toulouse with emily leonard
june 10-15, 2025
Our first artist retreat - we’re taking it back to where Rêverie started! We will be back in TOulouse with our dear friend and internationally acclaimed artist Emily Leonard.
June 10 - 15, 2025
6 Days, 5 nights
In 2018, Emily schemed a trip where Lisa’s food would be central to her artist’s retreat in Toulouse. Embracing food in France seemed like a no-brainer and so Lisa enthusiastically started writing menus. That was Lisa’s first time in France, so she was very fortunate to be able to make a call to Julie Belcher, who was living in Angers at the time and was a Nashville acquaintance from the baking world. From there, with Emily’s beautiful family helping as sturdy dishwashers, a truly magical time ensued. We can’t wait to be back in the cradle of Toulouse with this dear human - everything she touches turns to gold.
From $4,600 USD
What will you do?
From Emily: “One of my favorite ways to travel is to get outside with my oil paints and really look at the land by painting it. Experience the Gers countryside with all your senses as we spend our mornings painting en plein-air and our afternoons relaxing by the pool or diving into the region's cuisine with Lisa in the kitchen. I'll provide painting demos each day and be on hand to guide you in your work as we traverse the grounds of the chateau and nearby parks with our paints. All mediums and skill levels are welcome.” This combined with the traditional Rêverie culinary explorations – including wine tastings, market tours, expertly prepared meals – is intended to give you a week of inspired relaxation and focused practice in your work. Talk about a dream escape!
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While we hope everyone will participate, all experiences are optional! Please feel free to take time for yourself whenever you like.
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Rêverie has carefully selected activities and experiences that we believe represent the best of the region and our own expertise, aiming to provide an optimal experience for the participants.
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Eating and drinking are communal! You’ll have the opportunity to cook food, taste wines and learn from experienced teachers. We can’t wait to welcome you for our workshops!
YOUR guest host
Get to know:
Emily Leonard
Emily Leonard paints expressive botanical studies and fruitfully layered landscapes. Through a series of transparent glazes, Leonard abstracts flowers and trees into vibrant compositions rife with movement. Layers of color and delicate linework create gossamer thin textures that complement the fragile beauty of her subjects. Meditative pastels soften the intricate edges of petals and branches, creating a lucid portrayal of the sublime, resilient corners of nature.
Emily Leonard is a Nashville native who also works in New Mexico. She received her BFA from Furman University. Leonard has been published in magazines and catalogues including Garden and Gun, Southern Living and Studio Visit by Open Studios Press. Her paintings are included in numerous private and public collections around the world, including the Tennessee State Museum, the Nashville Courthouse, Swedish Hospital in Seattle, and UBS, Nashville
Learn more about Emily and her work on her website!
YOUR ITINERARY
*Please note that changes to the itinerary may occur between now and your retreat start date*
DAY ONE
tuesday 6.10.25
Welcome to France! As you approach the beloved Château de Labusquière, you’ll feel swept away by the inviting vistas and the wheat fields. Upon arrival, you’ll be ushered to your guest room for a quick freshen up before joining us at the table for our first lunch together. In the afternoon, you’ll have time to explore the grounds, take a nap, or go for a swim before meeting with Emily for an introduction of what the week holds. Come evening, we will all sit down to dinner at the château where local vegetables and good wine will be served in abundance!
DAY two
wednesday 6.11.25
Your first breakfast at the chateau sets the standard of how each day begins: hot coffee, teas, local pastries, fresh brioche, and jammy eggs – all served with a selection of preserves and local honey and yogurts and fruit for you to start each day. Then you’re off to your first painting session with Emily which extends into the afternoon, after a long market lunch in the courtyard. Then you’ll tuck into another fabulous dinner with your artist mates to reflect on day one of your experience.
DAY three
thursday 6.12.25
Today, after breakfast, you’ll have more time to get outside and paint. Then it’s a casual lunch at the chateau before we load up the vans and head to the beautiful village of Auch for a walkabout and a wine tasting with our friend Virgil at Le Merle Moqueur. We’ll make our way back to the château where the Reverie crew will greet you for our traditional grilling party – our chance to get out of the kitchen and cook with you while we hang by the pool, play lawn games and drink some fine local products - just a little.
