Come paint in Cézanne's Provence
Share daily life with a French painter in Provence, learn through close guidance, and visit Cézanne's studio and house in Aix-en-Provence
As in her Paris studio on Rue de Vaugirard
Limited to 5 participants per week
August 2026 - September 2026
Painting, Provence, and the Frensh Art of Living
August 9 to 15, 2026
August 16 to 22, 2026
September 13 to 19, 2026
September 20 to 26, 2026
The french painter leading the retreat :
Karen Chevalier
Painting, Living, and Seeing in Provence
“It is better to illuminate than merely to shine;and it is better to pass on to others what one has contemplatedthan merely to contemplate.”— Thomas Aquinas
This immersive painting retreat takes place in front of the Sainte-Victoire, in the landscape that Cézanne returned to throughout his life. Painting here is not approached as a performance or a pursuit of quick results, but as an act of attention, perception, and shared understanding.Participants paint on site, guided with clarity, sensitivity, and generosity. Painting demonstrations are offered whenever they are truly useful — not to impress, but to illuminate. Through observation, participants witness how a painting grows through adjustment, correction, and small, meaningful decisions. To see is to understand.The retreat is carefully structured so that challenge never becomes discouragement. Each day offers clear, solvable problems, visible progress, and moments of satisfaction — the quiet joy that comes when something suddenly makes sense.Participants reside together in a shared country house, living alongside Karen, french painter, and family throughout the week. This creates a rare immersion into French daily life and culture. Shared meals, conversations, and a slower rhythm of living extend the learning beyond the easel, mirroring the patience and attention required in painting.This retreat offers more than instruction. It is an integrated experience of painting, place, and human connection — one that participants carry with them long after they leave Provence.
SCHEDULE AND DAILY RHYTHM
The Experience — Painting, Living, Seeing
This workshop is not only a painting class.
It is a time set apart from ordinary life — a week (or two) to slow down, to look carefully, and to rediscover the quiet joy of seeing.
After your arrival on Sunday afternoon, you will settle into your room in the country house and share a welcoming refreshment together. The first afternoon is gentle and unhurried: installing your materials in the studio, meeting one another, and beginning to paint. I will demonstrate how to start a painting when needed, and we will speak together about your expectations and what you are hoping to find here.
In the evening, we gather for a convivial dinner, prepared and shared together in a relaxed French atmosphere — a first moment of connection and conversation.
We will explore the essential principles of painting — though always adapted to your comfort and experience. These principles are not rigid rules, but tools that help you understand what you see. The aim is not performance, but clarity: learning how to observe, how to simplify, and how to let a painting emerge step by step.
A Rhythm Close to Life
Sunday: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
The studio remains open and available outside these hours.
Each morning begins quietly with a short demonstration, followed by personal work.
I move from easel to easel, offering individual guidance, technical advice, and conversations about painting.
Afternoons remain flexible and spacious. Some days we may continue painting together or explore specific questions more deeply.
On other days, optional outings will be proposed — including a visit to Paul Cézanne’s house and his studio in Aix-en-Provence, an essential moment of the retreat that deepens our understanding of painting in this landscape.
Participation in afternoon activities is always optional. You are free to rest, walk, swim, explore nearby villages, or simply take personal time whenever you wish.
There is no pressure to produce a perfect painting. The purpose is to learn to see, to share, and to enjoy the process.
Living the French Way
You will live in the house with me during the stay, sharing daily life in a simple and warm atmosphere. Meals, conversations, and small everyday moments become part of the experience. Rather than being a hotel stay, it is an immersion into a way of life — calm, attentive, and centered on art.
You may take time for yourself whenever you wish: walking in the countryside, reading in the garden, resting by the pool, or exploring the surroundings. The days are spacious and unhurried.
We will also propose optional excursions: local markets, medieval villages.
A special day will be dedicated to a visit to Paul Cézanne’s house and studio in Aix-en-Provence. Standing where he worked allows us to understand something essential: painting is not about talent alone, but about patience, attention, and sincerity of looking.
