Creative Retreat

8–15 October 2026 · Sommières, South of France

Bland Badger Creative Retreat Art, craft, florals, photography and the wonderful Sommières brocante.

Join Charlotte Bland and Ros Badger and their very special guests for an autumn creative retreat in the South of France to reconnect you with your inner creativity. No experience necessary — do as much or as little as you wish.

With exclusive use of our Sommières venue — breakfast in the courtyard, workshops in beautiful light, a late afternoon swim, and dinner under the stars — highlights of the week include painting the beautiful local landscape en plein air with artist Lucy Kent, creating your own illustrated stationery with illustrator Caroline Kent, a floral and tablescaping workshop with Nadine Gibbon and gaining an insight into Charlotte and Ros’ creative worlds as they share the instincts behind their own practice.

MEET THE TUTORS

Charlotte Bland

PHOTOGRAPHY WALK · HOST

Charlotte Bland is a photographer specialising in food, interiors and travel, shooting books on film. After an Art History degree she built her career with clients including Penguin Books, The Guardian, Bloomsbury, Chatto & Windus, Condé Nast Traveller, House & Garden, The Financial Times, Toast, Matilda Goad and Cowshed.

A commission for Selfridges' Our House campaign saw her photographs of everyday life displayed on the store's Oxford Street windows.

Charlotte’s book credits include For the Love of Lemons, Wild Figs & Fennel and La Vita è Dolce by Letitia Clark, The Set Table by Hannah Shuckburgh, Christmas at River Cottage by Lucy Brazier, Flavour by Ruby Tandoh and Frontières by Alex Jackson.

Ros Badger

CREATIVE WORKSHOP · HOST

Ros Badger is a designer and craftswoman with a career spanning more than 35 years. A textile graduate of Chelsea College of Art, she is the founder of Badger’s Velvet, a brand that repurposes fine antique and contemporary materials to create distinctive handmade jewellery.

Ros is also the author of nine books on knitting, crochet and craft, published by Collins, Quadrille and Ebury, all imprints of Penguin Random House, as well as by Mitchell Beazley, an imprint of Octopus Books. In her mid-thirties, she created Little Badger, a children’s hand-knitwear and T-shirt label whose designs were sold internationally and worn by the children of numerous celebrities.

Earlier in her career, Ros designed for Betty Jackson, Margaret Howell, Marks & Spencer and Johnson’s La Rocka, among others. She also created bespoke hats for U2 guitarist The Edge, and appeared as the knitting expert on The Big Breakfast on UK’s Channel 4.

Guest Tutors

Bland Badger is exceptional, thanks to its expert tutor friends who make the retreats so special; sharing their wisdom, nurturing the individual and relaxing with our guests.

Caroline Kent

ILLUSTRATED STATIONERY

Previously a curator of contemporary art, Caroline founded Scribble & Daub in 2012. Her work — described by British Vogue as "part stationery, part fine art" — has been created for Dior, Mr & Mrs Smith and Vogue. She has collaborated with Charleston House and Great Dixter, and her East Sussex cottage has been featured in the New York Times' T Magazine.

Caroline's illustrated stationery workshops are a perennial Bland Badger favourite — playful, generous and endlessly inspiring for guests of all abilities.

Lucy Kent

LANDSCAPE PAINTING

Lucy is a British artist working in oil, both en plein air and from the studio. Her work is inspired by shifting light and wide landscapes — paint trips have taken her to Italy, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Her workshops are relaxed and informal, focused entirely on enjoyment rather than technical perfection. Guests who have never picked up a brush leave with a painting they are genuinely proud of. Progress, not perfection — always.

Nadine Gibbon

FLORAL & TABLESCAPING

Nadine is a floral designer based in St Albans, specialising in bespoke weddings and events. She teaches sold-out workshops at Hotel Endsleigh in Devon and brings the same warmth, humour and expertise to every Bland Badger retreat.

Her floral and tablescaping workshop — working with the colours and textures of the season — is one of the most talked-about sessions of the week. A natural-born teacher with infectious enthusiasm, Nadine’s workshop is always a highlight.

PROGRAMME

Your retreat

Photography walk with Charlotte Bland

Handmade notebook workshop with Ros Badger

Landscape painting with Lucy Kent

Illustrated stationery with Caroline Kent from Scribble & Daub

Floral & tablescaping workshop with Nadine Gibbon

The Sommières Brocante on market day in Sommières — hunt for treasures alongside the Saturday market at the thriving brocante by the river

A free day at leisure — explore Sommières and the surrounding area at your own pace

Detailed daily programme shared with booked guests before arrival

WHAT’S INCLUDED

What we provide

Accommodation at our Sommières venue — seven nights and six full days

All meals — breakfast, lunch, apéritif, dinner (except lunch on market day and lunch and dinner on the free day)

All wines and drinks at the venue (wine sourced from local winemaker friends)

All workshops and materials

A morning at the brocante on market day in Sommières

NOT INCLUDED

Your responsibility

Travel to Sommières

Travel insurance (required)

Lunch on market day

Lunch and dinner on the free day

GROUP SIZE

Up to 18 guests

Intentionally small — the atmosphere of a creative house party, not a course — the maximum group size is 18.

For full travel details, how to get to Sommières, arrival times and terms and conditions, visit the Bland Badger in France page.

"The creative classes are the perfect antidote to my busy mind. A place to be inspired and to relax in equal measure."

AMANDA, EDINBURGH — GUEST

ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICES PER PERSON

Prices and Rooms

We have 12 unique rooms available for our guests, with something for everyone, whether you are travelling solo or would like to share accommodation. Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

SINGLE ENSUITE PREMIUM ROOM

One room available SOLD OUT

£3,290 pp

A stand alone studio room with a sitting room and private terrace, situated in the courtyard garden. Double bed, ensuite shower, no bath, ground floor.

SINGLE ENSUITE ROOM SOLD OUT

Four rooms available

£2,990 pp

Ground floor or first floor with a double bed. Ensuite bathroom with shower only or shower over bath. 

TWIN ENSUITE PREMIUM ROOM SOLD OUT

One room available

£2,800 pp

Twin bedroom with a sitting room and private terrace. Separate access from garden to terrace. Ensuite bathroom with shower over bath. To be booked as a group of two friends.

TWIN ENSUITE ROOM

Four rooms available THREE LEFT

£2,690 pp

Twin bedroom with ensuite bathroom, either shower only, shower over bath or shower and bath. Ground and first floor. To be booked as a group of two friends.

TRIPLE SUITE

One suite available SOLD OUT

£2,400 pp

Two bedrooms with a shared bathroom. One single bedroom and one large twin bedroom. First floor, bathroom with shower over bath. To be booked as a group of three friends.

Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of £950 per person secures your place. All stated meals, drinks, workshops and materials included. The balance is due 10 weeks before the retreat. All bookings are subject to our terms and conditions.