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Brittany Vacation Workshop with Hazel Soan
September 1-5, 2024
SOLD OUT
You are invited to join Hazel Soan's vacation workshop in gorgeous Brittany, France. Hazel will teach 5 art classes to a small group of 10-15 participants and together we will discover the food, architecture, culture and traditions of Brittany. This vacation package is equal parts cultural experience and art workshop. We are looking forward to making art in good company. Average temperatures for that week in September are highs 22C (70F) overnight lows of 14C (56F)--perfect for a lovely painting holiday!
Meet Hazel Soan
Hazel trained at the Camberwell College of Arts and the Leicester College of Art. She has exhibited worldwide and is remembered well as an Art expert on Channel 4’s popular daytime television programme Watercolour Challenge and for her two series’ of Splash of Colour, made by Anglia TV. Hazel is a bestselling author of numerous highly regarded art tutorial books. Hazel resides in London. Check out Hazel Soan on Wikipedia.
About St. Malo
The walled city of St. Malo on the coast of the English Channel in Brittany will be our home for a glorious week in September. Saint-Malo became notorious as the home of French corsairs, privateers and sometimes pirates. The corsairs of Saint-Malo not only forced English ships passing up the Channel to pay tribute but also brought wealth from further afield. Jacques Cartier lived in, and sailed from, Saint-Malo to the Saint Lawrence River in Canada visiting the villages that would later become Quebec City and Montreal. Learning the local word "Kanata" (meaning a group of houses), Cartier is credited as the discoverer, or at least, the first European to set foot in present day Canada.
In 1944, the Allies heavily bombed Saint-Malo to drive out the German army and it was 80% destroyed, as seen in the recent film, "All the Light We Cannot See". Within the ramparts, more than 680 buildings were demolished, and the Saint-Vincent Cathedral lay in ruins with extensive damage. The reconstruction of Intra Muros began in 1947 and took 21 years to complete.
Today St. Malo is a popular tourist town with its own train station with connections to Paris. It is recognized for its significant tides, the highest in Europe, with waves that can reach up to 13 meters which is why we will be paying careful attention to the tide schedule during our stay in St. Malo.
When to Arrive?
Friday August 30, 2024
Welcome to St. Malo! Your arrival date is your decision but we suggest you arrive on Friday August 30 so that you have time to settle in and possibly to adjust to a new time zone or the vagaries of travel which, as we know, could include a missed or delayed flight. Better to be relaxed at the start of your vacation workshop.
Warm Up Sketch + Welcome Reception
Saturday August 31, 2024
Workshop participants who arrive early are invited to meet in the hotel lobby at 2:00 for a warm up sketch (optional). Hazel will not be teaching. This is just your chance to do a warm up painting before the first art class.
All workshop participants and nonPainter Companions are invited to a welcome reception at 6pm. Below is our proposed itinerary.
Day 1--A Corsair Residence + Workshop #1
Sunday September 1, 2024
In the morning while the tide is high we will learn about the influence of the corsairs, pirates and privateers (pirates approved by the king) on this seaside town with a visit to the former residence of a corsair.
In the afternoon during low tide, Hazel will teach Workshop #1 on the beach where we will paint a view of the walled city.
Day 2--Fort du Petit Bé and Grand Bé + Workshop #2
Monday September 2, 2024
In the morning we will walk to Solidor Tower, the subject of Workshop #2. This tower is a strengthened keep with three linked towers, built between 1369 and 1382 to control access to the river Rance. Over the centuries the tower lost its military interest and became a jail and then a museum.
In the afternoon, while the tide is low, we will walk across the causeway to Grand Bé in search of the tomb of Chateaubriand then on to Fort du Petit Bé. The Fort du Petit Bé with its horseshoe-shaped battery was built in 1689 and has an exceptional panoramic view of the town.
Day 3--Mont Saint-Michel + Workshop #3
Tuesday September 3, 2024
In the morning we will take a bus to Mont-Saint-Michel, to visit the abbey and the town, one of France's most iconic sites. Named one of the wonders of the western world, the abbey has been for centuries a major pilgrimage destination. This holy island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mont-Saint-Michel at high tide will be the subject of Workshop #3 and afterwards we will take the shuttle bus to the island and will tour the abbey and the town.
Day 4--Fort National + Workshop #4
Wednesday September 4, 2024
In the morning we will explore the "intramurals", the historic heart of St. Malo with its medieval buildings and winding cobblestone streets. Hazel will teach Workshop #4 inside old St. Malo.
After lunch we will visit Fort National when the tide is low. Fort National was built in 1689 on the orders of King Louis XIV, at the same time as the ramparts of Saint Malo for which it ensured its defense.
Day 5--Étoile du Roy + Workshop #5
Thursday September 5, 2024
In the morning we will walk to the nearby St. Malo harbor where the harbor, boats or people could be the subject of Workshop #5.
After lunch we will tour a replica of a Corsair frigate from 1745. This 310-ton ship was armed with 20 cannons and had a crew of 236 on board. Of course, we'll bring along our sketchbooks for quick sketches on board.
In the evening we will meet one last time to celebrate an amazing week at our Farewell dinner (included).