This stay is meant to nourish both your painting and yourself.
You are free to walk, to rest, to paint more, or simply to look.
The workshop accompanies your work — but also your presence in the world.
You do not need to be an experienced painter to come.
You only need curiosity, patience, and the desire to look a little more deeply.
For a time, you will paint before the Sainte-Victoire — not to imitate Cézanne, but to share his question: what is truly there, before our eyes?
If you leave with a painting you love, that is wonderful.
If you leave seeing the world differently, then the stay has succeeded.
About the Painting Experience
Here you'll find answers about the painting sessions, materials, demonstrations, level required, and what you can expect to explore during the retreat
What if I feel blocked or uncertain?
You probably will at moments — and that is not a problem.
Cézanne himself worked from uncertainty. Here, difficulty is never left alone. We approach it gently, through small, concrete questions: a color relationship, a plane turning into shadow, a space opening. Each day includes real discoveries, and those discoveries restore confidence naturally.
Do I need to be an experienced painter?
No.
Some participants arrive with years of practice, others with only a sincere desire to learn. What matters here is attention, patience, and curiosity. Each person is guided individually, without comparison. You are not asked to reach a level — you are invited to begin from where you truly are.
Will we copy Cézanne?
No.
Cézanne is not a model to imitate but a companion in attention. We stand where he stood — in front of the same mountain, facing the same visual complexity — but each participant develops their own response. The goal is not resemblance. The goal is perception.
How many participants will there be?
This is a very small and intimate workshop.
Only five bedrooms are available, which means a limited number of participants.
I have chosen this intentionally so that I can spend real time with each painter, offer individual guidance, and truly accompany your artistic development.
Will there be demonstrations?
Yes, whenever they are helpful.
They are not performances. They are quiet moments of shared looking. You will see how a painting grows, hesitates, adjusts, and sometimes changes direction.
Will I finish a painting?
Perhaps.
But more important than finishing is understanding.
Many participants discover that a painting left slightly open contains more life than one forced to completion. You leave with something more durable than a single image: a way to continue.
What is your approach as a teacher?
I have been leading painting workshops for several years.
I approach teaching as a form of transmission rather than instruction alone.
I share my experience as a working painter — my sensitivity to light and , as well as my technical and material knowledge — openly and generously.
Participants are accompanied attentively, with respect for their individual pace and personality.
I consider this retreat a human experience as much as an artistic one, and I am sincerely happy to welcome participants into my daily environment and share both my artistic practice, and my way of working.
Can I travel without carrying art supplies on the airplane?
Yes — completely.
Because all materials are available on site, you do not need to transport paints, solvents, or equipment through airport security. This makes international travel much easier and avoids restrictions on liquids and pigments.
What should I bring for painting?
You may simply bring comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor work and shoes appropriate for uneven ground.
All painting materials are provided.
The retreat supplies:
oil paint (professional quality tubes),
acrylic paint,
mediums,
supports and painting surfaces,
brushes and essential equipment.
You are of course welcome to bring personal favorite tools or sketchbooks if you wish, but it is absolutely not required. Many participants appreciate being able to travel lightly, especially when coming from abroad.
What if I don’t want to paint all day?
That is perfectly fine.
You are free to:skip a sessiongo for a walkvisit a villagerest at the houseThis is a living artistic experience, not an obligation.Sometimes, stepping away helps you see better.
What are the painting hours?
On Sunday, we begin from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
From Monday to Friday, painting sessions are held from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Mornings usually start with a short demonstration, followed by personal work and individual guidance.
There is no obligation to arrive exactly at 9:00 AM. If you feel the need to rest, walk, or take personal time, you are free to do so. Painting is encouraged, never imposed.
Will we paint the Sainte-Victoire?
Painting the Sainte-Victoire is possible, but not required. The goal is not to copy Cézanne’s subject, but to learn to see as he did — through observation, structure, and attention.
