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| Property List Pyrenees- |
Painting, Walking &
Gite Holidays Ariège, French Pyrenees |
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About
our Gite Situated at an altitude of 800m in the
beautiful and tranquil hamlet of Miramont, “Le
Pichet” (named after the traditional French wine
jug) is a perfect base for exploring and painting this
idyllic region, or simply relaxing among Nestling beneath a castle built by Charlemagne, with the pretty hamlet of Arrous in the foreground, it offers stunning views towards the soaring 3000m peaks of the Spanish border. This is unspoilt France at its most unspoilt. From here we offer exclusive painting and sketching holidays, fully flexible and tailored to your individual requirements. Our aim is to welcome you to an inspirational, creative yet relaxing painting holiday, at the same time giving you a taste of the rich cultural, historic and gastronomic heritage of this beautiful region. Alternatively, the house is available as a self-catering gite, an ideal base for walking holidays, with fishing, skiing, horseriding and kayaking all available locally. The house and accommodation. (sleeps 4) “Le Pichet” is a traditional mountain house built, as are many in the region, partly into the hillside. It adjoins “La Carrette”, the former farmhouse which we now also own, and which is our separate accommodation during your stay. Over the last 14 years we have lovingly restored Le Pichet to retain as much as the original stonework as possible (such as the “pas d’oiseaux” originally built for thatching purposes; in replacing the roof, we have kept and used wherever possible the beams of the old structure.) Tastefully furnished, and now hung with paintings by Rodney and embroideries by Eleri, we are proud to welcome you into this part of our home! The house faces directly west, and benefits from superb light, particularly in the dining room and upstairs lounge during the afternoons and evenings. The actual living space covers 90m2 and
comprises, on the A large dining-room / living area with oak table and seating for 6; wood burning stove, bibliotheque and sofa. Kitchen, with oven, microwave, fridge-freezer, washing machine. You also have a slow cooker, as well as a fondue and raclette; the region boasts an incredible mumber of local cheeses! Bathroom, with wc, basin and bath (with shower attachment). From the dining room, a beautiful oak
stairway leads you to Spacious,airy, A large number of maps, walking-guides,
and tourist information is at your disposal. A charming, light, chalet-styled bedroom, with double bed, cupboards and shelving. Le Pichet and La Carrette share a beautiful west-facing garden, which is for your exclusive use during your stay. Planted with roses, clematis, honeysuckle and herbs, it is a truly magical setting for relaxing, or painting, or dining outside. Garden furniture (Table, chairs, loungers) and barbecue are there for your use Local services The villages of Oust and Seix are respectively 4 and 6k away supplying all needs. There is a doctor in Oust and pharmacy in Seix. For provisions, we particularly recommend the butchers in Oust, and the family bakers in both places. Seix has a small but very well stocked supermarket. For those wishing to eat out, the Café/bar du Garbet in Oust is outstanding, also excellent is the Auberge du Haut Salat in Seix, and the Auberge des Deux Rivieres at Pont de la Taule. The town of St. Girons, with a wide variety of shops, supermarkets and restaurants, not to mention a wonderful Saturday market, is about 20k away. For gourmet bargain–hunters, Andorra and Spain are respectively within 3 and 2h reach by car. Culture and History The region is rich in historical associations, of which the Ariegeois are justly and fiercely proud. The beautiful Gallo-Roman town of St. Lizier adjoins St. Girons; the mediaeval chateau of Foix (the departmental capital) is less than one hour’s drive away, and the numerous castles associated with the brutal 13th century period of the Cathar heresy are within 2 hours drive, as is Europe’s largest area of prehistoric caves and paintings near Tarascon. Ariège-Pyrenees Painting Holidays Our painting courses run from early May to late November and are designed for groups of up to 4 people staying for 7 nights. They include: Transport to and from the airport (Pau, Carcassonne or Toulouse). All meals including two at local restaurants; picnics and beverages, including wine. Daily transport by Range Rover to a variety of stunning painting locations (including if wished, one painting-free excursion). Friendly tuition which can be as intrusive or unintrusive as the client wishes, in most media. However, many other options are available: for example, you might prefer to arrive with your own transport, have more free time for exploring, or bring along a non-artist friend or partner (who may wish to do your catering) - please feel free to contact us with your numbers and requirements for an individual quote. The small size of our groups gives us the flexibility to tailor your stay to your individual requirements: Booking dates You do not have to book from Saturday-Saturday; you can choose your own preferred day of arrival and departure from the airport of your choice to enable you to take advantage of cheaper midweek flights with Ryanair or Easyjet. Your stay can be extended (subject to availability) for further painting (or non painting) days.However as we only normally do one “pick-up” and “drop-off” journey per group reservation it is obviously best if your travelling arrangements are coordinated with those of your companions. Please contact us should you require different arrangements. Materials and subject matter Rodney is a talented artist and teacher in most media, you can therefore choose the materials for your tuition yourself during your designated dates. You may well have your own favourite tried and tested favourite equipment to bring, or we can supply materials at cost, which may be of particular interest for beginners. We supply easels and stools. Ariege is a landscape painter’s
