Welcome to Adam Cope painting holidays
est. 1997
2026 will be our 28th year of running painting holidays
Adam appears on UK & USA television where he paints the river Dordogne ‘en plein-air.’
‘World’s Most Scenic River Journeys’
Where would you like to paint?
In a medieval abbey?
A wine castle in the Dordogne?
Or, maybe, an old stone farmhouse in Provence?
Our mission is Extraordinary art courses in Out-of-the-ordinary settings… As recommended by Time Out London and France Magazine.
We chose our venues with care so they suit your needs as an artist. You’ll discover a wealth of subject matter within easy walking distance, so you won’t be herded into a mini-bus. Here you can explore the sights & colours. Relish an authentic experience of ‘La France Profonde.’ Find unspoiled landscapes off-the-beaten path.
Enjoy the relaxed holiday atmosphere & friendly hospitality… it’s not all hard work! And with a professional french chef, ‘la table est bonne.’ So if you’re looking for a residential painting holiday, come & join in the fun with other like-minded painters.
Choose your 2026 Painting Holiday
Roussillon les Ocres
Provence
A character Provençal farmhouse nestled in the vines, cypresses & lavender fields.
Villa in Provence
Where film stars stay, including Liz Taylor & Leonard Cohen. Near ‘the ochre village’, the source of seductive colours from the South of France. Find out why the Mediterranean light has inspired artists since time immemorial…
Deep Dordogne
A charming old stone farmhouse, deep in the green wood. Near Bergerac.
Two star accommodation & locally sourced regional cuisine.
With two day trips out to paint in a medieval abbey, a UNESCO world heritage monument. Local tour guide. Peaceful quiet nature in an organic lavendar farm, once 12th century Baron’s outpost. Small group size.
Le Château de Sanse
Dordogne
An old stone demeure in peaceful wine country near St. Emillion in the lower Dordogne.
Stunning views of rolling hills, vines, woods & fields. Now a comfortable friendly hotel with its elegant restaurant and inspired chef. Suitable for those seeking a high standard of French style, comfort & hospitality. We offer a cooking course for non-painting partners.
The Tutor : Adam Cope
B.A. hons; Further Education & Adults Teacher Cert; Foundation Dip. Art Therapy
An English painter who has lived in the Dordogne for nearly three decades. Intimate with the warm hearted South of France, he’ll share this insider knowledge with you. A qualified teacher with over thirty years of teaching experience, Adam likes to listen to students & help you achieve your goals, even if it’s simply to start painting. He believes that painting holidays should be inspiring, motivational & great fun! When choosing a painting course, it’s important that you chose a teacher whose paintings you like.
This painting course is for you, if you want to:
- Learn how to paint in watercolour or oils or fast-drying alkyds.
- These courses are mostly about painting in the landscape. Painting ‘en plein air’ in the warm southern light. Or, if you want, try some studio painting, flowers or semi-abstract landscapes.
- A warm welcome to all adults, all abilities and all levels. From absolute beginners to those looking for an advanced level painting course.
- Get feedback from a professional painter who is also a qualified teacher. See demonstrations. Learn techniques. Easy to understand tuition that ensures you make real progress. Opt in or opt out, as you like.
- Take time for your own painting in this artists’ retreat. Recharge your creative batteries. Make your own personal discoveries. You can paint all day if you like!
- You learn best in a friendly, stimulating atmosphere. Sometimes there’s laughter; sometimes there’s the silence of deep concentration.
- Small group size : normally seven or eight, rarely more than ten.
- Meet people from all over the world. Painters have always sought friendly exchange with other painters. This gives you a golden opportunity to share this strange passion.
Learn to Paint
” Learning is most often considered a process of getting rather than giving. This is most evident in conceptions of student/teacher roles : Teachers give and students get. Yet, in adult learning both giving and getting are critical. – David Kolb
Testimonials
” I felt you really cared about the quality of tuition. You knew how to inspire the best in us. – VICKIE, DEEP DORDOGNE, 2004
” I recently took part in Adam’s one-week painting course in Roussillon, and it was such a special experience. The location was absolutely stunning—I’ve rarely felt so connected to nature and the present moment.I enjoy painting and sketching from time to time, but I’m not very confident with watercolours, even though I really like them. Being in a small group of passionate painters using different techniques was really interesting, and Adam did a brilliant job adapting to each person in the group.The places we painted were beautiful, most just around the (amazing) house, and we also visited the Ochre Museum and the village of Roussillon. We did some fun and eye-opening exercises, and I learned a lot about mixing colours, composition, values and painting techniques. Adam gave us guidance based on everyone’s level and what we wanted to paint, which made a big difference. We got plenty of personal help, and that really helped us improve. By the end of the week, I felt much more confident with my painting.Adam is a kind, energetic, encouraging, and passionate teacher who clearly loves what he does. If you’re looking for an intense week full of learning, creativity, and inspiration, I’d definitely recommend his courses. – AGNETA, ROUSSILLON, MAY 2025
Every 2025 painting holiday includes:
BONJOUR LES PEINTRES 🙂
Meet the tutor beforehand in a Zoom session with the rest of the enrolled group. This will help you to prepare you for your painting course & answers your questions.
plus
INTRO TO THE PAINTING MATERIALS & the Split-Primaries
A comprehensive material list for our painting holidays. So you will know exactly what to pack. You can learn more about these colours in a free-wee mini online course about the Split-Primaries
I gained a great deal of understanding about mixing and using colours, something that I have always struggled with and didn’t understand why. Adam went into great detail about how colours interact with each other and how that translates in your paintings. The colour wheel now makes sense to me and now I know how to use it. It is my ‘go to’ before I put paint to paper. The homework projects were interesting. Having to work within set parameters really underlined how colours work.”
– BRIDGET, ONLINE STUDENT 2021
