Painting & Sketching with Claire Chandler
20 January - 27 January 2027
from £800 per person
““The whole ambience at La Maison Anglaise is magical – from the beautifully decorated rooms, the lovely surrounding gardens, the delicious meals prepared with such care and the delightful efficient team all made for a memorable and happy seven days… and the added options of the cultural tours meant we all learnt a little more about the extraordinary and fascinating country that is Morocco.” Jane Stanley 2024
This brochure provides you with lots of information about the venue, the bedrooms, the activities, how we design your holiday to meet your needs, your tutor, the likely itinerary and what is included in the cost. Please read on to the end!
Why booking early is a good idea
- If you’d like single occupancy we only allocate a limited number of rooms for singles
- Our holidays are very popular so often fill quickly – a maximum of 11 places plus a limited number of non-participating roommates (please enquire)
- Flights can be booked once we have the minimum viable number for the holiday – we will contact you at that point. This ensures you can buy them as cheaply as possible.
- The designated group flight (to which transport to and from Agadir airport is included) for this holiday is London Luton – Agadir with EasyJet.
- To secure your place on this holiday a deposit of £100 is paid. Followed by 2 equal balance payments 4 months & 2 months before the the start date of the holiday. Booking opens about a year before the holiday begins.
The Venue Well known for magical meaningful holidays, excellent food and exceptional staff, this award-winning set up relocated in 2020 to a stunning sustainably-run eco-lodge with a chlorine-free pool and permaculture gardens. Located on the south side of the ancient town walls of Taroudant, which enjoys the best winter climate in Morocco. Enjoy an exceptional menu of local healthy food.
“It’s just brilliant. I love it – the whole vibe in the well-designed garden, the buildings, and the sustainable aspect of it all. The staff are incredible, all caring, kind, diligent and willing to do whatever it takes to make your stay perfect. The food is truly delicious, fantastic for vegetarians and meat-eaters too, as well as offering tea/coffee at any time by helping yourself. Relaxed, with the smell of the beautifully planted garden at night, and a well-stocked library so I can read all day long by the pool. Heaven!” Jane Duncan Rogers January 2024
Bedrooms The comfortable, beautifully appointed rooms are cleverly designed to be cool in summer and warm in winter. All have en–suite bathrooms, their own terrace and garden and can sleep two or more. A limited number are allocated for single occupancy. More details of rooms here
Heartful Holistic Holidays which offer a wide choice of authentic activities run by amazingly knowledgeable English-speaking guides. Explore the fascinating culture and landscapes, use our library, our small spa, swim or simply laze in the sun.
Optional activities include cookery, walks, visits to local families and charitable projects, wildlife, massage, shopping and several other choices. Little visited by tourists, the local souks offer an exotic traditional atmosphere.
Located within 30 minutes’ drive of the contrasting mountain landscapes of the majestic High Atlas and the extraordinary Anti-Atlas (beyond which lies the Sahara). We are also only an hour’s drive from the Atlantic coast.
Feel safe and cared for thanks to the care of loving, experienced English-speaking staff, good medical facilities, excellent WiFi, safe drinking water and being on the edge of a small, relaxed and friendly town with few tourists.
“La Maison Anglaise is really beautiful, impeccably kept and nurtured by you and your delightful Moroccan team there. All of the staff, without exception were wonderful – helpful, courteous and so very happy all the time. They looked after our every need, and nothing was too much trouble for them. The gardens are a real delight, the pool is gorgeous, and the meals were all delicious. The trips out and other activities that the staff took us on were a treat, and we all felt very safe with your careful drivers and guides”. L Turner, May 2023
Why choose a holiday with us?
We have been organising group holidays since 1998. Our venue has a variety of lovely spaces including the tiled circle in the gardens, the spacious 64 sq metre activity room and a very large tiled roof terrace, lovely at sunset and sunrise.
“I have organised, attended and facilitated many group events in a myriad of locations around the world over the last forty years…I found the ideal setting. It is small enough to maintain intimacy whilst having the spaciousness to accommodate privacy. The bespoke planning and vision which created this venue, inspired by Jane’s deep knowledge of the needs and requirements of small group holidays and workshops is evident in the care paid to every detail.” Tutor Katy van Haeften
Your Tutor
Photo of your tutor Claire Chandler
Read more about your tutor here.
To Book or Express an Interest: Limited places available. Request a place at www.cecu.co.uk/book We will then send you the payment schedule (split into instalments with a small initial deposit to secure your place).
Book early to get good flight prices, but please do NOT book flights until we give the go-ahead!
More Information For FAQs go to www.cecu.co.uk/faqs
Contact us: www.cecu.co.uk/contact or visit www.holidays-with-heart.co.uk
We will also send detailed pre-visit information after you book.
About the course: This contemporary watercolour painting and sketchbook week will develop your own visual language and improve your understanding of the principles of painting and sketching through experimentation, using the Moroccan landscape as reference.
WHAT YOU WILL BE LEARNING ON THE COURSE
Join Claire in exploring the ancient town and areas surrounding Taroudant with your sketchbook in hand. The bustling souk, the Anti Atlas and High Atlas Mountains, lush palm trees and colourful gardens – the possibilities here are endless!
The ecolodge excellent guides will take you to a variety of great drawing spots. We then will get together for a review each evening at our eco-lodge with our sketchbooks.
