Bridgeview School of Fine ArtsDates: July 18 - 25, 2025.
Landscape Painting, Touring, Unique Cultural and Outdoor Experiences.
All Inclusive Package Tentative Price $2150
(need to be reconfirmed for 2025 with hotels and other vendors)
All Inclusive Package Tentative Price $2150 (need to be reconfirmed for 2025 with hotels and other vendors) Special Note: This program is ideal for families or single participants. No unaccompanied minors are allowed. Also ideal age for kids is 12 and up. Hotel rooms are for 2 and 3 persons.
Summary: France Art Retreats with Bridgeview founders, acclaimed artists John Murray and Lena Murray began in 2010 and always focused on special regions, such as Normandy, the Loire Valley and even the island of Corsica. However, John and Lena's personal favorite region of France is Bretagne, where they had spent every summer for the last 10 years. Bretagne is unique, beautiful, rugged, culturally and architecturally rich and perfect for art and outdoor exploration. It's uniquely cool in terms of temperatures during the hot summer months which has made it the number one vacation spot for the Parisians. And it boasts the famous Bretonne school of painting that had flourished in the region in the 19th century as more and more Parisian artists found inspiration here.
While in Brittany, we hope to participate in some of the typical local celebrations such as Bastille Day festivities with fireworks and folk festivals if any occur during our stay.
Day 1. Arrival.
Participants fly/arrive at CDG Paris. Then they take a train fr om Monrparnasse Train Station in Paris to Lannion wh ere they would be met by minivans or taxis to deliver them to the Golf Hotel, 15 minutes away or 9 km. The train is a direct fast train that takes about 5 hours. It is quite comfortable, with a café car and wifi. There are several per day, but the schedule is not yet published for the summer, will be coming out later. These trains are much cheaper than in the US with prices ranging from $100 - $200 round trip depending when you book it. A good idea might be to break up the trip and stay for a day or two in Paris, of course the same can be done on the way back. Just please remember that Summer Olympics 2024 will begin in Paris on July 24, which will affect travel and prices.Link to the hotel https://www.golfhotel-saint-samson.com/home-en/
Dinner at the hotel and relaxation.
Day 2. Morning and Afternoon. Painting locally. (Tregastel/Perros Guirrec/Plumanach, etc).
Feel free to google these beautiful towns with their majestic coastline and famous beaches. Aside from being perfect for painting, all of them have other activities available for those who wish to hike, canoe, etc. A large network of hiking/walking trails has been developed, and goes all along the coast. So anywhere you are on the beach you just go up the hill and pick the trail. These are not hard trails and people of all ages walk them all the time. The views from these trails are spectacular.
Here is a good link with some views of the coastline https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/pink-granite-coast-morlaix-bay/plou...
Day 3. Paul Gauguin and Bretonne School of Art. Visits to Pont-Aven and Le Pouldu.
Bretagne was discovered as a major painting ground by many famous French painters back in the 19th century. They flocked there from Paris and other major towns to find inspiration in its magnificent natural, architectural beauty, history as well as unique local customs, music, costumes etc. In particular the grand Catholic processions called “Les Pardonnes” became one of the favorite subjects for these classical painters, many won prizes at Paris salons. A pardon is a typically Breton form of pilgrimage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont-Aven_School
American, Dutch, Irish, Polish, German and English all came to this region in large numbers, many of them following the legendary French painter Paul Gauguin. Originally associated with the Impressionist painters and in particular Vincent Van Gogh, here in Brittany he parted with Impressionism and created a completely new style, known as Synthetism, which he then fully developed and expanded during his years in Tahiti.
We will visit the Pont-Aven Art Museum, one of the major museums in France devoted to Bretonne painters and in particular Paul Gauguin and his circle. https://www.museepontaven.fr/gauguin/
In the afternoon we will visit the home of Paul Gauguin in another small beautiful village called Le Pouldu. https://maisonmuseegauguin.blogspot.com/p/la-buvette-de-la-plage.html# You will have a true immersion experience with audio sounds of life in mid- 19th century in this very remote and rugged region as it became frequented by artists looking for the unspoiled and ultimate inspiration.
This dining room was painted by Paul Gauguin and his friends, other legendary French painters of the time, who came to study with him in Le Pouldu.
Day 4. Morning – Chateau de La Roche Jagu. Afternoon: Pontrieux.
On this day we will continue exploring and painting and getting deeper into the region. https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/saint-brieuc-bay-paimpol-les-caps/l.... In the morning (or afternoon) we will visit one of the major castles in the area – Chateau de La Roche Jagu, dating back to the 11th century. This and other castles that we might visit, will tell us a story of French life from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and later years as it was all part of local and European history. In the afternoon (or morning depending on the weather) we will visit one of the most picturesque small towns of the region, called Pontrieux on the banks of the river Trieux. It is often called the Venice of Brittany as it is crisscrossed by canals. We will paint in the town and those interested in boating, can also rent a catamaran.
Day 5. Morning – Visit to the historic town of Treguier and the Gardens Kardalo
Treguier is a spectacularly beautiful historic town with one of the the most magnificent Flaming Gothic cathedrals in the area. We will walk the town, explore its history, visit the Cathedral. Painters will paint while others may continue touring and shopping.
Bretagne and this particular region are famous for many beautiful gardens and you can dedicate weeks to just visiting all of them. But we thought this one, Kardalo is very special. We will visit and paint in the gardens in the second part of the day.
Day 6. Morning – Boat Trip to 7 Islands, Natural Reserve and Bird Sanctuary.
When you paint on the shores of one of the spectacular beaches you will see and quite possibly paint some rock formations in a distance. These are the famous 7 islands. We will take a boat trip to these islands and explore their natural beauty.
In the afternoon/evening we will paint locally.
A youtube video dedicated to the 7 islands tour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3xF8CUrEEw
Day 7. Visit to Chateau Tonquedec.
Morning – painting locally at one of the towns of beaches.Afternoon – visit to the historic Chateau Tonquedec and learning more of the history of France and the region.
Day 8 – departure.
Participants will be taken by minivans to the train station at Lannion, wh ere they will get on a train back to Paris or any other destination they have planned for their trip.
John and Lena Murray, Your Guides and Art Instructors
John and Lena Murray are your guides and art teachers. If you are joining a tour as an artist, you will be painting under the guidance of these two internationally-known artists and art educators. They own two art schools in the US, Bridgeview in NYC (www.academicart.com) and Blue Ridge in Orange, VA (www.brsofa.com). Also John is an art professor of painting and sculpture at Woodberry Forest School for Boys in Virginia. Since they have spent every summer for the last 10 years in this particular region, they have gained a unique perspective and intimate knowledge of it. They will devote 100% of their time to helping you achieve progress with your artistic development, do some painting demonstrations and explain concepts behind plein air painting. Also, they have learnt a lot of local history and customs and are eager to share it all with you. You can use any materials of your choice such as oils, acrylics, pastels or watercolors.
John and Lena Murray with their artwork at their studio during Open Studio days.