DAY ONE - PAINTING IN FRANCE WITH NIKKI

Nikki makes sure that everyone stays productive.

Setting up for an afternoon session.

But eating always takes priority in Gascony - here we all are at Le Vieux Pressoir. 

This is how it's done.

Hard at work at Fources - which is officially listed as one of the 'Plus Beaux Villages de France',

NIKKI'S BACK WITH HER CANADIAN ARTISTS

Nikki was here in 2013 - and she must have liked it - because look - she's back with another group of Canadian artists. (That's her at the head of the table adjusting her beret). Here they all are having their first meal at the Mill, just after arriving in Gascony.

(Come back to this blog soon to see more photos of what we get up to over the next few days.)

IF IT'S FRIDAY, IT MUST BE THE BASTARD

Alastair, Helen, Annette, Gai, Dawn, Bossy Boots and Philip outside the Bastard Hotel in Lectoure.
We had a wonderful lunch.
Bon voyage, Bon retour, Bon fin de vacances et Bon continuation.
We hope to see some or all of you again one day at La Petite Galerie.
Ray et Lynne

MORE LAZY DAYS IN SW FRANCE

Visiting another bastide. This is Vianne

A picnic at Lavardac on the banks of the river

Sur le pont vieux à Nerac

Look what we painted today

Tackling the subjunctive with Anna

When in doubt - eat. Dinner en plein air at the Continental in Condom

La cité médiévale Saint-Emilion est inscrite au patrimoine mondial de l'humanité par l'Unesco depuis 1999

Here we are at Saint-Emilion, looking down at the square (below) where we're going to have lunch.

This is what we saw from the tower (above).
We had a delightful lunch at Amelia Canta as you can see in the picture below.

Just to prove it's not all work and no play, here we are having a lesson with local 'prof' Anna

LAZY DAYS IN GASCONY

Here we are at the start of our walk. We're on our way from Condom to Larressingle on the Pilgrims Path to Compostela.
In the background are the Three Musketeers and D'Artagnan, (but we don't think they're coming with us.)

Les quatres pelerins juste avant d'arriver a Larressingle.

Voila - on est arrive a Larressingle.

Degustation au Domaine de Magnaut, au coeur de la région de l'Armagnac Ténarèze dans le Gers en Gascogne.

 Toute l'equipe avec Jean-Marie Terraube (et sa fille), Vigneron Indépendant.

BIENVENU LES AUSTRALIENS

Gai and Philip, Annette, Dawn, and Helen and Alastair on their holiday in France. They're here to brush up on their French and we hope to give them a good time doing it. Here they all are in the Capitole in Toulouse.

Belvedere à Toulouse - on the rooftop of Les Galeries Lafayette.

En route à La Petite Galerie, un petit pause à Auvillar, un des plus beaux villages de France.