Provence pottery retreats

Francesca - a trained chef and passionate pottery enthusiast - invites you to join her immersive retreats at Maison Lou Roucas, her beautifully restored village home in Provence. These unique retreats blend pottery, cuisine, and culture for an unforgettable experience.

A typical retreat…

5 nights in her charming home surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. Each day balances creative time in the pottery studio with various local trips and opportunities to explore the rhythms of Provençal life.

Francesca’s retreats are not only about ceramics. They are a way to share her village with you: wandering through local markets, cooking and tasting regional dishes, learning snippets of history, discovering secret olive mills, foraging in the countryside, and taking stunning walks among the vines and hills.

Each day is balanced between clay and culture. Mornings are devoted to ceramics, with Francesca teaching hand-building, wheel-throwing, and other creative techniques - ideal for beginners and those looking to refine their skills. You’ll learn to prepare and shape clay, explore recycling, drying, firing, and glazing, and practice centring and pulling on the wheel. More experienced potters are free to dive straight into their own projects, with Francesca on hand for guidance.

A special highlight of the retreat is the opportunity to experiment with alternative firing techniques, including Raku and Obvara. Raku firing creates dramatic crackles, metallic lustres, and unique surface effects, while the ancient Eastern European Obvara technique produces organic patterns and rich, earthy finishes. Both methods embrace spontaneity and ensure that every piece is truly one of a kind.

Afternoons and evenings are for immersion in Provence: picnicking on market delicacies, wandering vineyards and village streets, and sharing meals that blend local dining with dishes you’ll prepare together in a Provençal cookery lesson with Francesca.

This is more than a retreat. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in Provençal culture, reconnect with creativity, and share in Francesca’s love of clay, cuisine, and community.

Prices >

Retreat dates

2026 • SOLD OUT!

2027 • Dates below…
book early so you don’t miss out!

13th May - 18th May

20th May - 25th May

27th May - 1st June

3rd June - 8th June - FULL

10th June - 15th June - 2 spaces left

24th June - 29th June

26th Aug - 31st Aug

2nd Sept - 7th Sept - FULL

9th Sept - 14th Sept - 2 spaces left

PLEASE NOTE:
• I can also organise bespoke retreats - minimum of three people.
• If a partner would like to join you on a retreat but not take part in the pottery - this is possible. Please enquire and I will be happy to accommodate.

Contact / email me to enquire / book

Enquire / Book >

Raku and Obvara

Raku Firing

Originated in Japan around 1580’s - it was developed in connection with the Japanese tea ceromony

You will start the week, handbuilding a plate or a bowl. It will be dried and biscuit fired - Then on your last day - the excitement starts as we heat the item to 1000°c - when it is white hot, we then pattern it with feathers, horse hair, your own hair or any other magic and finally - thermal shock it, so the glaze becomes crackled. This will be ready to take home with you.

Obvara

Obvara originated in the Baltic and Eastern Europe (Baltic Raku) - the word Obvara means to scald or boil. Traditionally hot earthenware (850°c) vessels were dipped into a fermented mixture of flour, yeast, water and sugar immediately after firing. This created a thin, carbonised layer on the surface. Obvara is less dependent on glaze chemistry and more dependant on the maturity of the yeast mixture.

Prices & inclusions

1 person in a double room @ 1195 euros.
1 person sharing a twin room @ 895 euros per person.
1 person sharing a 2 bedroom duplex room for 3 people (with private sleeping area but shared bathroom) @ 845 euros per person.
We only have 2 rooms available for single occupancy and are on a first come first served basis. You will be informed at the enquiry stage if you will be required to share a room.
What’s Included
- 5 nights B&B accommodation & 2 x evening meals (BBQ & cookery lesson)
- Daily ceramics sessions (half-day) covering hand-building, wheel-throwing, glazing and more. Suitable for all levels
- Daily activities with Francesca - such as village walks, market visits, olive mills, foraging and exploring the local area.
Not Included
- Lunches and 3 x evening meals - this is your opportunity to eat out and enjoy what the village has to offer.
- Alcohol / drinks, meals / picnics out and excursions
We will create your booking and send a pro-forma invoice with instructions on options of how to pay a 30% deposit. The balance of your retreat is due 8 weeks before arrival.