Your trip will include local highlights: drawing in the souk, the oasis, the Atlas Mountains and a visit to the home of artist Claudio Bravo.
The rest of the time you’ll have plenty of opportunity to explore, sketch and take part in optional trips around the local areas.
The course considers:
- drawing from observation. You will also be challenged to consider other ways of looking. For example, considering the weather, light & colour
- Claire will introduce you to techniques that she uses in her own work to convey light, colour and movement, involving all the senses.
- composition, form, tonal balance, technique & approach
- use locally sourced pigments from the souk to capture the colour of the landscape
- working en plein air to draw and paint the landscape in a way that is personal to you
Participants will:
- review and discuss a range of contemporary and traditional landscape painting to think about what appeals and impacts them
- undertake short and longer, guided and free exercises and experiments in charcoal, pencil, pastels and watercolour to have fun and free up their practice
- produce informed drawings of a high quality that sit in the liminal space between real and purely abstract.
The rich colours and the beautiful light of Morocco in January will provide a superb natural palette for self-expression and emotion through art. Working in a sketchbook and onto paper with water-based materials will enable students to create finished drawings and mixed media quickly, bringing a vitality to their work.
The course is suitable for everyone, including complete beginners.
Below is a list of materials that we will be providing for your use during the course.
- a variety of B grade sketching pencils
- charcoal
- sharpeners/erasers
- selection of brushes, including water brushes
- a hardback 15cm square sketchbook for each participant to take home
Please bring your own set of watercolour paints with palette, your favourite brushes and an extra sketchpad (preferably gummed, A4 or A3 in size)
PROVISIONAL ITINERARY
This is an indicative itinerary for the week so you can get an idea of timings and content. Some of the timings and content may change but we will keep you advised of any changes.
Daily timings for meals: 8.30 am: Breakfast; 1 pm: Lunch; 18:30: Dinner except where highlighted. Evening: review of the day’s work.
Options: for all the items marked ** please refer to
PRICE LIST
Wednesday 20 January
RECOMMENDED FLIGHT: Easyjet London Luton – Agadir dep. 07.55
arr. 12.55
Minibus meets you at Agadir airport.
If you wish to use another flight that is
OK but if it arrives and leaves at different times there will be extra (fair)
taxi costs shared with others arriving at a similar time
Approximately 14:30 – Late lunch,
settle in, introductory talk and tour of the site.
Late afternoon: Tour around town walls by
horse-drawn taxi **
Thursday 21 January
10:00 – 13:00: Course introduction
and first class, with coffee break
15:00 – 17:00: Guided visit to
souk ** (option to select & buy colour pigments – additional cost, 20 MAD/
£1.60 per colour)
Friday 22 January
09:30 – 12:30: Colour workshop, using
pigments and watercolours, with coffee break
14:00 –
17:00: Visit to Claudio Bravo Palace to draw in the beautiful gardens. **
Saturday 23 January – FREE DAY
Free time for you to
choose activities such a massage** or cookery lesson** or just relax by the
pool or a traditional band**.
Sunday 24 January
10.00 – 13.00
Drawing in the souk
15:00 – 17:00: Tutored
sketching from rooftop and in gardens
Monday 25 January
10:00 – 13:00: visit to Argan Oil cooperative &
draw overlooking Oasis **
16.00-18.00 Tutored drawing time at the Ecolodge
Tuesday 27 January
10.00-12.30 Individual feedback/ tutoring session
and /or 12:30 lunch for those choosing
the following excursion
13:30 – 18:00 Visit to the remarkable
Agadir Inoumar, a collective granary for storing food, valuables, and
documents, or as some call it, a “Berber Castle.” This fortified granary is
located in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, about 36 miles from us. Built over three
centuries ago and in use until 30 years ago, it is an outstanding example of
Berber history and architecture. **
20.00 – 21.00 Exhibition / Review of
artwork
Wednesday 28th May
Departure day. Vacate rooms by 10:00.
Mid-morning transfer to airport for return flight
SOME RELAXATION TOO!
We have allowed for some down time in the itinerary for you to swim, relax, read, have a massage or a hammam, otherwise you may end up exhausted! The souk is an easy 10-minute walk from the ecolodge
Summary
Cost: From £800 per person in shared twin/double room
Includes:
- Transfers from/to Agadir Airport at one designated time
- Accommodation in en suite twin or double bedroom; single occupancy on request
- Chlorine-free pool
- Substantial breakfasts and vegetarian evening meals (meat or fish at extra cost)
- Lunches on the first 6 days
- Tutored workshops – about 20 hours in total
Excludes:
- Flights (often under £100 return if booked early)
- Single occupancy supplement £25 per night
- Travel insurance (required)
Payable in Morocco:
- Tips
- Meat or fish supplement
- Tourist Taxes 41 MAD (approx £3.20) per person per night
- Cultural Experiences & Excursions; see details of prices and choices
- Airport taxi transfers at times other than the designated flight
Best Holistic Holiday Provider 2024
Best Wellbeing Retreat 2024
Best Holistic Ecolodge in Morocco 2023
Rural Accommodation of the Year 2023-2025
Tripadvisor: Number 1 in the Taroudant Region
Voted Top 10 in the World: Lonely Planet Eco Stays 2014 & VegeNews Vegetarian Holidays 2005
Responsible Tourism Trophy: Community Project Work 2009