Can beginners really join?
Yes — absolutely.
You do not need to be an experienced painter to participate. The retreat is designed to meet you where you are, whether you are starting.
Is this retreat suitable for experienced painters?
Yes. Experienced painters are very welcome.
Because the group is small, guidance can be adapted to each participant’s level and goals. We may explore deeper questions of structure, color relationships, spatial organization, and personal artistic direction.
In my Paris studio, I regularly work with artists who bring their paintings to receive feedback, technical advice, and help in developing their own artistic voice.
Can I stay for two consecutive weeks?
Yes.
Participants are welcome to join for one week or for two consecutive weeks.
Staying two weeks allows deeper immersion, stronger confidence, and more sustained progress in painting.
A preferential rate is offered for the two-week option.
Why are there no photos of participants on the website?
To respect the image and privacy of participants, I prefer not to publish photographs of students on the website.
Living and daily life
These questions concern accommodation, meals, share living, excursions, and the practical organization of your stay in Provence.
How do I get there?
The retreat takes place near the Sainte-Victoire mountain, about 40 minutes from Aix-en-Provence and Marseille Airport in the south of France.
Many participants travel internationally, and the journey is quite straightforward.
The easiest option is usually to travel by high-speed train (TGV) from Paris to Aix-en-Provence TGV station, which takes approximately 3 hours. From there, you may take a taxi to the house (about 40 minutes).
You may also choose to fly directly into Marseille Provence Airport, located about 40 minutes from the retreat.
Car rental services are available both at Marseille Airport and at Aix-en-Provence TGV station for those who prefer greater independence during their stay.
A pickup from Aix-en-Provence TGV station or Marseille Airport may be possible depending on arrival times. I will be happy to help you organize the simplest and most comfortable travel option after your registration.
Detailed travel guidance will be provided once your participation is confirmed.
What is daily life during the retreat?
We live together.
Meals are shared, conversations continue after painting hours, and quiet moments are respected. The rhythm is slower than ordinary life. There is time to paint, time to walk, time to think, and time simply to sit in the landscape or to swim.
What language is spoken during the retreat?
The retreat is conducted in English.
I have many years of experience leading workshops and have long welcomed both French and international participants. This will be my first group specifically designed for an English-speaking audience, and I am truly delighted to share this experience with them.
Is this also a cultural experience?
Very much so.
You will not only visit France — you will inhabit it. Through food, language, habits, and simple daily rituals, you experience the atmosphere of Provence from within. Painting becomes part of living, and living nourishes painting.
What will I take home?
Not only paintings.
You take home a clearer way of seeing, renewed confidence, practical tools for continuing your work, and the memory of a place where attention, beauty, and human connection came together.
Can I come with a spouse or a friend who does not paint?
Yes.
You are welcome to come with a partner or a friend and share your bedroom with them. There is no additional charge for the accommodation itself. Only meals will be added for the accompanying person.
Many participants enjoy sharing the experience with someone close to them, while still having dedicated painting time during the day.
Are non-painting companion required to follow the painting schedule?
Not at all.
Companions are completely free to organize their days as they wish. They may rest at the country house, read, explore nearby villages, visit markets, go walking, swim and enjoy the sunshine or simply enjoy the landscape. Provence offers many possibilities within a short distance.
What are the living arrangements like?
Participants stay in a comfortable shared country house. 5 bedrooms are shared when you come with a spouse, or single occupancy
The atmosphere is calm and welcoming — closer to a home than to a hotel. We live together respectfully, sharing spaces, meals, and conversations while allowing each person personal quiet time.
Are there planned visits or cultural outings?
Yes.
During the week, optional outings will be proposed, depending on weather and group rhythm. These may include visits connected to the artistic heritage of the region, such as Cézanne’s house and studio, nearby villages, or significant local sites.
Participation is always optional; the retreat remains balanced between work, rest, and discovery.