paradise in all its glorious Winter holidays If you are hardy enough to want to paint the Pyrenees in snow (whether on location or from photographs at home) we will be delighted to accommodate you. The mountains under snow are superb, and your meals will be served in front of the log-burning stove in Le Pichet or the wonderful open hearth of La Carrette. A little about us. Your tutor will be Rodney, a professional artist with an international reputation, exhibiting in both London and Paris. He won the gold medal for sculpture at the prestigious Salon d’Art du Colombier at St. Arnoult-en-Yvelines and his commissions include a life-sized bronze statue of St. Edmund of Abingdon for the University of Oxford and “Europa and the Bull” for a multinational pharmaceutical company. In the Pyrenees, Rodney has returned to his love of two dimensional work in a variety of media, inspired by the extraordinary beauty of the scenery and exceptional quality of the light. His relaxed and friendly approach brings
out the best in all his pupils, beginner and accomplished
alike. Further information about Rodney can be seen on
our website www.rodneymunday-sculptor.co.uk Your meals will be provided by his wife, Eleri. Clueless with a paintbrush, she is nevertheless adept at producing delicious meals from local produce, and over the past 14 years has developed a considerable repertoire of French – and Ariegeois – cuisine. She also specialises in picnics! Special dietary requirements are of course catered for. A dedicated and enthusiastic hostess, Eleri is there to ensure that your stay is everything you could wish for -and more. Breakfast will be served in the dining room of “Le Pichet,” evening meals in either the garden or in the lovely old dining room of “La Carrette”, a lovely opportunity to relax and talk over the day’s events and plans for tomorrow. Prices
(Price per person, based on 7 nights accommodation, all meals, 5 days transport and tuition, and l free day (on which we offer transport and/or tuition at no extra cost if required). Not included: insurance and flights. If your requirements differ from those outlined above, please contact us for an individual quote. Other Holidays “Le Pichet” is also ideally suited for the many outdoor activities in the area: Walking holidays. The Ariege-Couserans ( the 18 valleys converging on St Girons) contains some of the wildest, most remote and most spectacular scenery in the Pyrenees, as well as the gentler beauty of its lower valleys and slopes. You can walk for miles even in high season with only the sound of birds, the rustling of leaves and the sound of running water to keep you company. Walking in the area is superb, whether you choose to go directly from Miramont, locally in the stunningly beautiful valleys of the Garbet, Ustou and Salat or to the more challenging peaks reachable from within an hours drive. There are walks of all lengths to suit all abilities- from gentle afternoon family strolls to those requiring “Randonneur experimente” status. The area is extremely well served by waymarked trails- the GR(Grande Randonnee), 10 which runs the full length of the Pyrenees, passes at several points within 10 miles of Le Pichet and is easily accessible. The Commune d’Oust has produced a comprehensive map/guidebook of at least 20 “GR Pays” walks in the locality, and a number of more strenuous walks lead to the Spanish border, such as the wartime escape route, “le chemin de la liberte,” and those to the Ports (passes or gateways) de Salau, Couillac and Marterat. You can also arrange longer walks involving staying in mountain refuges. Le Pichet has an extensive range of guide books and maps for your use. We are happy to help, should you wish, with any aspect of your walking holiday; to point you in the direction of suitable walks, to accompany you if required on those walks with which we are familiar, and to help with transport for any walks which benefit from the use of two cars, such as the descent (or ascent) of the GR10 from the Col de la Core into Seix, or from Guzet into Aulus. We make a nominal charge for accompanying you (we originally bought Le Pichet as a base for our own walking holidays, and consider it both a joy and a privelege to share our knowledge of this beautiful region with others) and, should you require a second vehicle we charge at cost for petrol. Please note that we are not mountain guides; for those reuqiring the services of professional "accompagnateurs de montagne" we will put you in touch with their office in Seix. Other options: Skiing: The small, but wonderfully family-orientated resort of Guzet-Neige is 30mins drive away. Prices are very reasonable compared with the Alps, queuing for the lifts is rare, group sizes for lessons are small and the instructors from L’Ecole du Ski Francais” are second to none. (We speak from personal experience – the enjoyment and progress of our 7 year-old son is proof in itself!) Fishing: the rivers Garbet and Salat are excellent for trout; long and short term permits are available from Seix at very reasonable rates (details on request). There are also a number of fishing lakes within an hour’s drive. Horse riding: There is an excellent “Centre Equestre” near Oust, another at Massat; Donkey hire as available above Seix. Canoeing and kayaking in the upper and lower valley of the Salat. Golf : Golf de L’Ariege is about 45 mins drive away. Gîte Prices and Booking Information
Including taxe de sejour) (Saturday-Saturday only) Not included: sheets and towels £15 per person per week Wood and
electricity at cost. Ryanair fly to Pau, Carcassonne and Perpignan. Flybe fly to Toulouse and Barcelona. Car hire is available from all these airports. To book a Painting, Walking & Gite Holiday Ariège please contact the owners:
When booking this property please mention Relax in France |
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seasons
–whether you wish to paint mountains, lakes
and waterfalls, or gentler valleys of woodland and
pasture; for those interested in architecture,
Gallo-Roman St. Lizier, medieval Foix and the
villages perched on the slopes of the Bethmale Valley
present many possibilities. Or you may prefer to stay and
paint in the tranquility of the garden or in the studio
of La Carrette.