Tapestry Tour 2017

   

Mastering the Fine Art of Tapestry

only in France!

with Cresside Collette

11th – 24th September 2017

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 hands-on 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. A visit to the historic centre of Angers to see the Musée Lurçat will deepen your appreciation of the traditions and techniques of tapestry that still inform the creation of modern works of art.

And for the first time we will be seeing 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 workshop at the Manoir du Bost in the heart of France to learn tapestry technique first hand. Conducted by Cresside Collette, tapestry artist, scholar and teacher, it will include day trips to nearby Aubusson and Felletin, the towns in the heart of the Creuse that are synonymous with this craft.

La Dame à la Licorne

PARIS, 2 DAYS

DAY 1 Monday September 11th

Check into Hotel Central St. Germain, 3, Rue Champollion, 75005, Paris. 
The Left Bank location is well situated for all our activities.

http://centralsaintgermain.com/

A walk around the corner brings us to the wonderful treasures of the Middle Ages housed in the Musée du Moyen Age.

www.musee-moyenage.fr/ang/index.html

This year 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 follows to experience the delights and galleries of this great city.

DAY 2 Tuesday September 12th

A free morning, then a special guided tour of the Gobelins Tapestry Workshop.

http://www.mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr/en/practical-information/paris- gobelins

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.

                                                                                                      Lurçat at the Gobelins

                                                  

 Musée du Moyen Age
                                                                          

ANGERS, 3 DAYS

DAY 3 Wednesday September 13th

Private coach 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.hotel du mail we stroll through the Mediaeval town to make an afternoon visit to the Cathedral that houses a large collection of tapestries.

DAY 4 Thursday September 14tH

A morning visit to the Château to view the Apocalypse Tapestries.

Afterwards, a chance to explore the many delights of the garden and buildings.

An afternoon at the Musée des Beaux Arts that each year offers a variety of changing exhibitions.

DAY 5 Friday September 15th

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 12thC. St. John's Hospital.

Musée Jean Lurçat exhibits contemporary tapestry from around the world and this year will be hosting the International Miniature Textiles exhibition – seventy miniature textiles from around the world.

http://musees.angers.fr/langues-etrangeres/english/musee-jean-lurcat-et-de-la- tapisserie-contemporaine/the-site/index.html

    Château d'Angers                                                                 

                                                                                            

                     Lurçat's 'Song of the World' 

TOULOUSE AND SORÈZE, 2 DAYS

DAY 6 Saturday September 16th

Private coach to the beautiful historic town of Toulouse. Check into the Hotel Pullman Toulouse Centre that is a ten minute walk to the historic sites.

http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-1091-pullman-toulouse- centre/index.shtml

Attractions include the Romanesque Basilica Saint-Sernin and the Cathédrale St. Étienne that has a collection of thirty 16th and 17th century tapestries.

Dom Robert tapestry

DAY 7 Sunday September 17th

Day trip 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. http://www.abbayeecoledesoreze.com/index.php?id=6244

The Mediaeval village of Sorèze is situated in natural parkland at the foot of ‘La Montaigne Noir’

BOURGANEUF AND AUBUSSON, 7 DAYS

DAY 8 Monday September 18th

Coach to the secluded Manoir du bost located near the town of Bourganeuf.

A week's accommodation in this splendid, secluded manor house in central France offers a unique opportunity to learn the basics of Tapestry Weaving and develop a real understanding of its brilliant technique. Beginners will learn to set up a tapestry frame and weave basic shapes. More advanced students will be encouraged to experiment with Mediaeval tapestry techniques such as hatching to achieve colour gradations, and to adapt them to a contemporary style. Or just relax, read, paint and draw in a beautiful setting.

All materials and looms provided. All meals catered by professional chef, Valerie Lagorsse.

Le Manoir du Bost

DAY 9 Tuesday September 19th

Workshop commences, full day

DAY 10 Wednesday September 20th
Day visit to Aubusson. www.aubusson.fr

Located a thirty minute ride from the manoir, this pretty town in the heart of France has existed on its weaving industry since the 14thC. 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.

Musée de la Tapisserie. www.cite-tapisserie.fr This exciting new gallery and Centre for Tapestry opened on July 10th 2016, and shows a wonderful collection of both historic and groundbreaking contemporary works.

Thierry Roger is the last traditional dyer of yarn in Aubusson. www.aubusson-teinture.fr

Nadia Petkovic has recently set up her new studio, ‘Atelier de la Lune.’

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.

The conservation studio of Susanne Bouret is at the Terrade, next door to the Chirac Musée de Carton.

France Odile Perrin-Crinere runs studio ‘Atelier A2.’ http://www.ateliera2.fr

DAY 11 Thursday September 21st

Full day workshop                 

                                      Susanne Bouret’s conservation studio

DAY 12 Friday September 22nd

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.

Ateliers Pinton 

                      Église du Château

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 tapestry exhibition that incorporates the most innovative work produced in the previous year.

And the Terrade family wool manufacturing plant that was established in 1912. They also have a dyeshop that supplies all the tapestry yarn to Ateliers Pinton.

DAY 14 Saturday September 23rd

Full day Workshop

Farewell dinner with Susanne Bouret at the Manoir.

DAY 15 Sunday September 24th 

Return to Paris by coach, end of tour.

TOUR DETAILS

Date and length of tour: 14 days starting and finishing in Paris from September

11th to 24th, 2017.

Cost: $4,699.00 (AUD) for twin share, $5,695.00 (AUD) for single room. Group size: 7 minimum, 10 maximum.

Tour price includes:

All accommodation

All breakfasts

All museum and gallery entry charges specified in itinerary 

All meals at the Manoir du Bost

Private coach transfer from Paris to Angers

Private coach transfer from Angers to Toulouse

Excursion from Toulouse to Sorèze

Private coach transfer from Toulouse to Bourganeuf

Two excursions to Aubusson and Felletin

Private coach transfer to Paris

French speaking guide in Aubusson, Felletin

Tutored 3 day tapestry workshop with Cresside Collette 

Loom hire and materials.

Tour price does not include:

Airfare to and from Paris
Travel Insurance
Meals apart from breakfast, except at the Manoir 

Lunch at Aubusson and Felletin (2 days)

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.

Contact: cressidecollette@gmail.com

Read about the 2012 Tapestry Tour at tapestrytour.blogspot.com