WALKING IN GASCONY - THE COMMERCIAL

WALKING ON THE ST JACQUES ROUTE IN SW FRANCE

Just a quick note to say that we now offer 2 walking holidays on the St Jacques Route to Compostele.
Lynne and I have walked the Chemin de St Jacques for several stages in central France, and we’ve walked from where we live at La Petite Galerie in Mézin to the Pyrenees and then on into Spain.

The route is very well signposted - and you'll have your own guide.

Over the past few years we’ve had many requests from guests about walking on the St Jacques Route in SW France, and we now offer two fully inclusive group holidays. They are both, guided walks, with a back up vehicle in case of sore feet, knees, hips or even hangovers. A very important point to remember about group holidays is that they make the individual cost very attractive.

WALKING ON THE ST JACQUES ROUTE IN SW FRANCE - but remember the back up vehicle would be carrying your pack.

In St Jean Pied de Port near the Spanish border.

Here are details of the 2 Options

Option 1 covers the stages from Lectoure to Montreal. You’re driven to the start of the walk every day, and the minibus meets you at midday with a picnic lunch. At the end of the walk, you’re picked up and brought back to La Petite Galerie, where you spend the night. One day is set aside to visit some of the many other attractions in the area - including wine and Armagnac tastings.

Option 2 takes you on a walk from La Petite Galerie to St Jean Pied de Port in the foothills of the Pyrenees. We discuss the route with you before you arrive and pick out the best stages in SW France.

Both Option 1 and Option 2 are fully inclusive, and they both include airport pickup and return, all meals and accommodation, minibus back up and guides.

Hard work, this walking business

For more details and prices, please click here:

http://pilgrimswayinfrance.blogspot.fr

ANOTHER DOG

Lynne's brother Matt turned 50 when we were on holiday in Hobart.

Needless to say, Lynne said (very endearingly): 'Darling, I've forgotten my brother's birthday. Can quickly rustle up a dog?'

Just what I wanted to hear when I was engrossed in my daily task of working out which beach to spend the day on.

Fortunately technology came to the rescue and Carol emailed a photo of Frankie for me to do a portrait from. (For anyone who's interested here's the genealogy: Carol is Matt's wife - Frankie is Matt's dog.)

Then Australiapost and the Royal Mail came to the rescue and got the painting of Frankie to Mat on time.

VARIATIONS ON A THEME

Three Spanish painters. It took me a while to get this more or less right, as you can see from these preliminary exercises.

A LETTER FROM SAATCHI ONLINE

It's always nice to get a letter from Saatchi. Here's what it said: Dear Ray Johnstone, Your work featured in Art We Love This Week. I'm a creative consultant at Saatchi Online and I'm writing to let you know your piece " Woman in the Studio" is being featured in Art We Love This Week . 'Art We Love This Week' is collection of work we feature once a week that we find particularly interesting and worthy of a week of notoriety. Please feel free to share this news with your friends on twitter ... or look on our facebook to join in with conversation and postings with fellow artists ... Best, Molly Jo Shea