A French Summer of
ANTIQUES, NATURE & CLAY
July 25 - 30, 2025
Hosted at Casa Julfa, Montmorillon (a historic town of arts and crafts in rural France), this is a special opportunity to immerse yourself in a world where time moves a little differently and the simple pleasures are savored.
We invite you to wander down medieval streets and sunflower lined lanes, hunt for timeless treasures in local flea markets, sink your hands into the local earth and make magic, and consume delicious local produce prepared with love and care, just as it has been for centuries.
Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrivals and welcome dinner. We prepare everything to allow you to sink into this beautiful backdrop that invites inspiration and reflection.
DAY 2: We will venture into nature in search of wild clay to harvest and prepare, enabling you to create pieces that, from start to finish, only your own hands have touched. This will be followed by an afternoon of antiquing out of town.
DAY 3: An early morning trip to nearby flea markets followed by a day dedicated to developing your creativity in the iconic Casa Julfa studios.
DAY 4: A morning of clay based making where we will explore traditional pottery and painting/drawing with local clays and pigments.
DAY 5: We will fire all our work in a traditional wood-firing kiln, just as potters have for millenia at a nearby lake/Nature reserve where we share a picnic-feast of delicious local produce. In the afternoon we will take the magical waters at the Spa Roche Posay (massage/treatments available as an additional option) before a special dinner.
DAY 6: A closing breakfast before departures.
If you have been seeking time and space that will allow you to both rest and indulge yourself, cultivate your creativity and embrace a slower pace.
This experience is for you. Suitable for all levels
Casa Julfa
Casa Julfa is a place where creative practices meet and cultures diffuse. It’s a sanctuary for makers and thinkers to grow, to rest, and to be, sheltered from the distractions and demands of contemporary society. Housed in large seventeenth century townhouse, in the picturesque ville d’Art et Histoire of Montmorillon, France. It’s a place where things move slower and life is a little easier to navigate.
Corinne Aivazian
Founder of Casa Julfa & Terra Ancestral. Aivazian is an artist , writer and researcher who works with clay to investigate historical narratives. Her work is heavily informed by her Armenian heritage and the pre-christian cultural and spiritual practices of her ancestors practiced in their indigenous lands of the fertile crescent and SWANA region.
Re Jin Lee
Founder of Naiana Nami, Re Jin Lee is a sculptor working primarily in clay. A native of São Paulo, Brazil, with South Korean heritage, Lee draws inspiration from her 'hand and clay' collaboration, reflecting the contemplative nature of ceramics and a belief in the power of simplicity. Her work blends influences from modern Brazilian architecture, Portuguese colonial design, and traditional Korean arts.