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| Center of town |
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| Ship Yard |
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| Spring in full bloom |
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| Gauguin's Yellow Jesus |
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| Beach Adventure |
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| Carnac |
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Domaine de Kerguehennec
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| Ben holding Melissa Fererria’s goose |
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| Izzy holding Melissa Fererria’s goose |
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| Flower eyed |
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| sunburnt |
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| Gruncheon |
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Bonjour!
We have finished our second week in Pont Aven, all good news to report, we have had stunning weather, amazing food, and we’ve been keeping our selves busy. For the most part the weather has been in the high 60-70’s with the exception of a cloudy day or two. We were able to do some community service for the town on Saturday which felt really good considering how much Pont Aven has done to accommodate us. We had two community service projects, one has helping install and fix up a boat landing and the other was helping set up tents for a dog show that the town was hosting. Sunday we were able to see our work put to use in the Scottish terrier show, it was quite a scene with dogs everywhere, great Scottish bagpipers, and a lot of general confusion. On Monday classes began again we started with french and moved to art in the afternoon, after classes were over we explored the fields and path behind the Tremolo chapel (famously known for being the home of the Yellow Christ depicted in Gauguin’s painting). On Tuesday we began with french and history, and afterwards packed up a picnic and headed to the beach. We had perfect beach weather, high 70’s with overwhelming sun coverage, we swam, ate, painted, and hopped around a lot.
On Wednesday we took a Field Trip to Carnac the rows of mysterious Menhirs, it was absolutely amazing to see these huge lines of stones that have stood in place for centuries. After our tour and visit of Carnac we went and visited Domaine de Kerguehennec an old chateau and sculpture park/ modern art museum.
Thursday began with french class (we would like to report that we are improving at least somewhat) and after french we had honor of being invited out on a boating adventure by the couple who we had helped install the boat landing (they also invited us to join their drum circle on Wednesday nights). We were given three canoes and one amazing Breton canoe that somewhat resembled a small ornate viking boat. We brought a picnic and paddled until we reached a small beach where we ate and celebrated Lucie’s birthday, overall an excellent adventure.
On Friday we again began with a french class and in the afternoon, for art class, we went and visited Melissa Fererria’s studio, Melissa is an excellent artist who lives in Pont Aven for most of the year and spends the winter teaching at Rhode Island School Of Design (RISD), she showed us some of her work and offered a lot of artistic inspiration which is always appreciated.
Saturday was rainy which was great for staying cozy inside and visiting with our host families, we also got a chance to go to a antique/ flea market show where we learned how to barter in french. All in all it has been a busy and wonderful week and we are looking forward to our next week in France!
Much Love,
The France Group
We have finished our second week in Pont Aven, all good news to report, we have had stunning weather, amazing food, and we’ve been keeping our selves busy. For the most part the weather has been in the high 60-70’s with the exception of a cloudy day or two. We were able to do some community service for the town on Saturday which felt really good considering how much Pont Aven has done to accommodate us. We had two community service projects, one has helping install and fix up a boat landing and the other was helping set up tents for a dog show that the town was hosting. Sunday we were able to see our work put to use in the Scottish terrier show, it was quite a scene with dogs everywhere, great Scottish bagpipers, and a lot of general confusion. On Monday classes began again we started with french and moved to art in the afternoon, after classes were over we explored the fields and path behind the Tremolo chapel (famously known for being the home of the Yellow Christ depicted in Gauguin’s painting). On Tuesday we began with french and history, and afterwards packed up a picnic and headed to the beach. We had perfect beach weather, high 70’s with overwhelming sun coverage, we swam, ate, painted, and hopped around a lot.
On Wednesday we took a Field Trip to Carnac the rows of mysterious Menhirs, it was absolutely amazing to see these huge lines of stones that have stood in place for centuries. After our tour and visit of Carnac we went and visited Domaine de Kerguehennec an old chateau and sculpture park/ modern art museum.
Thursday began with french class (we would like to report that we are improving at least somewhat) and after french we had honor of being invited out on a boating adventure by the couple who we had helped install the boat landing (they also invited us to join their drum circle on Wednesday nights). We were given three canoes and one amazing Breton canoe that somewhat resembled a small ornate viking boat. We brought a picnic and paddled until we reached a small beach where we ate and celebrated Lucie’s birthday, overall an excellent adventure.