Can I come for only one week?
Yes.
You may register for one week or two weeks.
Participants who stay two weeks will benefit from a preferential rate, and the second week allows a much deeper transformation in painting, observation, and confidence.
Where will we stay?
You will live with me in a country house near the Sainte-Victoire mountain.
This is not a hotel or a retreat center — it is a shared life experience.
You will share daily life with me: meals, conversations, walks, and the rhythm of a French home.
Many participants tell me that this immersion becomes just as meaningful as the painting itself.
You will experience:
French daily life
the peace of the countryside
long shared meals
Conversations about art, culture and french daily life.
Will we visit Cézanne’s house and studio?
Yes.
During the stay, we will visit Paul Cézanne’s house and his studio in Aix-en-Provence. This is an important moment of the retreat, allowing us to connect more deeply with the spirit of painting in this landscape.
Do I need a car?
It is not absolutely required.
We will help organize simple car-sharing when possible.
What is the weather like in August?
August in Provence is warm and sunny. We organize painting sessions in the morning when the light is beautiful and temperatures are more comfortable. Shade and rest periods are always possible.
What kind of meals are provided?
Meals are prepared with organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The atmosphere is simple, warm, and shared — closer to a home than a restaurant.
Dietary needs can be accommodated with advance notice.
About Karen
Karen is a French painter whose work is rooted in light, material, and attentive observation.
As an official copyist at the Louvre Museum, she has spent years studying the gestures, structures, and surfaces of the old masters. Her training in historical painting processes has shaped a practice grounded in patience, precision, and quiet depth.
Alongside her personal work, she creates commissioned paintings and carefully executed copies for private collectors, religious institutions, and companies. She also teaches in her Paris studio on Rue de Vaugirard, where she works closely with students on both classical foundations and more modern approaches to painting — from gradual layering techniques to more direct, impressionistic methods.
She has studied painting restoration in Paris and London, as well as art history at the Courtauld Institute. These experiences inform a practice that combines strong technical foundations with artistic freedom.
Karen is particularly attentive to the vibration of color, the balance of masses and values, and the subtle dialogue between layers of paint. She prepares her own pigments and mediums, believing that material knowledge deepens artistic perception.
Artists regularly bring their work to her studio to receive feedback, technical guidance, and support in developing their own artistic voice.
Those who work with her encounter not only technical skill, but presence — a painter who listens carefully, guides with sensitivity, and honors each participant’s individual path. In her retreats, she brings this same care and attentiveness into a shared artistic and human experience.
Participants’ reflections
Over the years, many participants have shared how the workshops helped them deepen their understanding of painting while enjoying a warm and supportive atmosphere.
" I felt at home right away! Karen is very caring and creates very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. She is everything you could ask for: generously shares her vast knowledge of art history, theory, and specific techniques of different painters, and guides you smoothly through the logic and the process of building a painting step by step. We work in a small group, so you get plenty of attention and peaceful environment to concentrate.
The painting sessions are being held in a artsy, character-filled atelier, which is located in a safe part of Paris (great public transportation options as well).
I started from zero and now I am finishing my second work. Results of my work brings me joy and gives me confidence to continue. I would strongly recommend this class to everyone from beginners to professionals. Do not miss an opportunity to meet such an amazing and inspiring professional and learn from her."
Indre A.
Karen has a remarkable ability to explain complex aspects of painting — color relationships, values and structure — in a very clear and accessible way.
Anne L.
Working with Karen over the past years has helped me progress greatly in my painting. Her experienced and attentive guidance and her strong technical knowledge allow me to move forward. She is always very present and generous with her time.
Martine D.
Karen’s workshops combine thoughtful artistic guidance with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The week feels both inspiring and relaxed, allowing me to progress while enjoying the pleasure of painting together.
Anne M.
I have been working with Karen for several years. Before that, I had taken other painting classes but I was not really progressing. Since working with her, my painting has improved a lot.
