1. Workshops
(Policies, Logistics & Amenities for Workshop Attendees)
How do I register? To reserve your spot, please contact Magdalena Groszek at info@be-artz.com. She will then send you an invoice via Stripe.
What are the payment terms? • Deposit: A 50% deposit is required upon registration. • Balance: Due 90 days before the workshop begins.
Methods: Bank Transfer (preferred), Stripe/Credit Card/PayPal (+5% fee).
Are meals included during workshops? Yes. The workshop package is fully catered to allow you to focus on your work. It includes: • Continental breakfasts, light lunches, and 3-course dinners (with wine) on studio days. • Welcome appetizers and drinks.
Non-studio days and restaurants on visits are not covered.
Where will I stay? Workshop participants stay at The Guard House, a 12th-century medieval castle with a 1,000-year-old spiral staircase and mountain views from some of the rooms. All the bedrooms are full of art and comfortable, most with at least their own shower and basin. If for some reason the group is larger, we rent a beautiful adjacent apartment with views to house extra guests.
What is the cancellation policy? Deposits are non-refundable if you cancel. For that reason, we recommend “Cancel For Any Reason” travel insurance. If for some reason the teacher has to cancel, we can still host you here, and we will try to find a replacement teacher, or you can do a residency.
Can I bring my partner? In general, the answer is yes; most teachers do not mind partners. If the partner is joining us for meals, the cost is 50% of the full cost. If the partner is “doing their own thing,” the cost can be negotiated; it is normally about 100 euros per day. Partners are not allowed to be in the workshop space during working hours. Generally, we feel students work better and make more connections if they travel on their own, but we have also had wonderful experiences with musician partners, for example.
Materials Each teacher has a different policy regarding providing materials. We provide a printing press, encaustic plates, easels, etc. We generally provide all hardware; paper, paints, clay, etc., are at the discretion of the teacher.
2. Artist Residency
(Independent Retreats – Separate from Workshops)
What is the Artist Residency program? This is an incubation space for painters, writers, sculptors, and musicians to rest, recuperate, and create independently. It is distinct from our teaching workshops; you are there to work on your own projects or simply retreat. You are expected to bring your own materials. You can also order online and have materials delivered.
What are the requirements and duration? • Duration: Minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 2 months. You bring your own materials or work with us to order from Boesner or other online art shops and have them delivered. • Cost:€900 per week. • Includes: Private accommodation, studio space, and facility access. • Shared Kitchen: You are responsible for your own catering, but there are many cafés and ready-made delicatessen foods available if you don’t want to cook. There is an amazing bakery with lunch snacks (and of course croissants, baguettes, and cakes) and a local organic shop and supermarket for cheeses and meats.
How do I apply? There is no application fee. You can apply in English, Spanish, French, or Polish by emailing info@be-artz.com or filling out the Google Form on our website. • Requirements: A short bio, a project proposal (what you want to do), and work samples (max 12 items).
What facilities are available for residents? • Studios: 4-5 studios within the main house of different sizes; some can be shared, some private, and one large studio nearby. • Living Areas: A living room with an open fireplace and a Bösendorfer Imperial Grand Piano, plus a library for reading/writing. Each room also has a table for writing. • Kitchen:Residents have full use of the kitchen. It is fully equipped for great cooking or simple prep.
Is there financial aid available? Sometimes. • James Edward Scherbarth Legacy: Offers one subsidized residency. • Need-Based Subsidy: If you have financial difficulties, you may apply for a subsidy. Please explain your need in your application.
3. Location
(Travel, Logistics & Access)
What is the exact address? 3 Rue Leon Bérard, Sauveterre-de-Béarn, 64390, France.
Which airport should I use? • Biarritz (BIQ): ~45 mins away (Closest). • San Sebastian: For internal Spanish connections, one hour away. • Pau-Pyrénées (PUF): ~45 mins away. • Lourdes/Tarbes: ~1 hr 15 mins away; a lot of pilgrim flight connections. • Bordeaux-Mérignac (BOD): ~2 hours away (International hub). • Bilbao: ~2 hours away; has direct flights from Lisbon (and direct flights from Boston). • Toulouse: ~2 hours away, with good train connections.
What are the nearest train stations? • Puyoô: ~10-15 mins away. • Orthez: ~20-25 mins away.
Is the venue accessible for guests with reduced mobility? No. The castle has ancient steps, a narrow entrance, and a spiral staircase to all bedrooms. We cannot accommodate guests who cannot climb stairs.
4. Leisure
(Local Area & Excursions)
What is there to do in the immediate village?
History and Architecture: Explore the Pont de la Légende (5 min walk) and the medieval bridge. Go to the Tower of Montreal and see the model of the medieval village. Walk the ancient steps down to the river. Visit the 1,000-year-old Church of St André. Sauveterre-de-Béarn is on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, and there is the Chapel de Sunartre just outside the village, also on the Camino. Visit the other remaining buildings, arches, and walls of the medieval village.