On Friday we again began with a french class and in the afternoon, for art class, we went and visited Melissa Fererria’s studio, Melissa is an excellent artist who lives in Pont Aven for most of the year and spends the winter teaching at Rhode Island School Of Design (RISD), she showed us some of her work and offered a lot of artistic inspiration which is always appreciated.
Saturday was rainy which was great for staying cozy inside and visiting with our host families, we also got a chance to go to a antique/ flea market show where we learned how to barter in french. All in all it has been a busy and wonderful week and we are looking forward to our next week in France!
Much Love,
The France Group
Friday, April 10, 2015
Bonjour!
We are wrapping up our first week of Pont-Aven living. It has been a blissful first week with lots of sun and a few sun burns. We have been taking art classes with Sue, history classes with Lies, and art history classes with Caroline Boyle-Turner. The history classes have consisted of thorough discussions, in Lies's back yard, about all of the places that we have visited (Versailles, Chartre, The Cluny Museum, etc.) For our art classes and art history classes we have been exploring the Pont-Aven country side, visiting the places of inspiration for many other artists, and starting to get inspired ourselves. We have been doing a lot of sketching and will probably start painting soon! Yesterday morning at ten we met at Sue's house and set off for a hike along the Brittany coast line. We saw some of the most beautiful, fairytale, unreal landscapes. It felt a bit like we were walking through the Shire. We stopped and sketched some of the landscapes. Along this hike we saw a bunch thatch roofed houses, one is shown in the pictures below with the traditional Breton Blue windows. We stopped and at a huge lunch of baguettes and sausage and cheese on a beautiful little river beach, and then continued on to finish the 11km hike. It was an incredible day full of beautiful trees and water and fields and big rocks.
We are wrapping up our first week of Pont-Aven living. It has been a blissful first week with lots of sun and a few sun burns. We have been taking art classes with Sue, history classes with Lies, and art history classes with Caroline Boyle-Turner. The history classes have consisted of thorough discussions, in Lies's back yard, about all of the places that we have visited (Versailles, Chartre, The Cluny Museum, etc.) For our art classes and art history classes we have been exploring the Pont-Aven country side, visiting the places of inspiration for many other artists, and starting to get inspired ourselves. We have been doing a lot of sketching and will probably start painting soon! Yesterday morning at ten we met at Sue's house and set off for a hike along the Brittany coast line. We saw some of the most beautiful, fairytale, unreal landscapes. It felt a bit like we were walking through the Shire. We stopped and sketched some of the landscapes. Along this hike we saw a bunch thatch roofed houses, one is shown in the pictures below with the traditional Breton Blue windows. We stopped and at a huge lunch of baguettes and sausage and cheese on a beautiful little river beach, and then continued on to finish the 11km hike. It was an incredible day full of beautiful trees and water and fields and big rocks.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Henri
L'Aven
Maeve sur l'aven
Cazo sur l'aven
Ben sightseeing
Ben, Beau and a Pont Aven Local
Our new favorite spot
Sue, Pete, Lies, and Caroline (grownups)
Pensive Sue
#pitvipers
The contestants for the 'queen of brittany'
holding their numbers for voting
in transit
At Alexander Calder's Studio
With our host families
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Salut mes amis! We are here, we made it, to the land of very sparse internet, Pont-Aven. Posts may be coming sporadically because of the lack of internet, but I promise many many pictures. Pont-Aven is beautiful. It is completely obvious why artists are drawn to this beautiful little river town. The name of the town describes it almost perfectly. "Pont" is French for bridge, and "Aven" is Breton for "fast moving river over many rocks." This sweet little granite building town is centered around a bridge that crosses the Aven river. This bridge is the only bridge that crosses this river for many kilometers in either direction. Most of the buildings are built with beautiful rosey colored granite that comes from around here. They have small windows and slate roofs and often window shutters painted the traditional "Breton blue."
We have spent two nights with our host families as of now. They are all incredibly sweet and kind and very very generous. Mine and Izzy's host parents are named Annick and Roland. Each morning they have a breakfast table all set up for us with all different types of bread and pastries and des cereales and lots of coffee and tea and jus d'orange. Everyone on the trip has their own room which is rare for host staying and super luxurious.
Yesterday we met at noon at Café du Centre, the famous cafe in the middle of town, and we ate lunch there, delicious long buttery sandwiches filled with all sorts of different things, and the we met up with Sue's friend Caroline Boyle-Turner. She gave us a walking tour of the town, showing us where everything was and giving us some history and some stories of the town. She was a wonderful resource and we will be taking some art history classes with her since she is an expert on Gaugin.
