“This was honestly one of the best weeks I’ve had in years.
The Minervois is stunning, but what made the trip unforgettable was the combination of sketching, food, and connection to the locals.
Each day brought a new location—vineyards, medieval villages, hidden corners you’d never find alone, thank you Milton —and the guidance and tutoring with Erin was amazing: fun, relaxing, encouraging, and never overwhelming.
By the end, our group felt like a little family. So many laughs, so much good wine, and so much progress in my sketching.
Already looking at the next trip!” Sarah from Canada
Sketching in the Minervois
south of france 2026
2026
7Day tours
7 NIGHTS/ 8 DAYS
Spend a week being part of a delightful local village in the heart of the South of France.
Learn our simple relaxing Travel Sketch techniques and to sketch the gorgeous French scenes you’ll see around every corner.
You’ll soon feel part of this way of life where everyone has time for each other. Pure joy.
Max: 1 to 4 sketchers
2026 DATES:
Sunday APRIL 19th to Sunday APRIL 26th
FULLY BOOKED
or
Sunday MAY 17th to Sunday MAY 24th
FULLY BOOKED
or
Sunday JUNE 14th to Sunday JUNE 21st
3 spots available
or
Sunday AUGUST 23rd to Sunday AUGUST 30th
2 spots available
or
Sunday SEPT 13th to Sunday SEPT 20th
3 spots available
COST:
€2595 pp
Deposit: €595pp non refundable
WHAT’S INCLUDED
•Pickup at Toulouse Airport or Railway Station or Carcassonne Airport at 2.00pm on Arrival Day.
•Drop off at Toulouse Airport or Station, or Carcassonne Airport the following week.
•Breakfast at your hotel
•Daily sketching and tuition with Erin.
•Fully Guided and organised visits to each location.
•Transport to new locations.
•History chats and info about the locations we visit with Milton.
•Wine Tour including lunch later in the week. The best in the region.
•Shopping opportunities. Markets, Brocantes and Antiques
•Farewell dinner together on the last evening
(This is a guide to some of the places we’ll go. We often decide on the day to do something else depending on weather and your preferences)
NOT INCLUDED
•Flights - to Toulouse and return
•Accommodation - choice of a 200 year old Abbey or a more modern hotel with swimming pool
in Caunes Minervois- 5mins from my village. (Scroll right down and you’ll see the info)
Or choose a local Airbnb in Caunes Minervois.
Lunches or dinners apart from 1 dinner mentioned
Sketch Kit - it’s all you’ll need
Travel Insurance - better safe than sorry
Personal spending - that tasty croissant or French table cloth
Medication - do bring what you need, very tricky to get the same in another country
WHO IS IT FOR:
Absolutely anybody with a sense of adventure, who loves travel, sketching, history and exploring new places.
No experience needed so if you haven’t sketched before, I’ll get you started, as I work at all levels of sketching.
If you are more experienced , you may want to to keep everything simple and loose.
If sketching, exploring and living like a local in our European neighbourhoods appeals,
then this tour is for you.
Having coffee at the same little spot every morning, picking up a sweet treat on the same street
- you’ll love it. So meditative.
No experience required. All levels welcome. Just a desire to be a sketcher. and be in the moment.
Let’s make sure we are reasonably fit as this part of Europe has lots of cobbled surfaces, up and down paving, steps and steep bridges.
Make sure you read the Terms and Conditions and confirm in our booking form.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Here’s a daily plan which we may or may not stick to 😀
We sketch between 10.00am - 3.00pm.
One: Arrival Day. Bienvenue
We pick you up at Toulouse Airport (Blagnac) or Railway Station (Matabiau) at 2.00pm and bring you to your accommodation in Caunes Minervois, (a pleasant 90 min drive.)
We will join you for a relaxing evening dinner nearby.
•
Two: Sketch Day: Making it Simple
Our first sketch class.
After breakfast we’ll meet at 10.00am at La Marbrerie cafe and chat about our plans for the week.
We’ll do our first sketch here. Usually one of our fun still life settings.
For lunch we’ll have something delicious between sketches.
•
Three: Sketch Day: Forget the detail
We will set up a street scene using trees to give foreground. French Trees and foliage certainly place you in a French Village.