Nature: Swim or kayak in the Gave d’Oloron river. Just walk down to the water. Wild water swimming is common and safe in many places on the river. Have a free water massage by the rocks. The beach bar supplies paddle boards and rings to enjoy cruising the river. There is an island in the river called Île de la Glère which has a walk around it; it’s an easy walk of less than a mile and has views of the village and, on the other side, the river rapids. You can also walk in the other direction around by the river in a loop; it’s about a 1.5-mile loop.
Pilgrimage: Walk parts of the Camino de Santiago.
Cafés and Restaurants: • La Légende: Run by Alistair. Locally sourced, slow-cooked food. Natural wines, excellent. Open Thursday to Sunday lunch. • La Galupe: On the river with a beautiful terrace where we normally have our meals with BeArtz. Run by the lovely Clara, who happens to be Austrian, speaks perfect English, and has lived in France for 30 years. • La Guinguette du Sud: Fun restaurant and bar, often with music, tapas, pizzas, and meals, with a large garden for the summer months. • Le Bar de la Mairie: Local restaurant with simple food. • Le Bar de la Terrasse: Not to be missed for the views from the terrace. Simple, fresh French food, reliable. • L’Arsenal: Local eatery with fresh food. A bit noisy at times; a lot of workers go here. 3-course bargain lunch menu. • Beach Bar: This is by the river; has lunches and platters of food and drinks, deck chairs, and fun ambiance. • Café des Arts: Outside the village, about a 30-min walk. It has an art gallery and excellent food. Run by Jackie and Jennifer, two British ladies. Highly recommended.
Shopping and Facilities: There are doctors and dentists in the village. There are two pharmacies. Valerie at Laurent is especially helpful. Her husband can give good advice. The nearest hospital is at St Palais, a 10-min drive away. Massages can be organized at BeArtz, but there is a great spa and thermal baths in Salies-de-Béarn with treatments, etc. There are more shops there if you need clothes, etc.
We have two bakeries; Charrier is my favorite for croissants, etc. An excellent butcher called Hidoy is on the kitty-corner, which is also a delicatessen, with local healthy meat and a selection of prepared dishes, very traditional French, excellent for takeout.
We have an organic and local food shop and gift shop literally kitty-corner, called L’Épicerie Sans Fin, where you can get local produce, wines, eggs, cheeses, etc. They also run free French/English conversation classes if you would like to brush up on your French. There is also a “supermarket,” Leclerc, where you can buy just about anything; it’s a 5-min walk away. We also have a local gift shop with local creators, the BeArtz art gallery (where if you leave us a work, we raise money for our non-profit), and another art gallery. The village also has a startup and community hub called La Station, which has 3D printers and woodworking and other equipment for use.
Thrift Store: We have a wonderful local thrift store with china, clothing, and furniture! Everyone seems to love it! It’s a 10-min walk away.
Can I take day trips? Yes. The location is a hub. We have a local driver, David, who is English/French and will be happy to drive you around. He acts as our taxi. (We also have a taxi driver, but she has been unwell recently.)
France: Local villages, 10 mins drive: Salies-de-Béarn and Navarrenx, both stunning. One is like a mini medieval Venice, also with a health spa, pools, and massages, etc. (Thursday market). Navarrenx offers summer music in the amphitheater, a good Wednesday market, and stunning medieval walls. Bayonne (old town, Cathedral, chocolate, ham), Biarritz (beach, surfing, and restaurants), and the Pyrenees National Park (hiking). St Palais, our local Basque village, has buses to Bayonne for about 2 euros. There are buses from Sauveterre to Salies, Orthez, St Palais, and Mauléon. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a lovely village at the foot of the Pyrenees, where the French Caminos join up before the crossing over the mountains. Lots of restaurants and a lovely old town center. It’s about 40 mins away.
Spain: San Sebastián (tapas, museums, beach), Pamplona (bulls), and Bilbao (Guggenheim). Stunning coastal roads and beaches, with surfing, etc. Definitely worth stopping in Spain if you can while spending time here.
Clothes and Weather: In general, the climate is very mild; it rarely freezes or becomes cold, but it can rain quite a bit. We leave citrus trees outside all winter, and we have palms and banana trees. However, nothing anymore seems certain; we can be hot in April and chilly in August (though not likely).
Winter: One day can be a cold crispy morning and very warm in the 70s in the afternoon, then the weather turns warm and wet in the 60s day and night. So my advice is layers! Bring something warm like a fleece and a raincoat, and bring a swimming costume if you like to sunbathe or swim in the river. I would say the tendency is to be warm, but stone houses can be chilly inside, so in the springtime, you might need warm layers. We provide duvets and hot water bottles, in case! But generally, you might need fans in the heat! Fortunately, the stone walls are basically air conditioning, and everyone seems to think we have that installed; it’s just the temperature staying fresh. Bring comfortable walking shoes (waterproof for outside summer) and flip-flops if you want to swim.