In a couple of weeks Colin and I will be taking a trip across the Channel to visit some of the locations we have in mind for Studio Faire.
What are the key crucial factors for location?
Well, apart from lush green countryside, bright warm sunshine the majority of the year round and a vibrant edge of village location, ideally with weekly market and welcoming restaurant, it will be important that its easy and affordable to get to for both International and French visitors, by air and/or public transport so we are starting our search from Bordeaux on the South West coast.
There are loads of flights in and out of Bordeaux and you can fly direct from Edinburgh or London Stansted with Ryanair for about a hundred quid at this time of year. You can fly direct from London with Easyjet all year round except March, it would appear, and from Glasgow from June – August.
Not coming from London or Scotland? Plenty of other options too. I like the website Rome2Rio as a starting point when planning travel.
You can also look at the Easyjet Route Map ici if you fancy.
Hate flying? You can get one of the high-speed TGV trains to Bordeaux from London or Paris. It costs under £200 from London. You can leave at 9 in the morning and, with one change in Paris, be in Bordeaux by wine o’clock!
You won’t be situating Studio Faire right in the middle of a big city though will you?
No, indeed not. This research trip will be a couple of hours in each direction from there. Driving south to Agen, then north through Bergerac (where there is also an airport) to the vibrant town of Sarlat-la-Canéda. From there we will go west again to Perigueux then up to Rochechouart (great contemporary gallery there!) and Chabanais. A bit far from Bordeaux there perhaps but a great airport is located in Limoges, with direct flights to London Stansted, Paris, Liverpool and Nottingham, to name just a few destinations.
Our final night will be spent in Angoulême, a city about an hour and a half north of Bordeaux, famed for its annual International Comics Festival.
Come back soon to see photos of our trip and potential properties just bursting to be converted into the amazing creative retreat that will be Studio Faire!
Featured image borrowed from www.bordeaux.com