•
Four: Sketch Day: Ancient Stones and Buildings
There are some ancient structures here which are great to sketch.
We’ll Sketch some of the architecture and the surrounds here which seems like the middle of nowhere. Picnic lunch.
Five: Sketch Day: Wine Goes with Food
A very exciting day today. One of the best wine tours in the region.
We meet our driver in the big carpark by the river and be whisked off to one of the an organic vineyard.
There will be tastings and you can try some quick sketches.
Lunch (included) will be with wines to go with your food.
A fab chance to learn even more about why the wines here are so special and different.
•
Six: Sketch Day: Down By the Canal
One of our favourite places to sketch is down by the Canal du Midi.
Barges passing, Tables and Umbrellas waterside, Local food and wine. Lunch and one of the most amazing book barns to get lost in.
•
Seven: Sketch Day: Village Roofs and alleyways
Today we’ll sketch in my village of Trausse starting with a coffee at the local Epicierie.
We’ll take a look at some of the older French houses and focus on proportion and style. Add a few birds or little dogs we may see.
Farewell Dinner at Le Moulin de Trebes.
•
Eight: Departure Day: Au revoir
After breakfast we will pick you up at 8.30am and take you to Toulouse for your next train or flight.
That way you know to book your ongoing transport any time early afternoon.
You will have the most marvellous memories from your stay in the Languedoc wine growing rural area of France.
We know you’ll return.😀
HOW TO GET THERE
Fly into Toulouse Airport and wait in the Meet Up area by 2.00pm
If you’re arriving by train to Toulouse-Matabiau Station be sure to arrive by 2.00pm
We will pick you up there and bring you to Caunes Minervois and your hotel.
This is a very special experience just for yourself, a group of friends, or your Urban Sketchers group.
Fully guided, Unique & Personalised Tours with private transport every sketching day to a different location.
Perfect for all levels of sketching and I work with you however experienced you may be.
You’ll love the locations in and around Caunes Minervois- where you’ll be staying - plus some of the fascinating villages dripping in Cathar history.
The minute we pick you up, you are taken care of and can totally relax.
Apart from daily sketching, we explore new places and learn the fascinating history of each.
We shop, discover, and enjoy different French restaurants for lunch.
Later in the week we take a truly wonderful day visiting two domaines for wine tasting with the best wine tour company in the region.
We then have a gorgeous lunch in a nearby restaurant and try the wines with our food.
Food and wine go together in France.
You can choose to stay at a beautiful old hotel (a former abbey) or the more modern hotel with a swimming pool overlooking green valleys, both in the village of Caunes Minervois for the time you are here.
You can unpack and start feeling like a local
in this undiscovered historical and picturesque wine growing region in Southern France.
Erin Hill and Milton Hill are your organisers for these small more intimate tours.
It means we can more easily tailor our week to the things you’d most like to do.
Hotel d’ Alibert
Option 1: A wonderful 300yr old family owned former abbey.
Rue Saint Genes, 11160 Caunes- Minervois
Email Frederic to book your room: frederic.guiraud.dalibert@gmail.com
All rooms are large with ensuites.
Daily breakfast included.
Approx €85 per night for double room with ensuite.
Hotel Le Minervois
Option 2: A modern hotel in spacious grounds with a swimming pool.
4 Occitane Avenue, Caunes Minervois
Email to book your room: https://www.sejourenminervois.fr/le-minervois/
Reception is across the street from the hotel in the grand old building and where the shaded garden restaurant is - Table du Minervois.
Approx €95 per night for double room with ensuite.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
If you’re new to sketching you’ll need this sketch kit.
Sketch Kit - Available to order online if you’re in Australia, or get similar in UK, USA and France.
I’ve designed my custom sketch kit to be minimal and fit into your shoulder bag, ready at any moment.
It contains everything you need. Don't be tempted to bring more.
If you’re already a sketcher, try to bring same or similar to above.
Bring a folding stool if you like, a hat, sunglasses, sun lotion, money for incidentals, such as drinks and meals not included.
* Do get travel insurance - better safe than sorry.
* Come with a big happy smile and willingness to learn.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SKETCHING WITH YOU SOON
Click the little icons below to see loads of my sketches on Pinterest and Instagram