About the location
Lush meadows, rolling countryside, field upon fields of sunflowers and deep woodland expanses, all with the Pyrenees mountains standing tall in the distance, is what to expect on these unique glass, jewellery making and cooking holidays in the South West of France.
Set in the heart of Gascony surrounded by 50 acres of private unspoilt meadows, the jewellery school is tucked away between the pilgrimage route to Saint Jacques de Compostelle and la Chevauchée d’Henri IV. Although the school is a rural retreat, the bustling picturesque towns of Nérac and Condom are within easy reach making it the perfect location for your holiday.
This jewellery making course is one of a kind, as it focusses on learning to make jewellery using precious metal clay (PMC, art clays etc) which is an amazing new type of luxury material from Japan. Metal clays act just like clay, so they are easy to work with while you’re moulding, shaping and perfecting your design. Be ready, however, to be amazed by what you finally produce.
Once your jewellery has been fired, either in a kiln or under a hand held torch, the silver metal clay turns into pure silver. This is a jewellery making holiday where you will be bringing home the most luxurious pieces of jewellery that you ever believed was possible – and think, you designed it and made it from scratch.
Your jewellery making tutor, Caroline, is a qualified teacher from the UK. She and her husband moved to the area looking for a change of lifestyle and now run their hugely successful jewellery making business from Baron-Figués, where you will be staying.
Caroline’s husband Adam is a serious gastro enthusiast, as much in love with the local seasonal produce as the Gascons, and entirely committed to cooking the most incredible traditional dishes for guests. He is very happy to add a culinary option to your learning experience at Baron-Figués so you can learn how to make traditional dishes such as Brandade de Morue (salt cod and potato) or Garbure (vegetable soup).
Gascony is an undiscovered region of South West France, so there’s no chance you’ll have to wrestle with crowds when you go to sample the wonders that make this region just that bit more special. While there, you will quickly learn why Gascony is famed for its sumptuous local produce and seasonal recipes and you will realise that the locals take their food very seriously indeed. And if you’re partial to a cheeky little treat, Gascony is one of the main producers of foie gras.
It’s not just mouth-watering food you have to look forward to though. You can’t visit Gascony without trying out the fruits of the vine. Wherever you walk, you’ll be able to see the many vineyards sprawling over the hills and valleys and discover for yourself the wines are individual, full of character and exquisite.
During your course, you will stay in Baron-Figués which is part of a gorgeous 150-year old farmhouse with three beautifully appointed guest en-suite twin/double bedrooms, and one of the main attractions of this farmhouse is its large open plan traditional kitchen. Guests can sit around the homely table, that seats 14 guests, and share delicious meals prepared by Caroline’s husband. There are also no single supplements for solo travellers to have a private room!
Attached to the farmhouse is a recently renovated gite. The gite has been sympathetically restored to a very high standard and also contains two twin/double bedrooms. So if you are travelling as a group, this is ideally suited to your needs and offers the wonderful traditional French feel to it. If you are travelling solo, there’s nothing better than the farmhouse, where you will share the accommodation with Caroline and her husband and meet likeminded people who share your passion for the French way of life.
All extracurricular activities on your jewellery making holiday are free. So if you don’t feel like taking a trip after your jewellery making lessons you can try on site table tennis, basketball, shooting, archery and cycling, or you may just like to relax by the heated pool with a glass of that soul warming Armagnac. There are also a great selection of board games that will amuse as you while away the warm nights and share company with other guests.
This creative and unique jewellery making retreat combines the wonders of rural Gascony and modern home comforts of a traditional French farmhouse and unbeatable food and wine experiences that will live with you forever. You will remember your learning holiday at Baron-Figués every time you wear the stunning silver jewellery that you, yourself, made there.
Features
- Tranquil and relaxing rural farmhouse set in the heart of Gascony
- Set in 50 acres of parkland
- An area of incredible natural beauty famous for its gastronomy and wines
- Heated outdoor swimming pool (12m x 6m)
- Free activities: shooting, archery, cycling, board games
- Local markets and a wide range of delightful restaurants from auberge (an intimate Inn) to Michelin star
- Superb luxury renovated farmhouse with 3 double bedrooms
- Luxury renovated gite with 2 twin/double bedrooms
- All twin/double bedrooms have private ensuite bathrooms
- No single supplements for solo travellers
- Open plan farmhouse kitchen and large living area with TV
- In house fully equipped jewellery making studio
- Table tennis, basketball, shooting, archery and cycling facilities on site (free of charge)
- Small group courses giving you maximum attention and tuition
- Close by there are a range of activities from horse riding, kayaking, karting, theme parks and casinos
- Also available locally are wine and Armagnac tasting
- Optional gourmet food course
- Throughout the year there are numerous fetes, music festivals and exhibitions
- Further afield you can visit some wonderful beaches along the Atlantic or Mediterranean coast
- Wi-Fi available
- Easy access from Agen train station (30 min), Bordeaux airport (1hr 40 min) or Toulouse airport (1hr 40 min)