SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1. - Departure
Depart Canada/USA today and connect with your international flight to Toulouse, France (Meals in-flight)

Day 2. - Frayssinet
Tour of grounds of the retreat. Introduction to Bill Boychuk and Corrine Campbell our hosts. Introduction of instructor, Margaret Ferraro, overview of entire trip, meeting everyone, and settling in. Getting over jet-lag. Work in and around studio. Preparations for on site painting.

Day 3. - Frayssinet – ½ day outing
Visit Gourdon market. Return to LVC. Lunch in the courtyard After lunch we will go to St Chamarand – very pretty and also good for painting. We'll walk down to the village bar for an aperitif (B,L.D)

Day 4.
Lot Valley wine tour, following the Lot river to Luzech, returning via Les Arques, Cazals. Lunch out. Cazals market tour, Les Arques 1/2 day outing

Day 5.
Morning coffee in Labastide -Murat. Painting and Picnic onsite at St Martin de Vers.

Day 6. - Frayssinet – full day outing
Visit to St. Cirq La Popie, an absolutely charming artisan's town spectacularly mounted on a cliff atop the Lot River- "one of the most beautiful villages in France ". Lunch on your own. After lunch we will visit the 14,000 year old world famous cave paintings at Pech Merle. (B,D)

Day 7. - Cahors – ½ day outing
Cahors market. See Pont Valentré and stroll through the old town and along the river. There's an opportunity to visit the Resistance Museum. Tonight Bill will present his famous wine tasting evening. Learn to distinguish a full body and a smooth finish – the fundamentals of judging wines beyond 'mmm, that's tastes good'. Dinner is usually served a little later, but your palates will be much more sensitive. (B,L,D)

Day 8. - Rocamadour– full day outing
Drive to Rocamadour (45 min), a mass of old buildings, oratories and towers on a rock cliff, which is a historic pilgrimage site dating back to the 8th century. The medieval France equivalent to the Cliffside pueblo villages of America, with dwellings and shrines balanced on one another like giant Lego sets. It reached its zenith in the 13th century when up to 30,000 people made their pilgrimages. There is time to shop for laces and linens, and to see the Black Madonna and the sword of Roland. Continue on to Carennac, and Autoire. Return to LVC after lunch for studio or relaxing time. (B,L,D)

Day 9. - Gigouzac/Sarlat
This charming little hamlet is filled with painting opportunities. Return to LVC for lunch, and resting/painting.

Evening outing to Sarlat, for street entertainment and animation

Day 10. - Baynac – full day outing
Take a tour of the Chateau Baynac, where Richard the Lionheart was mortally wounded during the hundred years war. Explore the castle, then lunch on the banks of the Dordogne. Possible painting by the river and swim. Boat ride down the Dordogne on a Garrigue - a boat used formerly for transporting tobacco to Bergerac.

Day 11. - Frayssinet – AM outing
Drive to Gigouzac in AM . Return to LVC for lunch . Leisure time in the studio Cleanup. Time to enjoy the grounds of LVC. Banquet.

Day 12. - Paris
Bus pickup LVC. Luggage in salon. Pastry and coffee 7am.

Depart for Gourdon. Brive train connection.

Train departs at 0843. arriving early afternoon in Paris. We take taxis to our Hotel in picturesque St Germain area of Paris, just a few minutes from the Seine. (Hotel du Levant, 18 r de la harpe, -01 46 34 11 00) www.hoteldulevant.com/pages_uk_new/frameset.htm

Time to unpack and freshen up, then those who wish can go for a stroll round the Latin Quarter

Rendezvous (RDV) at 730 in hotel lobby for dinner nearby .

Evening free to explore on your own or in a group. Eiffel Tower lights up for 10 mins on the hour at 10 pm and 11 pm. It's a short metro ride away. (B,D)

Day 13. - Paris
Breakfast at hotel. 730-845. Meet in hotel lobby at 0845A for walk/bus to Musee D'Orsay for 0930 arrival opening. Visit the impressionist collection on the top floor. No flash cameras are permitted. There is a self – serve café in the gallery nearby where you can have a morning pause. Don't try and see everything.

Lunch in Musee D'orsay. RDV at 1200 outside restaurant located on main floor.

Then time either for a walk past the Louvre to Notre Dame and Ile St. Louis..

RDV 545pm at Pont de Neuf Navettes where we will have an hour long boat cruise along the Seine commencing at 6 pm. Return to hotel to freshen up.

RDV hotel lobby 8pm for dinner nearby. (B,D)

Day 14. - Paris
Breakfast at hotel. 730-845. Meet in hotel lobby at 0845A. Time to tour Paris on your own or with the group.

See the Unicorn Tapestries at the Musee Cluny, just five minutes from our hotel. Take a trip to Montmartre to see this artist area of Paris, see the Sacre Coeur and view of Paris from top of steps.

Walk round the historic centre of Paris on the Ile de la Cite, the small galleries of the quaint Marais district around the Bastille, climb to the top of Notre Dame, see the statue of Joan of Arc, visit St. Chapelle, built in the 12th century and renowned for its intricate stained glass windows. Window shop along the Champs Elysees for a look at the high end, famous designer stores. See the famous Thinker sculpture in the gardens of the Rodin Museum. Visit the Marmottan Museum and see the 20-foot wide Monet water lily paintings.

RDV at 730P at hotel for a light dinner near the hotel. Time for packing.

Day 15. - Paris
Airporter picks you up for departure to CDG airport.