THE PAINTING SCHOOL OF MONTMIRAL

The Painting School is situated on the ramparts of Castelnau de Montmiral, a thirteenth century hilltop bastide, classified as "un des plus beaux villages de France". The studio windows command panoramic views over richly varied landscape to blue distant hills. The charm of the countryside is enhanced by many features: the variety of orchids and flowers in meadow and hedgerow; the orange tiled roofs of the traditional farmhouses; the distinctive field shapes; the forest-covered heights; the limestone outcrops with their downland vignettes of juniper bushes, wild flowers and butterflies; hosts of poppies; fields of sunflower, lucerne, maize and millet; and lovingly tended allotments dotted around the landscape, often in surprising places, behind a piece of wasteland or in a small ravine.

The town is charming too. The many styles of ancient buildings, the varied materials (limestone, oak timbers and ancient brick), the overhanging upper storeys, the balconies, the narrow streets trapping the sky, flowers everywhere, the people sitting enjoying the shade, the esplanade with its scented limes and its boule players, the surrounding ramparts, the ancient gateway to the town (La Porte des Garrics), the central square (La Place des Arcades). At every turn there is something colourful, something curious or something well made to catch the sensitive eye.