagruere, with a lively cook called Vétou. She cooked a beautiful magret de canard for us, with a really good red-wine sauce made from a Côtes du Marmandais, from the Cave Co-opérative de Cocument"

Vétou has since retired from La Halte Nautique but we are delighted that she has agreed to act as your chef for one of the nights you're with us - and in her own home too. Indeed it will be the very meal that Vétou cooked for Rick Stein that she will be cooking for you!

Vétou also features in Kate Hill's book "A Culinary Journey in Gascony"