Medieval France in Ink and Watercolour with Matty Burnham

Medieval France in Ink and Watercolour

Artist
Matty Burnham

Dates
Sat 29th May – Fri 4th June 2027.

Number of Places
This is a small, focused retreat limited to eight participants, allowing for a quieter pace, individual attention and a genuinely supportive atmosphere.

Location
Hosted in the converted Walnut Barn in St Cybranet, in the heart of the Dordogne and close to Sarlat-la-Canéda, you will be surrounded by medieval villages, stone churches and winding river landscapes.  A setting that feels closely connected to the subjects you will be drawing and painting throughout the week.

Overview
Learn how to create ink and watercolour illustrations of the beautiful medieval buildings of rural France with Matty Burnham.

Who It Is For / Skill Level
This retreat is suitable and accessible for beginners watercolour artists. The tuition is tailored to your current ability level with a relaxed and friendly approach.

What You Will Learn
By the end of the week you will be comfortable with:

• How to simplify a composition effectively
• How to add additional depth to your paintings
• How to interpret and alter scenes to create more original and unique illustrations

What to Expect / Course Structure
During this retreat you will learn how to recreate the beautiful medieval buildings of the Dordogne in ink and watercolour. There will be an emphasis on how to achieve a strong sense of sunlight as well as learning techniques to add charm and character to your work. Projects will start off by sketching or photographing a suitable subject. You will then be supported to simplify and improve the composition during the drawing stage. You can expect to gain advice and demonstrations on how to add more expression into your sketches and linework. There will also be in-depth tuition on fundamental watercolour techniques that you will use throughout out the retreat and beyond.

Schedule

Saturday – Arrival & Welcome
Guests arrive mid-afternoon and settle in. A relaxed apéritif with drinks and introductions is followed by dinner at the barn and an overview of the week ahead.

Sunday – Domme & First Sketches
We gather for a relaxed breakfast in the barn followed by a morning visit to Domme to begin observing the landscape — wide river views, stone buildings and layered perspectives.  You will gather sketches and reference material before returning to the Barn for lunch at the barn and an afternoon studio session. Dinner at the Barn.

Monday – Château Studies
Breakfast, then a trip to the village of Castelnaud, focusing on strong architectural forms and structure. A riverside picnic lunch (if the weather allows) will be followed by an afternoon studio session developing work. Dinner at the Barn.

Tuesday – Developing Work & La Roque-Gageac
A relaxed breakfast will be followed by morning tuition at the barn, consolidating work from the first days.  After lunch we will walk along the riverside village of La Roque-Gageac, one of the most beautiful villages in France.  Its medieval roots can be seen in the 12th-century church and houses dating from the 14th century, making it the perfect place to gather further sketches and reference material for later use. Dinner together at the Barn.

Wednesday – Sarlat Market
Breakfast and then a morning visit to the famous Sarlat market for colour, atmosphere and detail. Enjoy browsing the narrow lanes and choosing a restaurant for a leisurely lunch in town (own cost). Our transport will return you to the barn mid-afternoon with optional studio time followed by Dinner at the Barn.

Thursday – Studio & Finishing Work
Breakfast, followed by a relaxed studio session developing work from the week’s sketches. Lunch at the barn, followed by an afternoon at leisure by the river — swimming, kayaking (we can arrange hire), sketching or simply unwinding. A final dinner together will conclude with an informal gallery, sharing the week’s work.

Friday – Departures
Breakfast and transfer to Bergerac airport.

Included
All workshops/tuition, all transport for workshops and excursions, all meals and refreshments as listed (except your Sarlat day lunch) and pickup or drop off at Slow Village for guests staying there. Airport transfers to and from the airport can be added at checkout if required – flight information to be confirmed.

Included for Non-Participants
Non-participants are welcome to join the group for all excursions, shared meals and local transport throughout the week. They enjoy the same catering package (breakfasts, lunches except the Sarlat day lunch, drinks and evening meals with local wines) and the same agreed transfers. Workshop and course sessions are reserved for registered participants, allowing everyone to have the best experience.

Not Included
Flights, airport transfers, accommodation, travel insurance, off site lunch, personal sketching materials beyond the core list.

Materials to Bring
DOWNLOAD MATERIALS LIST PDF

Materials Provided by the Venue
• Lightweight foldable chairs can be provided for outdoor trips and visits.  If you should forget any critical paints or brushes don’t worry – we have a very good art shop in Sarlat.

Important Travel Information

Arrival Day – Saturday

Bergerac Airport is just over an hour from us. We provide one scheduled transfer from Bergerac on Saturday afternoon, and a return transfer on Friday morning.  We will organise around flight times once these are released.

From the UK

The most straightforward option is a direct Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport. Flights operate several times per week during the summer season, and in many cases can align with our Saturday arrival and Friday departure transfers.

Additional UK routes to Bergerac may operate seasonally from airports such as Bristol, East Midlands and Liverpool.

Travelling from further afield

If you are travelling from the USA or internationally, the simplest route is to fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and take a high-speed train from Paris Montparnasse station to Bordeaux Saint-Jean station. TGV trains run frequently (roughly every 1–2 hours) and take around 2 to 2.5 hours.

Alternatively, you can fly directly into Bordeaux. The airport is well connected to the main train station: a direct tram runs to Gare Saint-Jean in around 45 minutes, or a shuttle bus takes approximately 30 minutes. From Bordeaux, there is a direct train to Sarlat-la-Canéda (around 2 hours), where we can collect you on arrival day.

Train travel within France

Sarlat-la-Canéda is our nearest station, with direct connections from Bordeaux. We are very happy to collect you on Saturday afternoon.

Driving

Driving from the UK is straightforward via Eurotunnel or ferry routes such as Calais, St Malo or Santander. The journey from Calais is approximately 9–10 hours, mostly motorway, with parking available on site.

Travel and accommodation are booked independently. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance, including cover for event cancellation. Please read our Terms and Conditions before booking.