Antiques, Art, and Tapestries

Now open for reservations

This exciting program resembles a cultural internship and opens with a visit to the legendary Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry cycle at the Cluny museum and a sojourn at the majestic Vaux le Vicomte outside Paris. La Creuzette becomes your luxury base from where we visit several antique merchants and brocanteurs. Two enchanting villages crown the French tapestry History: we visit both Aubusson and Felletin for a comprehensive study of the ancient craft. The egg tempera and gauche cartoon that serve as the pattern for the tapestries have become collectibles and we spend a day in the art studio restoring your very own authentic 19th Century carton.

Cost Breakdown

La Creuzette special interest programmes are carefully compiled to ensure that you have the ultimate, hassle-free luxury holiday experience. Our all-inclusive land arrangement means that everything aside from flights, Schengen visas and personal expenses are taken care of as follows:

• €3 350 per person sharing
• Transfer from Charles de Gaulle to our Paris Hotel early morning on the 25th August
• One night’s stay in central Paris in twin rooms
• Transport from Paris to La Creuzette
• Luxurious accommodation at La Creuzette for the 4 nights
• Full board accommodation (i.e. all meals with drinks, also at restaurants we visit)
• All excursions including entrance fees and gratuities
• All cooking demonstrations and guest chefs
• Train transfer back to Paris on the 30th August

A non-refundable deposit of €1 000 secures your booking with the balance due on or before your arrival at la Creuzette. A single supplement of €650 for the week applies for single occupation.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Sunday, 25 August)

Early morning arrival where you are met at Charles de Gaulle airport. We book in at our hotel in central Paris. We meet in the Hotel foyer at 10h00 and from here we go on our first excursion to Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. This architectural phenomenon is one of France’s finest examples of a Baroque château and regarded as the most beautiful castle in the world. We enjoy lunch at the château restaurant, and afterward, we continue exploring the castle complex and gardens. We return to Paris in the early afternoon, in time to do some shopping in the Marais district where the Hotel is situated. We meet for a glass of champagne and an early dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Day 2 (Monday, 26 August)

We enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel, and after breakfast, we visit the Cluny Museum to view the world-famous ‘The Lady and The Unicorn’ tapestry exhibition. We begin our trip to La Creuzette. En-route, we stop for a delicious lunch at the famous l'Escale Village. You arrive at your holiday destination in time for tea, coffee and mignardises (typically French confectionaries). Take some time to settle in, relax and explore the grounds. We meet in the dining room of the summerhouse at 19h30 for a glass of champagne followed by a welcome dinner prepared by your hosts.

Day 3 (Tuesday, 27 August)

After breakfast, we drive to Felletin where we visit the Neolice studios. With their advanced technology, they are able to create fine tapestries mechanically. Many contemporary artist and designers use them for their artworks. We also visit the exhibition in the Eglise du château. From here we drive to the picturesque village of Aubusson where French tapestries and carpets have been woven and restored for centuries. Our first visit is the new Cité de la Tapisserie where superb collections of ancient and contemporary tapestries are uniquely displayed. It also showcases every aspect of the manufacturing process. We enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants on the banks of the river. After lunch, we visit Mme Chirac’s carton (tapestry pattern) museum. Chantal Chirac is known for restoring antique carton. We will also visit her studio where she has many beautiful cartons for sale. Back at La Creuzette, we meet in the summer kitchen at 18h30 for cocktails and a cooking demonstration presented by a guest chef. Dinner follows.

Day 4 (Wednesday, 28 August)

After breakfast, we visit a big brocante warehouse where you can find anything from antique french linen and antique silver, to beautiful armoires, etc. We spend an hour or so bargain hunting before we return to La Creuzette. We enjoy lunch in the garden and after lunch, there will be a tapestry restoration session with the expert guidance of Hardy. Included in the cost of the trip is a fragment of a 17th-century tapestry border which, once restored, will make a beautifully framed picture as a momentum of this marvelous experience. Later, we meet for drinks followed by dinner.

Day 5 (Thursday, 29 August)

After breakfast, we enjoy our local market where we meander through the colourful market stalls that are laden with fresh fruit and vegetables, fragrant soap from Marseilles and other artisanal products from the region. At 11:00 we return to La Creuzette where we meet Louis in his art studio. Today everyone will have the opportunity of restoring their own small carton. With Louis’ guidance, you will explore an exciting range of new restoring techniques. Lunch will be enjoyed at the long stone table in front of the La Creuzette summer kitchen. After lunch, we continue our restoration artworks in the studio. Later we will have some time to pack before we meet for drinks and our farewell dinner.

Day 6 (Friday, 30 August)

After breakfast, we take a leisurely walk to the Chateau de Boussac (Boussac castle), which dates back to the 11th and 15th centuries. Now privately owned, the castle is filled with a superb collection of exquisite furniture, tapestries, art, and artifacts. After a tour of the castle, we enjoy the rare privilege of visiting the owners’ private apartment, which is not open to the general public. Later, we depart for Châteauroux from where the fast train to Paris departs.

Please note that this itinerary may be amended to accommodate suppliers, service providers and the weather.

Terms and Conditions apply