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Artistic crafts in Provence: between tradition and renewal
Art and craft holidays in Provence: a blend of tradition and new ventures
Provence, renowned for its thriving tourism centred on lavender fields and hilltop villages, is also home to talented artisans specialising in decorative arts. In the Gorges du Verdon or the Var, discover the history of two villages dedicated to the arts and crafts: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and its famous blue-patterned earthenware, and Seillans, where a former cork factory has been beautifully converted into art studios. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to plan the best possible ‘arts and crafts’ holiday in Provence!
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), the town of earthenware at the gateway to the Gorges du Verdon
It all began with wood, water and clay. From these abundant raw materials at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the first glazed earthenware objects were created in the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, an Italian monk passing through the area passed on the secrets of producing white glaze to Pierre Clérissy, the first master potter of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. For two centuries, the town flourished thanks to its first royal commissions. Fashion then shifted towards porcelain and English earthenware, and the kilns at Moustiers-Sainte-Marie gradually fell silent in the mid-19th century.
In 1927, Marcel Provence, a fervent champion of Provençal culture, decided to reignite one of the village’s earthenware kilns. Production was revived and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie returned to its former vocation. Today, the village is home to 8 earthenware workshops which continue to keep this craft alive, successfully blending traditional and more contemporary designs.
Top arts and crafts activities in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie:
- Explore the five galleries of the ‘’ earthenware museum to gain a comprehensive understanding of the history of earthenware and the evolution of its designs through more than 400 exhibits.
- Visit the ‘’ – the eight faience workshops in Moustiers that are still in operation. A special mention goes to theBondil workshop and theSoleil workshop, both of which have been awarded the ‘Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant’ (Living Heritage Company) label.
- To complement the earthenware set you’ve fallen in love with, pop into theVerdon cutlery workshop, where Mikaël will show you his knives, notably the ‘Verdon’ and the ‘Blacas’.
- Climb up to the Notre-Dame de Beauvoir Chapel, to see the village from above and admire the earthenware tiles depicting the 14 Stations of the Cross, created by Simone Garnier, a 20th-century earthenware artist.
Your stay in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie:
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La Ferme Rose
Hôtel - restaurant -
Le Colombier
Hôtel - restaurant
Surrealism and retraining in Seillans (Var) in the Pays de Fayence
Seillans, a hilltop village in the Var region overlooking Fayence, attracted many artists in the mid-20th century, following in the footsteps of Patrick Waldberg, an art critic closely associated with the Surrealist movement, who settled in Seillans in 1954. Masson, Man Ray, Prévert and Bazin all stayed in Seillans. Others settled there, such as Dorothea Tanning and Max Ernst in 1963.
The local council supported the opening of new studios by establishing six new ones in the early 2000s within a former century-old cork factory.
Today, there are no fewer than 16 studios and galleries are open to visitors. Painting, sculpture, artistic metalwork, watercolour, figurines, jewellery, ceramics, textile printing… whatever your preference, you’re sure to find an artist or craftsperson delighted to share their expertise with you.
The best arts and crafts activities in Seillans:
- Have a cup of tea at Tilleul-Citron, nestled amongst the workshops of the former cork factory, in lush green surroundings.
- Visit the Waldberg House and its impressive collection of lithographs by Dorothea Tanning and Max Ernst, surrealist artists who lived in Seillans for over 10 years, as well as the colourful works of the painter Stan Appenzeller, who also lived in the village.
- Admire the “Génie de la Bastille”, a sculpture by Max Ernst, on Place de la République.
- Browse the collection of surrealist works from the Waldberg bequest at the municipal library.
- Go on a dragon hunt – specifically, that of Ivan Ivanoff (1925–2005), a Bulgarian refugee born to a blacksmith father, who lived for many years at the forge on the Grand Rue in Seillans and left behind this dragon sculpture as a memento.
- Discover the works of Serge Leibovitz, a master craftsman specialising in pewter miniatures (notably aeroplanes), whose workshop is part of the ‘Entreprises du Patrimoine Vivant’ scheme.
Art and craft events in Seillans:
- The traditional “Art et Terroir” market in July
- The pottery market in August
Max Ernst and Seillans
Photo credits: Moustiers Earthenware Museum,
