Maison du Fort The Art House, a grand old home full of warmth and contentment.
From the moment we were greeted at the gates of Maison du Fort, we knew we were stepping into something special.
Our trip had been 12 months in the making, eight ladies travelling from Antonija Gros Art Studio in Port Macquarie, Australia to the Lot & Garonne region in southern France. We could never have imagined just how incredible the experience would be. Welcomed straight into the heart of our host family – Leesa, Alistair, Cersei and Pip, we were shown to our rooms where the home wrapped her arms around us like a big comforting hug.
Every corner of this home was alive with inspiration, the touch of a true artist visible in Leesa’s decorative hand & Alistair’s expert joinery skills bringing her back to life. Our itinerary was thoughtfully planned, from painting “en plein air” in a local garden at les jardins de Clapiéra to picnics beside an age old windmill, market visits in centuries old villages and even a winery tour at Chateau de Fayolle. We enjoyed a tile-printing workshop with Leesa and a visit to Sara’s lovely French home for le dejeuner, each moment adding another layer of magic.
Meals were unforgettable, artworks themselves, crafted from fresh local produce and presented with so much care & love by Leesa. And all the while, we painted our experiences in our journals, immersed ourselves into the local area and laughed together, as though living inside a dream. For me, it was the childhood dream of painting in the French countryside brought to life.
Maison du Fort gave us far more than we ever expected, and we leave with deep gratitude and the highest recommendation. It is an experience we will always treasure and definitely hope to return to one day.
Merci beaucoup.
