Casa Julfa, France
The Pottery at Casa Julfa © Ella Gradwell
In the medieval town of Montmorillon, central France, Casa Julfa is a centuries-old house decorated with frescoes and antique Armenian rugs. Owner Corinne Aivazian, an artist whose work has been commissioned by the British Ceramics Biennial, started offering creative workshops here nearly a decade ago. “At that time, it was difficult to fill four places; now they book up months in advance,” she says.
The Atelier, a studio space at Casa Julfa © Ellen Mae Williams
Participants are a mixed, international crowd; a recent sewing retreat brought together a lawyer, UN worker, nurse and ceramicist to rework vintage pieces. At the end of October, Aivazian and residency curator Blue Firth will lead a session of wild clay foraging and moonlit wood firing (€2,495), while next year sculptor Re Jin Lee will teach the making of Korean moon jars (€2,995). Group stays include home-cooked meals of local produce, antiquing trips to nearby brocantes, wild swimming and a visit to the thermal spa at La Roche-Posay. casajulfa.org
