Mastering the Fine Art of Tapestry
only in France!
with
Cresside Collette
19th May – 1st June 2019
Discover the historical
context and contemporary forms of this rich, tactile medium as practiced for
centuries in some of the most beautiful settings in the world, and participate
in a unique learning experience of this timeless art.
You will see the sublime
high points of Mediaeval craftsmanship embodied in the 15th C.
suites of the Lady and the Unicorn and the 14th C. Apocalypse.
In Paris you will tour the famed Royal Gobelins Workshop and delight in
the treasures of the Musée du Moyen Age.
For the first time we will be visiting the town of Beauvais, to see the historic tapestry centre. In the beautiful
Loire Valley town of Angers, the Musée
Lurçat and studio visits to contemporary tapestry artists will deepen your
appreciation of the traditions and techniques of tapestry that still inform the
creation of modern works of art. In Albi we will be seeing the Musée Lautrec, and the Musée Dom Robert in the spectacular
setting of the Abbaye – Ecole of Sorèze.
This exciting study tour
will be rounded off with a three day stay in Aubusson, to explore the
town in the heart of the Creuse that is synonymous with this craft, and enjoy
the revitalisation of the tapestry industry here since 2011.
PARIS, BEAUVAIS, 4 days
DAY 1 Sunday May 19th
Check into Hotel
Central St. Germain, 3, Rue Champollion, 75005, Paris. The Left Bank location
is well situated for all our activities.
A welcome dinner
will be organised for the group to meet.
DAY 2 Monday May 20th
A walk around
the corner brings us to the wonderful treasures of the Middle Ages housed in
the Musée du Moyen Age.
We will celebrate the sublime La Dame à la Licorne in its renovated
setting. Other suites of Mediaeval tapestries on view include The Story of St.
Stephen, The Offering of the Heart and Aristocratic Life.
A
free afternoon to explore the delights of Paris.
DAY 3 Tuesday May 21st
Private coach to Beauvais,
to view the tapestry manufactory and the historic town.
DAY 4 Wednesday May
22nd
A free morning, then a
special guided tour of the Gobelins Tapestry Workshop.
The most important and long running workshop in
the world situated in the 13th arondissement, Manufacture des Gobelins was
founded as a dye works in the mid-15th century by Jean Gobelin. In 1662, Louis
XIV purchased the manufactory, and minister Colbert united all the royal
artisans, creating a royal tapestry and furniture works. It has specialised in
tapestry from 1697.
ANGERS, 3 days
DAY 5 Thursday May 23rd
Private coach to
Châteaudun to view tapestries at the
Château, including the recently renovated ‘Tancredi
and Clorinda’.
Continuation to
Angers. This historic town in the Loire Valley yields one of the most exciting
experiences of the tour, viewing the 100 metre long 14th C. Apocalypse tapestry,
the Book of Revelations made visible. Housed in the fortress chateau it is an
overwhelming sight.
After booking
into a quaint country style hotel, http://www.hoteldumail.fr we
stroll through the Mediaeval town to make an afternoon visit to the Cathedrale
St. Maurice that houses a large
collection of tapestries.
DAY 6 Friday May 24th
A morning walk
to the Château for a special viewing
of the Apocalypse Tapestries.
Afterwards, a chance to explore the garden and
buildings.
The Musée
des Beaux Arts that each
year offers a variety of changing exhibitions (optional).
Afternoon visit to the studio of tapestry artist Christine Pradel-Lien.
DAY
7 Saturday May 25th
Then a stroll along the river to see Lurçat's answer to the
magnificent Apocalypse, his Song of the
World suite of ten tapestries woven from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s reflecting
on the atom bomb, the apocalyptic event of the 20th C. They are
displayed in the heritage 12th C. St. John's Hospital.
ALBI and SORÈZE, 2 DAYS
DAY 8 Sunday May 26th
Private coach to
the beautiful town of Albi, check into the Hotel St. Antoine.
DAY 9 Monday May 27th
Morning visit to the Musée
Toulouse Lautrec and the Cathedrale St. Cecile.
Afternoon visit
to the town of Sorèze to see the wonderful Musée
Dom Robert and Twentieth Century
Tapestry housed in a Benedictine Abbey that dates from 754.
AUBUSSON, FELLETIN, 4 days
DAY 10 Tuesday May 28th
Coach to Aubusson, check into Hotel la
Beauze https://www.hotellabeauze.fr
Aubusson in depth. Located in the heart of the Creuse, Aubusson has
existed on its weaving industry since the 14thC. For the first time
we will be staying in this pretty Mediaeval setting and experiencing all it has
to offer, celebrating the revitalisation of the town and tapestry industry
since 2011.
Under the guidance of Susanne Bouret, conservator of textiles and local resident, we will
stroll its streets and visit the individual
ateliers open to the public as well as more formal centres.
DAY 11 Wednesday
May 29th
Morning visit to the Musée de la Tapisserie. www.cite-tapisserie.fr
This exciting new gallery and Centre for Tapestry opened on July 10th
2016, and exhibits a wonderful collection of both historic and groundbreaking
contemporary works.
Chantal
Chirac restores tapestry
cartoons and runs a cartoon museum for their display and preservation in a
picturesque building on the Pont de la Terrade.
DAY 12 Thursday May 30th
Studio visits
Thierry Roger is the last traditional dyer of yarn in Aubusson. www.aubusson-teinture.fr
The conservation studio
of Susanne Bouret
Nadia Petkovic runs
her studio, ‘Atelier de la Lune.’
DAY 13 Friday May 31st
We will travel
to Felletin, a small town 10 km.
from Aubusson to view the historic workshop of Ateliers Pinton, www.ateliers-pinton.com one
of two remaining manufacturers that employs teams of weavers to make tapestries
and also produces rugs.
A lively street
market operates on Friday mornings, so we will indulge in a picnic lunch. Then
an afternoon visit to the Église du
Chateau to see the annual exhibition that incorporates the most innovative
work produced in the previous year.
DAY 14 Saturday June 1st
Return to Paris
by coach, end of tour.
TOUR DETAILS
Note: this tour entails a moderate amount
of walking.
Date and length of tour: 14 days starting and finishing
in Paris from 19th May – 1st June 2019.
Cost:
$4,490.00
(AUD) for twin share, $5,950.00 (AUD) for single room.
Group
size: 8 minimum, 10 maximum.
Tour price
includes:
All
accommodation
All
breakfasts
All museum
and gallery entry charges specified in itinerary
Private
coach transfer from Paris to Angers
Private
coach transfer from Angers to Albi
Excursion
from Albi to Sorèze
Private
coach transfer from Albi to Aubusson
Excursion
from Aubusson to Felletin
Private
coach transfer to Paris
French
speaking guide in Aubusson, Felletin
Tour price
does not include:
Airfare to
and from Paris
Travel
Insurance
Meals
apart from breakfast.
Hotels
mentioned in the itinerary are subject to availability and others of similar
quality may be substituted.
This itinerary has been prepared with the
assistance of Ian Jane at Bentleigh Travel who will be making all tour
bookings.
BENTLEIGH
TRAVEL CENTRE
Telephone:
+61 3 9557 5898
Fax: +61 3
9557 4786
Shop 7,
271 - 275 Centre Road
P.O. Box
20, Bentleigh
Victoria 3204
Australia.
Email:
ian@bentleightravel.com.au
Tour
designed and authored by Cresside Collette, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017,
2019.
Contact: cressidecollette@gmail.com