David D.
In order to respect the privacy of participants, photographs of individuals are not published on this website.
Studio on Rue de Vaugirard - Paris
Paint like Cezanne
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Contact
Karen Chevalier
If you would like to know more about the retreat,
feel free to write me.
I will be happy to answer your questions personally.
Location
Chemin de Claps
13126 Vauvenargues, France
Your stay & Pricing
Dates
August 9 to 15, 2026
August 16 to 22, 2026
September 13 to 19, 2026
September 20 to 26, 2026
Because the house offers several room configurations, different pricing options are available.
Standard Private Room — 3,850 €
Independent bedroom with shared bathroom.
Economy Room — 3,500 €
Single bedroom with shared bathroom (connecting room configuration).
Private Suite with Terrace — 4,200 €
Large bedroom with private bathroom and private terrace.
Rooms are allocated in order of registration.
It is possible to attend the retreat with a spouse or companion and share a room together, depending on availability and room configuration at the time of booking.
Please note that the connecting single rooms are generally not suitable for couples.
Accompanying Guest
A non-painting companion may join the stay and share a room with a participant.
Accompanying guest (meals included)
600 € per week
This option depends on room availability.
Preferential Rate for Two Weeks
Participants attending both consecutive weeks benefit from a reduced price.
Meals are prepared with organic, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients.
Payment & Cancellation Terms
Reservation & Payment
A 30% deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your place in the retreat.
The remaining balance is due 30 days before the retreat begins.
For registrations made within 30 days of the start date, full payment is required at the time of booking.
Because the group is intentionally limited to a very small number of participants, early reservation is recommended.
By registering, participants agree to the payment and cancellation terms described below.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel your participation:
More than 60 days before the retreat: full refund minus a 150 € administrative fee
Between 60 and 30 days before: the deposit (30%) is non-refundable
Less than 30 days before the retreat: 50% of the total retreat fee is non-refundable
If your place can be filled by another participant, a refund (minus administrative costs) may be possible.
I understand that unexpected situations can arise, and I will always do my best to find a fair and reasonable solution whenever possible.
Organizer Cancellation
If the retreat must be cancelled by the organizer for any reason, all payments will be fully refunded.
The retreat will be confirmed once a minimum number of participants is reached.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance covering cancellation, medical expenses, and travel disruptions is strongly recommended.
Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements and insurance coverage.
Activities
The country house where we'll live
The Setting — Living in the Landscape of Provence
The retreat takes place in a beautiful independent country house set on 1.2 hectares (approximately 3 acres) of land, surrounded by the light and quiet atmosphere of Provence. From the property, you enjoy open views of the Sainte-Victoire mountain and the Pic des Mouches — the same landscape that inspired Paul Cézanne throughout his life.
The house offers a peaceful and welcoming environment where participants can both work and rest comfortably. It is not a hotel, but a lived-in place — a home where art and daily life naturally come together.
You will enjoy:
Private bedrooms
A swimming pool and terrace
Gardens and walking paths directly around the property
Quiet spaces for rest and reflection
Free Wi-Fi access
Accessibility for guests with reduced mobility is available.
There are two bedrooms on the ground floor and three bedrooms upstairs, allowing a small and intimate group atmosphere.
Discovering Provence
Staying here means experiencing Provence beyond the usual tourist routes. The surrounding area offers a rich combination of nature, culture, and history.
From the house, you can easily access:
Hiking and cycling trails
Walks in the countryside
Traditional villages
Local markets
The historic town of Aix-en-Provence
Paul Cézanne’s house and his studio in Aix-en-Provence — an essential part of the artistic heritage of the region
During the retreat, we will visit Cézanne’s house and his studio together, allowing you to connect more deeply with the landscape and spirit that shaped his work.
Retreat overview
This retreat is intentionally limited to five participants to allow truly effective one-to-one painting guidance, personal attention, and a calm, focused atmosphere
