NATURAL PAINT MAKING RETREAT
A 5 Day Immersive Workshop in Aveyron, France
AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
Gather pigments from the land, transform them by hand, and create your own watercolor paints inside a historic French château.
Over five restorative days in the countryside of Southern France, you’ll learn the complete process of natural paint making. From foraging earth pigments in nature to refining, mulling, and painting with your own handmade watercolors. Together, we’ll also create watercolor medium from scratch using Júlia’s personal recipe, developed through years of experimentation with natural materials and traditional techniques.
Designed for artists, nature lovers, and anyone seeking a more intentional and sustainable creative practice, this retreat blends art, intention, landscape, and connection.
You’ll leave with your own handmade watercolor palette, a deeper understanding of natural pigments, and the tools to continue your paint making journey at home.
Limited
Spots
RESERVE YOUR PLACE
All materials are included and are yours to keep.
You will be redirected to the Chateau de Balsac website for checkout.
A NATURAL PIGMENT & WATERCOLOR RETREAT IN FRANCE
Stay at the beautiful Château de Balsac in the French countryside, surrounded by gardens, stone architecture, and quiet landscapes that invite rest and inspiration. To explore additional accommodation photographs and learn more about the château, visit the link below.
01 / Historic Château Lodging
02 / Learn the Full Paint Making Process
From foraging raw earth pigments to refining, categorizing, and hand mulling watercolor paint, you’ll experience every stage of creating natural paint from scratch alongside artist Júlia Godoy. To learn more about Júlia and her practice, visit the link below.
03 / Intentional Creative Living
Shared meals, fireside evenings, painting sessions, local markets, wine tastings, and time in nature create a restorative atmosphere centered around creativity and connection.
NATURAL PAINT MAKING WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE
Gathering Pigments from Nature
We’ll hike through the Aveyron countryside collecting earth pigments directly from the land and learning how color exists naturally in the environment around us.
1
Pigment Refinement & Processing
Learn how to grind, sift, wash, and refine raw pigments by hand using traditional techniques to make refined, artist quality pigments.
2
Handmade Watercolor Paint
Create your own watercolor medium and mull professional quality watercolor paints using the pigments we gather throughout the retreat.
3
Painting & Color Exploration
Explore watercolor techniques, intuitive mark making, layering, and color relationships using your handmade palette.
4
Art, Place & Inspiration
Visits to local villages, markets, and the Soulages Museum will deepen our relationship to color, material, and sustainable artistic practice.
5
A GLIMPSE OF THE EXPERIENCE
DAY 1Arrive at Château de Balsac, settle into the landscape, and gather around the fire as we explore the history and significance of natural pigments in art. Together, we’ll create charred black pigment by hand before ending the evening with shared s’mores beneath the night sky.
DAY 2Hike through the Aveyron countryside gathering earth pigments directly from the land, followed by an afternoon of refining and processing our collected colors by hand at the château.
DAY 3Wander through the Rodez farmer’s market, organize and categorize our pigments, then gather in the kitchen to create watercolor medium from scratch using Júlia’s personal recipe alongside wine, cheese, and a shared dinner.
DAY 4Visit the Soulages Museum for inspiration before returning to the château to hand mull professional watercolor paint and explore intuitive painting techniques, layering, movement, and color relationships.
DAY 5Paint in the medieval village of Belcastel using the landscapes around us as inspiration, closing the retreat with reflection, connection, and a deeper relationship to color, material, and place.
For those who feel called to stay longer, the Château remains open to you through the weekend as an opportunity to continue painting, resting, and deepening your relationship with the landscape. Discounted rates at the Château are available upon request.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This retreat is for:
Artists seeking a deeper relationship with material and process
Nature lovers drawn to earth based creativity
Beginners curious about natural paint making
Experienced artists wanting to incorporate sustainable practices into their work
Anyone craving a slower, more intentional creative experience
No prior experience with natural pigments or art making is required. All levels of creativity are welcome!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
5 Day immersive workshop experience with intimate, hands on guidance from Júlia throughout every stage of the natural paint making process.
4 nights lodging at the historic Château de Balsac in the countryside of Aveyron, France.
All meals included throughout the retreat, shared together at the château and during special group outings. Meals at Château de Balsac are homemade and rooted in local French cuisine, thoughtfully prepared using seasonal ingredients from the surrounding region.
A collection of professional art tools and natural paint making materials awaiting you upon arrival, all yours to keep and continue working with at home.
Your own curated handmade watercolor palette created from pigments gathered and processed throughout the retreat.
Guided pigment foraging excursions through the surrounding landscape of Southern France.
In depth painting workshops exploring color, layering, intuitive mark making, and watercolor techniques.
Visit to the Soulages Museum in Rodez for artistic and material inspiration.
A restorative creative experience centered around slowness, connection, and a sustainable art practice.
Limited
Spots
RESERVE YOUR PLACE
from €2,950 EUR
Your place in the workshop is secured with a €1,500 deposit.
The remaining balance will be invoiced separately.
All materials are included and are yours to keep.
You will be redirected to the Chateau de Balsac website for checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No experience is necessary. The retreat is designed for both beginners and experienced artists.
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Yes. All materials, pigments, tools, and supplies are included and yours to keep after the retreat. Just remember to leave a little extra room in your luggage for the way home!
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Airfare and personal purchases are not included in the retreat fee. While all scheduled meals, accommodations, workshop materials, transportation for group outings, and entrance fees for included activities are covered, any personal shopping during village or market visits, additional alcoholic beverages, and dining gratuities will be at your own discretion.
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Your spot is secured with a €1,500 deposit. The remaining balance will be billed separately.
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The retreat takes place at Château de Balsac in Aveyron, Southern France. For more information on the Château and to see location specifics, please click here.
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Guests are expected to arrive via Rodez train station or Rodez Airport. Please note that airfare is not included in the retreat fee. Additional travel details and recommendations will be provided after booking, and should you need further assistance coordinating travel logistics, we will be happy to help guide you through the process.
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Absolutely! Guests are welcome to extend their stay at the Château through the weekend at discounted rates, subject to availability.