DAY four
FRIDAY 6.13.25
In the stunning hilltop village of Lectoure, open-air markets and the “Village des Brocanteurs” (an antique village!!) await us! We’ll pack a signature Rêverie baguette picnic and then set out for a day of wandering. We’ll return “home” for an afternoon of plein-air painting together and then lean into a hearty apéro hour to ease any travel pangs you might have acquired during your day out. Tonight is our final dinner at the chateau - a celebratory summer vegetable feast paired with our best batch of local wines to toast our time together as it comes to a close.
DAY five
SATURDAY 6.14.25
Our big day out! Toulouse is calling and, after an easy morning to take it easy and get in one last plein air session, we’ll head out after lunch to the city center. You’ll be free to explore this great city on your own (with our handy advice and shared map highlights) and then we’ll all meet for our final dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the region. Tonight, we toast our journey and each other!
DAY six
sunday 6.15.25
Today, we pack up our paints and depart from our home for the week, trying to soak up every final breath of the wide-open air of Gers we can before we go. Breakfast will be served, and we will say our goodbyes as the vans arrive to shuttle you back to the airport in Toulouse so you can make your way back home or to your next stop in France.
plein air painting
For this retreat, rather than hosting structured workshops, Emily wants to provide a space for you to follow your whims. She will be with you, painting among you, available for guidance and inspiration, but your time and your canvas belong to you. You can stay with the group, or you can find your own secret garden to hide in and spark your imagination. The property of the Château is a muse in its own right, and you’ll have no trouble finding beauty around every bend. All you need to do is show up with your materials ready in your suitcase. No matter your preferred medium, you’ll be warmly welcomed to create something new - something that will breathe with you and carry balmy memories forever of your summer in France.
EXPLORE
When you’re not immersed in your work and studio practice, we look forward to showing you around! We’ll visit the gorgeous city of Auch for a walkabout (wait til you see those stairs!!) and a wine tasting at Le Merle Moqueur. On Friday morning, Lectoure is our destination with its bustling weekly market and a full village of antique dealers, le “village des brocanteurs.” On our last day together, we’ll head into Toulouse for an afternoon of lazy exploration, shopping, and a final dinner together at one of our favorite restaurants. This region is full of gems - we know you’ll love it!
OUTINGS
Explore the gorgeous city of Auch
Guided natural wine tasting at Le Merle Moqueur in Auch
Food and Antique market visits in the hilltop village of Lectoure
Explore the beautiful city of Toulouse
Group dinner in Toulouse
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Everything! Well, everything except for your big ride across the ocean and to the chateau’s nearest airport. But once you arrive, we got you.
Transfers to and from the château from the Toulouse Blagnac airport.
Plein air painting sessions and select shared art supplies
Recipes galore!
All meals, unless you go rogue
All wine and beverages, unless you wanna have your own after hours party ;)
Private coach transportation while on retreat
All scheduled outings and events during our week
Chateau lodging, naturally
GETTING HERE
Airplane
Several planes fly direct to Toulouse Blagnac airport (TLS) every day from Paris and other cities around Europe. We will arrange for an airport pickup on the first day of the retreat at 11:00 a.m., and we will drop you off on the last day at 11:00 am. All you have to do is get to Toulouse and we’ll take it from there!
*If you choose to arrive after our arranged pickup time or to leave earlier on the last day, we would be happy to help you arrange for a private driver for an additional fee.
*Cost of airfare to the Toulouse Blagnac airport is not included in the cost of your reservation. Please let us know if we can offer any support or guidance with your travel plans - we’re happy to help!
Car
If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, then please - rent a car in Paris and drive down! Have a stopover in the region of Dordogne for a foie gras tartine and make a pitstop for the wild view of the old cliffside city in Rocamadour. You could then keep your car for the week and choose your own destiny, or drop off at the Toulouse airport on the first day of the retreat and we’ll come grab you.
Train
Trains are another option for those who feel comfortable traveling around on their own! Please note that if you take the train to the Toulouse Matabiau train station, you will need to take a taxi to the Tououse Blagnac airport (20 minute drive) for our scheduled pickup time.
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel to the Chateau, please reach out.
We are here to help make this part easy and smooth.
If you would like to extend your stay in France, we are delighted to partner with The French Travel, a locally owned and operated trip designer based in Paris. They are true experts who will help you perfectly plan your before and/or after Rêverie experience. Check them out for more info!
Our friends at Coucou French Classes offer some incredible online French language classes - whether you’re looking to brush up on your high school French or looking to learn a few phrases to feel more comfortable with travel, Coucou French Classes is the way! Check out their website for more information.