Last night we went to a traditional sort of Breton festival in a school gymnasium where everyone comes and gathers and eats a big meal and there were six girls who were contesting to be the "queen" and they got all dressed up in traditional Breton garb, "des costumes," and they stood up on stage and introduced themselves, similar to a beauty pageant, and then we voted for our favorites, which seemed strange because we didn't really know them. After the dinner and the voting there was a dance which we didn't stay for because it was already very late and we were tired.
Today is Easter, Izzy and I woke up and tried to find our way to mass this morning but alas is was much more difficult than we thought it would be and we couldn't find it in time so we are sitting in the tourism office, a place with steady internet, and writing postcards and letters and blog posts, doing some catching up. At noon today we are meeting at Henry and Olivia's host family's house for a big Easter lunch with all of us travelers, they are so kind to host us.
Photos will come soon!
Au Revoir! A Bientot!
We have spent two nights with our host families as of now. They are all incredibly sweet and kind and very very generous. Mine and Izzy's host parents are named Annick and Roland. Each morning they have a breakfast table all set up for us with all different types of bread and pastries and des cereales and lots of coffee and tea and jus d'orange. Everyone on the trip has their own room which is rare for host staying and super luxurious.
Yesterday we met at noon at Café du Centre, the famous cafe in the middle of town, and we ate lunch there, delicious long buttery sandwiches filled with all sorts of different things, and the we met up with Sue's friend Caroline Boyle-Turner. She gave us a walking tour of the town, showing us where everything was and giving us some history and some stories of the town. She was a wonderful resource and we will be taking some art history classes with her since she is an expert on Gaugin.
Last night we went to a traditional sort of Breton festival in a school gymnasium where everyone comes and gathers and eats a big meal and there were six girls who were contesting to be the "queen" and they got all dressed up in traditional Breton garb, "des costumes," and they stood up on stage and introduced themselves, similar to a beauty pageant, and then we voted for our favorites, which seemed strange because we didn't really know them. After the dinner and the voting there was a dance which we didn't stay for because it was already very late and we were tired.
Today is Easter, Izzy and I woke up and tried to find our way to mass this morning but alas is was much more difficult than we thought it would be and we couldn't find it in time so we are sitting in the tourism office, a place with steady internet, and writing postcards and letters and blog posts, doing some catching up. At noon today we are meeting at Henry and Olivia's host family's house for a big Easter lunch with all of us travelers, they are so kind to host us.
Photos will come soon!
Au Revoir! A Bientot!
Bonjour!
Although it's now April 5, last Wednesday was our last day in Paris. We took a train to Versailles, the huge palace Louis XIV had built and that Louis XVI lived in with Marie Antoinette. It's so so so so so so so so big. Oh my gosh. The outside has what Sue called rococo on it which is this extravagant gold on all the gates and the outside of the whole building. Inside, you can walk through a bunch of the rooms, but there were so many people it was hard to see a lot, and most of the things were replicated. It was still amazing to see how grand this palace was. The overarching question I had though was what if you had to pee and the bathroom was really far away? Anyway, the outside was so beautiful. There's a huge garden with fountains and really nicely trimmed hedges and it was lovely to sit and draw the palace. Also Ben bought a selfie stick at Versailles and Maeve said that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West got married there so that's cool. After that we had our last night in Paris where we packed and took in the city one last time.
This is my last blog post, now Lucie's doing them for the next week, which is already partway over, but that's okay.
Au revoir,
The France Group
Although it's now April 5, last Wednesday was our last day in Paris. We took a train to Versailles, the huge palace Louis XIV had built and that Louis XVI lived in with Marie Antoinette. It's so so so so so so so so big. Oh my gosh. The outside has what Sue called rococo on it which is this extravagant gold on all the gates and the outside of the whole building. Inside, you can walk through a bunch of the rooms, but there were so many people it was hard to see a lot, and most of the things were replicated. It was still amazing to see how grand this palace was. The overarching question I had though was what if you had to pee and the bathroom was really far away? Anyway, the outside was so beautiful. There's a huge garden with fountains and really nicely trimmed hedges and it was lovely to sit and draw the palace. Also Ben bought a selfie stick at Versailles and Maeve said that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West got married there so that's cool. After that we had our last night in Paris where we packed and took in the city one last time.
This is my last blog post, now Lucie's doing them for the next week, which is already partway over, but that's okay.
Au revoir,
The France Group
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