Departure
Friday September 6, 2024
It's time to say goodbye but you will never forget the friends you made or the skills you learned during this great week! Or extend your stay for a long relaxing holiday!
PLEASE NOTE: THE ORDER OF EVENTS AND SUBJECTS PROPOSED IN THIS ITINERARY MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Recommended Workshop Supply List
Click HERE.
FAQs
Click HERE for answers to frequently asked questions.
For more information about this vacation package contact Brenda Murray Studio56Boutique@gmail.com.
Tour Includes
- A welcome reception
- All art classes
- Transportation and admission to the museums and sites mentioned
- A farewell dinner
Tour Excludes
- Flights to/from the area
- Hotel
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Meals (except those listed above)
- Painting supplies
- City taxes payable by guest at check out
- Tips and gratuities
- Porterage/luggage handling
- Travel insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
- Items not explicitly specified in the inclusion list
Early Bird Prices in USD
Book now before April 4, 2024 and save $200USD!
$1899.USD $1699.USD Workshop Participant
$1299. USD NonSketcher Companions (such as partner or travelling buddy)
NonSketcher Companion tickets include the same attractions and meals as the Workshop Participants with the exception of the art classes.
To reserve your spot in this workshop, a $500USD nonrefundable deposit is required for Workshop Participants and a $300USD nonrefundable deposit is required for nonSketcher Companions 150 days prior to the start of the workshop. The remaining balance is due 120 days prior to the start of the workshop.
To make a deposit, please scroll to the bottom and click BOOK NOW.
PLEASE READ OUR REFUND POLICY.
Greenlighting a workshop
Workshops are greenlighted when the minimum number of tickets (10) has been sold. All ticket holders will be notified by email when this happens. Please do not book non-refundable flights or accommodation until we have given the go-ahead for the workshop.
Bring a Friend and Get a Discount
Here's how it works. You and your sketching buddy register for the workshop with your deposits. Then send us an email and tell us you are registering with a sketching buddy. You will each be refunded $50USD after the start of the workshop if the workshop sells out with 15 tickets.
The small print: This discount code cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount code and it can only be applied to 2 Workshop participant tickets if the workshop sells out with 15 participants.
Accommodations
Hotel accommodation is not included in this package. The official hotel of this tour is located inside the fortified walls of St. Malo. Rooms are being held there for us with free cancellation up to 48h before arrival.
Room Rates
Rooms (including breakfast) are being held at the following group rates until April 3, 2024. The room rate depends on the type of room selected.
- Chambre Confort 138€ inclus BB;
- Chambres Supérieure 148€ inclus BB;
- Chambres Supérieure vue Mer 175€ inclus BB.
Information about the official hotel of this workshop will be sent to all participants after they have made their deposit.
Note: if you want to share a room with another participant, let Brenda know and we will try to find a room mate for you.
How to Make a Hotel Reservation
Before you make a hotel reservation, click the blue BOOK NOW button below to make your deposit that will ensure that you have a spot in this workshop.
After you have secured your spot in this workshop, you will be sent information about the hotel with instructions for how to book a room. Participants can stay in this hotel or book into another hotel or Airbnb if they prefer.
Transportation from the airport to the hotel
If you are coming from North America, the easiest route is a flight into Paris and then take the train from there. There are trains departing directly from the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to St. Malo. The St. Malo train station is a 20 minute walk or 4 minute taxi ride from the hotel. French train schedules are normally posted 92 days in advance, though TGV train schedules will be available six months in advance. Click HERE to see train schedules.
Travel + Medical Insurance
Last minute cancellations for any reason are nonrefundable therefore protect your investment in this vacation by purchasing travel insurance. Click HERE for a list of US travel insurance providers. Some credit card companies may also offer travel insurance if you paid for your trip using that credit card.
Travel Tips
Please check HERE for Studio 56 Travel Tips.
Pedestrian Friendly?
The city of St. Malo itself is mostly flat with one-way cobblestone streets. But Mont Saint-Michel is a town built on a mountain. The main street is made of cobblestones on a slope. Visitors have to climb about 200 steps to reach the abbey at the top. You must be fully mobile and able to manage stairs to participate in this workshop. If you are not fully mobile and able to manage stairs, we recommend you consider a different Studio 56 workshop that is less physically demanding.
Covid-19 Vaccinations
The instructor and tour manager are fully vaccinated against covid-19. This tour will be following all locally recommended protocols. Please check the covid protocols required for France by clicking HERE and check back close to the date of departure as the protocols may change.
Your Tour Manager
Participants will be accompanied by Studio 56 owner, Brenda Murray. Brenda is a Canadian artist and arts advocate, the founder of Urban Sketchers Waterloo Region and a former Urban Sketchers Board member. A seasoned traveler, Brenda has traveled to Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea (resident for 4 years), Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, and the USA (35 states). Brenda will be on hand to assist the instructor and to ensure that everything runs smoothly. She has completed the St. John's Ambulance Emergency First Aid - CPR C - AED training. Learn more about Brenda HERE.
For More Information
Email Studio56Boutique@gmail.com or call Brenda Murray at 519-572-1757.
How to Register for this Workshop
To guarantee your spot in this exciting vacation workshop, participants must pay a deposit by clicking the BOOK NOW button below.
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