Art & Wool in the South of France
A curated art experience and an exploration
of a region through its food and people.
May 25 – June 1, 2026
Aiguillon, Lot-et-Garonne
Appletree Farm in Eugene, Oregon, and its shepherdess, Stéphanie Schiffgens, together with artists Christiane Payton and Kristina Foley, invite you to join us for an unforgettable creative retreat in the Southwest of France.
Over the course of this immersive week, we’ll guide you through the region of Lot-et-Garonne et Dordogne “le Sud-Ouest” – as we explore the landscape through sketching, watercolor, and wool felting. This artistic journey will be enriched with meals celebrating local flavors and daily excursions that reveal the cultural richness of the region.
Location & Accommodations
Our retreat will be hosted in the picturesque hillside town of Aiguillon, with accommodations at the charming Domaine Le Baraillot – our home base for a week of creating, relaxing, and connecting.
What’s Included – $3,100
Your retreat fee includes:
- 7 nights lodging (from mid-day Monday, May 25 to mid-day Monday, June 1)
- All meals (including one French restaurant meal & one traditional family-style dinner)
- Cooking class, French family style
- Painting & felting instruction
- Felting materials
- Daily excursions with scheduled transportation
- Entrance to Le Jardin des Nénuphars
- Entrance to “Les Bains de Casteljaloux”
- All wines and beverages
- A nurturing, inspiring environment with fellow artists and creatives
What’s Not Included
- Airfare and transportation to/from Aiguillon (The closest airport is Bordeaux. Direct trains to Aiguillon run multiple times daily. We offer pickup from the Aiguillon train station.)
- Watercolor/sketching supplies (please bring your own, including a foldable easel if desired)
- Personal spending money and any additional food or items not listed above
- Travel insurance (required—see below)
Travel Insurance Requirement
To ensure peace of mind, all participants must provide proof of travel, medical, and cancellation insurance. This protects you in case of illness, travel interruptions, or emergencies.
Important Details
- Cost: $3,100 per person
- $1,000 required to reserve a spot
- Payment Deadline: Balance of $2,100 by January 15, 2026
- Refund Policy: This retreat is non-refundable due to the need to secure accommodations, instructors, and activities in advance.
Please Inquire About:
- Couples/friends sharing a room with private bathroom (pricing)
- Couples sharing a room with private bathroom, with one guest not participating in the retreat (pricing)
Join Us!
Let us take you on an artistic and culinary journey through one of France’s most charming regions. Whether you’re new to watercolor or felting, or an experienced artist looking to deepen your practice in a magical setting, this retreat offers a rare opportunity to slow down, create, and connect—with the land, with each other, and with yourself.
Reviews
Kirsten calls it: “The trip of a lifetime”
I had always considered studying abroad but never quite felt ready to commit to a full semester. So when Stéphanie offered this retreat, I was thrilled—it felt like the perfect chance to improve my language skills and finally see France!
But this trip turned out to be so much more…
Each day, we visited small villas across the South of France, walking through cobbled streets and immersing ourselves in the local culture. We explored open-air markets, tasted authentic French cuisine, admired stunning architecture, wandered through beautiful gardens, and marveled at centuries-old churches and castles. The scenery was breathtaking, and the attention to detail that Stéphanie put into every single day was both incredible and deeply appreciated.
The beauty of France is something that truly needs to be experienced—and this retreat is the perfect way to do it.
Alongside some amazing instructors, we created beautiful watercolor paintings and crafted felting projects using a wide variety of fiber materials.
Some of my most cherished moments were simply sitting under the warm sun, making art and sharing laughter with a new group of friends. Those memories will stay with me forever.
So thank you, Stéphanie, for this unforgettable opportunity and all the memories made. You were the quintessential host—kind, thoughtful, and fully invested in making every one of us feel special.
“Southwest France is a best kept secret, one that I found to be beautiful beyond measure. The retreat exceeded my expectations in every way. It began with the train ride that was timely, comfortable, and had the prettiest countryside. Stephanie had pieced together a week to remember along with Christiane and Kristina. The delicious local foods, the best strawberries I ever tasted, beautiful gardens, farmers markets, historical churches and museums, castles, as well as learning to express all the adventures through painting or felting wool. Another surprise was sharing all this with some new friends. I loved it all!”
– KC Templeton.
About the Host and Artists
Kristina Foley was introduced to felting wool while earning a BFA in Fiber Structure and Interlocking at Syracuse University (2005), and continued her practice in Florence, Italy, after graduation. Influenced by the city’s artisan culture and her work with knitwear designer Boboutic, her craft reflects a deep respect for tradition and material. Now based in the Pacific Northwest, she highlights the exceptional wool sourced from small local farms and partners with Shaniko Wool Company for fully traceable, domestic Merino.
Over the course of the retreat, Kristina will guide participants in creating an animal-friendly sheepskin using Gotland fleece sourced directly from Stephanie’s flock in Denmark. This gentle, no-harm approach offers a sustainable alternative to traditional tanning, fostering a deep connection to the land, the animals, and the broader community through regenerative design practices.
Participants will learn how to clean and prepare raw wool, thoughtfully laying it out to shape their “sheepskin” and achieve the desired effect. Through felting and finishing techniques, each person will create a beautiful, durable piece designed to last for years to come.
Beginners will receive a thorough introduction to felting, while more experienced felters and textile artists will have the chance to dive deeper into this rare and specialized method.
Beyond the sheepskin project, the retreat will explore advanced design techniques using pre-felt and integrating luxurious fibers such as wild Tussah silk and Mohair. This immersive experience is an invitation to nurture creativity, engage with sustainable practices, and craft a truly one-of-a-kind piece that embodies both artistry and ethical craftsmanship.
Christiane Payton is a German American artist who draws and paints with a focus on the human experience. She has taught at the High Low Artspace in Portland, Oregon, at the Akthof in Munich and currently works out of the Galerie Dorothea Schrade in Baden Württemberg, Germany. Her art helps her to understand the world around and within. Drawing and painting are ways to work through the way natural objects are put together, and how they relate to their surroundings.
Come and join me to paint the bounty and beauty of the region Lot et Garonne, with watercolors. During the first few days, we will aim to first draw and then paint a variety of local fruits and vegetables. As we get more comfortable with the medium, we will also learn how to do landscape sketches so we can create lasting memories of our travels. Finally there will be the chance to illustrate one of Stéphanie’s regional recipes.
You will learn the principles of drawing accurately from life, a valuable tool when practicing representational art, regardless of medium. The quick sketches of our subject will help us to work on knowledge of color and value. And finally, we will move into the more developed painting and have the opportunity to combine art with our appreciation of the local cuisine. This workshop is designed to help creative individuals feel comfortable with using plenty of water and pigment to create one-of-a-kind watercolor paintings while inspired by our lovely surroundings in an immersive retreat experience.
Stéphanie: I am a 3rd generation farmer; I am a small scale farmer. The heart of my farming experience is rooted in the care of my flocks of Gotland sheep, feeding my family and the aesthetics of farming. My life is split between our farm in Eugene and the EU where I grew up.
I would like to share with you the region of my childhood. I grew up on a farm and the life of my family is very much, and still to this day, anchored in the rhythms of the seasons through agriculture as a way and a means of life.
I am passionate about what I do and I love to work with other people to bring forth our passions of producing food, fiber, stories, lifelong connections, happy animals, and meals shared around a large table.