Sewing Retreats – France
Join us for 5 fabulous days of sewing in France! Spend your days sewing in our converted barn studio, pottering around the historic town of Confolens in the sunshine, having afternoon tea on the banks of the River Vienne and browsing the many antique markets and bric-a-brac shops.
Confolens
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
• 2.5 days of dedicated sewing tuition in our purpose-converted studio, plus an extra half day of sewing studio access
• Airport transfers available for all Limoges flights from Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Stansted & East Midlands arriving on the Sunday and returning on Thursday.
• Welcome dinner by the river on Monday evening
• Pickup and drop off every day from Confolens town square
• A sewing pattern of your choice from the Sew Different or Size Me ranges
• Afternoon tea on Tuesday and locally sourced lunches on Monday and Wednesday
Sew Different pattern range • Size Me pattern range
ITINERARY
• Arrive Sunday with an airport pickup or make your own way.
• 9am pickup on Monday from the town square to take you to the studio for a day of sewing. A locally sourced lunch will be served in the studio. 5pm you will be returned to the town square and then meet up for the welcome meal.
• 9am pickup on Tuesday from the town square to take you to the studio. We will spend half a day sewing and then finish at 1pm when will will head out for a delicious afternoon tea from local suppliers. The afternoon is then free for you to spend exploring the town and riverside walks.
• 9am pickup on Wednesday from the town square to take you to the studio for a day of sewing and lunch. 5pm you will be returned to the town square and the evening is yours to spend as you please.
• 9am pickup on Thursday from the town square to take you to the studio where you are welcome to stay and sew under your own steam whilst airport transfers are taking place. Transport to Limoges airport will be provided. Those who have made other travel arrangements are welcome to stay and sew until midday when the studio closes.
ACCOMODATION
Highly recommended is the fabulous, english speaking, 13Bees who offer rooms AND the option of a beekeeping experience. Located 5 minutes walk from the main square in Confolens and set in three acres, 13 Bees enjoys an enticing mix of arboretum, meadow, orchards, pottage and garden. There are over 130 different trees, all specifically planted to offer a varied habitat for wildlife. Bats, owls, buzzards, finches, robins and wrens all make their homes here.
Located 5 minutes walk from the main square in Confolens.
For best prices book on the website or get in touch directly via [email protected] or +33 545 71 22 90
Located in the tranquil village of Ansac-sur-Vienne (a short walk from the studio) The Fleur De Lys is a delightful Maison Bourgeois, built in 1835, the house includes three themed ensuite guest rooms, all have recently been decorated. Guests have access to a kitchen diner and lounge area which is fully equipped with fridge, cooker, microwave, dishwasher and washing machine.
Guests also have use of a swimming pool and evening meals can be provided on request.
Gordon and Debbie look forward to welcoming you.
Website: www.fleurdelys.online
Email: [email protected]
Call: +33647203828 or +33787594839
Point Vieux located in Confolens, offer a choice of accommodation, from single rooms to family suites. All rooms have a shared kitchen area and outdoor balcony for this who would like to cater for themselves in the evenings. They have two beautifully decorated luxury sites within the same building.
Other options include a beautifully kept local campsite in Confolens, Camping des Ribieres with its own animal corner, mini beach and rustic BBQs that offers furnishes safari tents on stilts and accommodates camper vans.
TRAVEL
Travel is not included in the retreat cost. We have planned our itinerary around the Ryanair flights from Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, East Midlands & Stansted to Limoges which run on the Sunday and return to the UK on Thursday.
However, there are also plenty of other options. The Eurostar goes from London to Angoulème on a super-fast route that takes only 5 hours. In order not to miss the welcome meal on the Monday, we would recommend that you travel on the Sunday, stay the night in Angoulème and then take the coach Monday morning to Confolens.
There are also other flights from Bristol & Southampton that go to Limoges or Poitiers, (both are approximately a one hour drive to Confolens) if you would like to add on a few extra days to your trip and make your own way to Confolens.
Driving through France is an easy and pleasant experience due to wide roads, quiet traffic and well-priced motels. It takes approximately 8 hours driving from Calais. Motel Les Broussailles is conveniently located for an overnight stop and is well reviewed by Tripadvisor.
WHAT TO BRING:
You will need to bring your own fabric and notions. Although there will be the basics of haberdashery available at the retreats, we advise that you bring your own to ensure that you have what you need. You can browse the available patterns here to help you decide what to bring:
Sew Different pattern range • Size Me pattern range
SURROUNDING AREA
You can find information here and here about the surrounding area.
NEW DATES FOR 2025
8th-12th June
22nd-26th June
6th-10th July
20th-24th July
7th-11th September
Total cost £550 – Deposit £120 – Balance due February 2025
For any queries about the retreat, please contact Donna click HERE
Please note that deposits are non-refundable. While we will try to be as flexible and helpful as possible, please note that we cannot be held responsible for travel cancelations and delays and our retreat costs are non-refundable.
Sewing Retreats – France
£120.00
Private mini-retreats for groups of 4 or more people can be arranged. They can be run to a similar format as our listed retreat but you would have the studio to yourselves. The advantage of this is that we can customise the itinerary to suit you. For example, if there are things that you would particularly like to learn we can prepare demonstrations for you, there are other fabric shops in the area that you may want to visit and there are often events at the on-site gallery and theatre that you may want to tie in. Prices may vary according to what you would like, but need not be any different from the usual price. Please email [email protected] to discuss your requirements.
