Carcassonne – Villa Camellas lloret Price: From £769.50 + vat Date: Evening of Friday 28th July to Afternoon of Sunday 30th July This summer, join us in the stunning Carcassonne region of France to soak up the culture and cuisine the area is famous for. You’ll be staying at the chic Villa Camellas lloret, nestled in the breathtaking countryside, minutes from wineries, cathar castles, medieval towns, beaches and the world-famous Carcassonne market. We’ll be an intimate group of ten guests, enjoying each others’ company, fine wine, artful photography workshops and the best of south-of-France living.
While you immerse yourself in the beauty of the space, the deliciousness of the food, and the glorious weather and countryside, you’ll also have the chance to learn from three industry professionals. Course leader: Times-featured photographer, Karuna Clayton, will take you through the truth of what it means to live as an artist and creative, how to truly nurture and express yourself through your art, and how to make a living as an artist if that’s your jam. Karuna lives up to her name: with gentle enthusiasm and compassion she’ll help you get to grips with any of the technical stuff you need help with, and guide you on how to do your best work. Karuna’s superpower is helping everyone access their magic. She works regularly for massive brands such as Fortnum & Mason, 45 Jermyn Street, Ben & Jerry’s and The Times, but her passion is in helping true creatives step into their power. Camilla Wordie, food stylist: In almost a decade in the art world, Camilla’s work has taken her around the world, styling for brands such as Mark Hix, Fortnum and Mason, Radisson and Free People. She has been featured in The Times, Designboom, Time Out and Metro, among many more publications, and her work has been exhibited in Tokyo and London. The exuberant joy Camilla brings makes her a firm favourite with all who meet her. Holly Farrier, is a lightroom specialist and social media expert with years of experience in the commercial photography world. She’s regularly to be found editing the imagery of some of the UK’s top brands and has recently travelled across Europe creating a set of stunning travel food books. Along with her creative experience and skills, she brings an innate passion for food and cookery.
After relaxed mornings and delectable breakfasts we’ll take you gently through the processes of styling, lighting, and shooting to help you enhance your food and lifestyle photography in informal working groups that are hands-on and immersive. There’ll be excursions to the nearby Carcassonne market to indulge in a feast for the eyes, and to take photos with our experts there to help you shoot “in the field”. There’ll be sumptuous lunches, mouth-watering sweet treats, and big shared evening meals filled with fine food, laughter and good wine. At the end of each day spent learning, luxuriating, connecting and relaxing you’ll find your body and mind replenished, your skills honed, your understanding sharpened and your photography and heart elevated. What you’ll eat: We’ll be joined by award-winning head chef, Paul Weaver, who has won applause at his Bloomsbury restaurant Noble Rot, and has worked at Michelin starred restaurants around the world. Each day, he’ll be cooking up gorgeous meals using the abundant local produce, spectacular cheeses, and exceptional wines the region is famous for. We’ll be breaking bread together each evening and dining under the stars, while enjoying each other’s’ sparkling company and lots of laughter. We can also cater for allergies and food intolerances, please let us know.
Villa Camellas lloret is a truly stunning place to lay our heads. Run by a New Yorker and a South African, the owners’ love of their home and adopted country is visible in every artfully arranged room, and elegant colour scheme. Each room has en suite or private bathrooms and WiFi reception. Rest easy on 100% linen bedding, with handmade organic wool futons which will assure you a remarkably comfortable night’s rest. Hair dryers are provided. Only environmentally friendly cleaning products are used. There are seven rooms options depending on whether you’d like a private room, or to share with a friend or friends, have a preference on bed size and if wifi in the room is a must. If there is anything at all you’d like to talk over, or any hesitations or concerns you might have please don’t hesitate to ring Karuna directly to discuss. She’s one of the warmest, kindest people you’ll meet.
Transport and flights are not included. But please talk to us if you need advice on how to get there and away. Once we greet you at the villa, you’re in our hands, and we’ll take care of everything to make sure you have a wonderful experience. To and From the Airports There are daily afternoon flights from London and multiple flights from all over Europe to Toulouse and Carcassone and daily late afternoon/early evening flights back to London and multiple European locations on Sunday. We’ve designed the course around our guests getting the most out their time with us while not needing to take time off work. We are located 10 minutes from Carcassonne airport and 45 minutes from Toulouse. Expect to pay around 25 Euro for a taxi from Carcassonne, or 150 Euro from Toulouse. There is also a shuttle bus from the airport to the train station, where you can get a train to Bram (a ten minute car drive from the villa). We will start our retreat with a welcome supper on the Friday evening at 7.30pm. A chance for all the guests to meet, and Karuna to run over the plans for the next two days. The retreat will finish at 4pm on Sunday.
We’re a small company of empathetic artists and entrepreneurs. We do this because we love it, and want to share our love of photography and nourish our guests. However, because we’re small we can’t offer refunds unless you find someone to take your place. And if you cancel, I’m afraid we aren’t able to reimburse you as it may make the retreat unviable. It is a really good idea to take out travel insurance to cover natural disasters, health crises etc.