Painting in France

Lake View Cottage, Dordogna, France by C. Owens

 Et voila!  Ma petite maison…for a few days in the Dordogna, France.  I just finished this painting yesterday. Its from a photograph, of course; but the image fills my head with excitement about my painting holiday in June.  I’ve saved for four years for this.  The exchange is bad and flights are expensive, but I can’t stay away any longer.

The Dordogna is an amazing area of France, only recently coming into “vogue” as tourists look for a more realistic view of France.  Saying you’ve been to France when you’ve only been to Paris is not really a true statement.  To really see France you must rent a car and go where the trains cannot go!  That is how I fell in love with France and will return whenever I can save enough to go again.

The Dordogna River is east of Bordeaux and claims the Lascaux Caves’ prehistoric paintings;  a Troglodyte Fort of cliffside dwellings, dating from the 12th century; 1001 castles and chateaux, including the amazing Chateau de Castelnaud whose owner supported the Cathars who were annihilated during the Crusades; beautiful villages, including Sarlat; La Rocamadour (built up a cliffside on the site of a shrine to the Madonna that became famous for its healing powers, and soon became a stop on the pilgrimage path to Santiago de Campostela); La Roque Gageac (lining the north bank of the Dordogne River, and backed by cliffs); Excideuil (developed around a 10th century monastery, successfully repelled Richard the Lionhearted on three different occasions, and has a Thursday market that is supposed to be the busiest in the area); Bergerac (the largest town in the region, with its beautiful ‘vieille ville,’ the old part of the town that has some lovely medieval half-timbered streets and squares); and, of course, Les Eyzies (surrounded by many, many caves and prehistoric drawings, classified as a heritage site by UNESCO as it was near here that the three CroMagnon man skeletons were discovered).

Rocamadour

Lascaux Caves

 

La Roque Gageac

My only dilemna:  How do I see all of this and still do some painting and enjoy le cafe on my little terrace?

~ by chezchristineo on April 27, 2009.