# Mixed Media Travel Sketchbooking Retreat with Artist Katie Moody in France

Join artist Katie Moody in the countryside of Occitanie, southern France, for a travel sketchbook retreat open to all levels. Explore mixed media, gouache, watercolor, and brush pens as you learn to loosen up, embrace imperfection, and reconnect with the playful side of making art. Katie will guide you through daily sessions designed to help you move past hesitation and fill your sketchbook with bold marks, layered textures, and spontaneous discoveries. Experiment with color, shapes, and storytelling while building pages that reflect your personal journey through France.Your stay unfolds at a charming rural estate, where beautifully prepared meals and an inspiring, supportive atmosphere create the perfect setting to dive into your creativity. Throughout the retreat, you will gather inspiration from carefully planned trips: wander the medieval streets of Albi, photograph details and textures at the lively Gaillac market, and browse the Castres brocantes for vintage ephemera to weave into your work. These moments out in the world will spark fresh ideas and add a rich sense of place to your sketchbook.

## Details

- **Dates:** June 2 - 9, 2026
- **Location:** Teyssode, Occitanie, France
- **Starting Price:** $4,300
- **Category:** [Painting](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreats/painting) · [Browse on uptrek.com](https://uptrek.com/retreats/painting)

## Overview

What's included:Art classes, tuition, and demonstrations with artist Katie Moody7 nights of accommodation at a French countryside estateExclusive use of the entire 5-acre property with a saltwater pool, hot tub, spacious reconverted barn used as an art studio, indoor workshop space, fruit orchard, private gardens, and terraces7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 7 dinners carefully prepared by a private chefCoffee, tea, water, and homemade snacks available throughout the dayUnlimited wine during dinner serviceWelcome and farewell cocktails and canapésFull-day trip to Albi with sketching on location and a visit to the Toulouse-Lautrec MuseumHalf-day art trip to the local market in Gaillac with opportunities for sketching and painting on locationHalf-day trip to Castres with opportunities for sketching and painting on locationTrip to a French vineyard estate including wine tastingPrivate transportation and chaperone for all trips and planned activitiesRoundtrip airport transfers from/to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) at prearranged timesVenue host available throughout the dayAll local tourist taxes and feesAccess to a private Facebook group with Katie Moody and other retreat participants four months before the retreatNot includedAirfare/transportation to ToulouseTravel insuranceArt supplies - a detailed list of art materials recommended by Katie Moody will be provided five months before the retreatLunch during the full-day trip to AlbiExtra costs guests might incur on their own

## Program

### Mixed Media Travel Sketchbooking
Join artist Katie Moody in the sunlit countryside of Occitanie, southern France, where medieval villages and winding vineyards meet endless pockets of inspiration. This retreat will focus on travel sketchbooking, helping you loosen your grip on perfectionism and reconnect with a playful approach to making art. Katie will guide you in exploring mixed media, gouache, watercolor, and brush pens as you learn to capture fleeting moments and curious details from your surroundings.Across the week, you will work inside your travel sketchbook to explore color, texture, and mark-making in ways that bring a sense of freedom to the page. Katie will show you how to layer bold shapes with delicate details, create compositions that feel spontaneous, and transform your observations into expressive visual stories. Through her gentle feedback and demonstrations, you will discover new ways to weave together sketches, collage, photographs, and written fragments into pages that reflect both the spirit of Occitanie and your personal journey.Your creative sessions will be balanced with art trips designed to gather inspiration for your sketchbook. Spend a day in Albi, where red-brick towers rise above the Tarn River and the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum offers bursts of color and unexpected forms. Wander the lively Gaillac market, collecting reference photos, textures, and ephemera while taking notes on local colors and patterns. Later, explore the Castres brocantes, where vintage books, faded postcards, and found objects invite you to gather fragments of history for future collages. Each outing will build your library of images and ideas, giving you more to draw from when shaping your pages back at the venue.By the end of the retreat, you will return home with a body of work filled with layered sketches, color studies, and visual memories shaped by the French countryside. More than that, you will carry new approaches to seeing, recording, and creating, allowing your travel sketchbook practice to keep evolving long after the week ends.The topics covered during your lessons will include:Finding play and joy in the sketchbooksBreaking down complicated scenesLayout & compositionLine vs shapeHow to combine different subjects on a pageLoosening upDrawing architecturePainting botanicals...and many more.Your accommodation for the retreat will be a charming, restored estate in the countryside, offering the perfect environment for creative exploration. Outside of classes, you’ll enjoy wholesome French cuisine, relax by the pool, and connect with your fellow artists in a welcoming, supportive atmosphere.

### Day 1: Arrival
Arrive at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and join the 3:00 PM transfer to your retreat venue. After settling into your room, take a moment to unwind and absorb the tranquil surroundings. Meet your fellow artists and get acquainted with Katie Moody, your instructor for the retreat. As part of an orientation tour, explore the estate’s charming garden, the historic watchtower, and inviting communal spaces. In the evening, toast to the start of your creative journey with cocktails and bite-sized canapés, followed by a beautifully prepared three-course dinner, perfectly complemented by local wines.

### Day 2: Art classes at the venue
Start the day with a lighthearted breakfast and coffee as you gather your materials and get ready to dive in.Settle into the space with Katie and ease into a playful morning designed to shake off perfectionism and open up your sketchbook with curiosity. Begin by exploring different tools and mediums, discovering how they can be layered and combined in unexpected ways. Flip through Katie’s own sketchbooks for inspiration and see how she captures movement, color, and texture on the page. Experiment freely with mark-making, washes, and brush pens as you start loosening your hand and finding rhythm in the layers.After lunch, step outside with your sketchbook in hand and walk the grounds with fresh eyes. Katie will lead a demo on simplifying a scene using the techniques from the morning, showing how to break down shapes and capture atmosphere without getting caught in the details. You’ll spend the afternoon working directly from what’s around you, letting the sounds, colors, and light guide your choices as you sketch and paint.Take some spare time before dinner to unwind. Wander the grounds, add a few last touches to your pages, or simply sit back and let the day settle in.End the evening gathered around the table, enjoying a fresh dinner paired with local wine, surrounded by lively conversation and the inspiration of shared work.

### Day 3: Art trip to Castres brocantes
Wake to the scent of fresh coffee and warm bread before setting off toward Castres, where crooked streets and weathered facades invite your sketchbook to open.Wander through the brocantes, where every shelf and tabletop holds something unexpected that will spark your sketchbook. These French antique markets are full of forgotten objects and fragments of everyday history. Capture reference photos of hand-lettered signs that once hung above shopfronts, the softened edges of postcards worn smooth by time, or the intricate patterns on ceramics and embroidered textiles. Crates overflow with vintage packaging, delicate papers, printed labels, and small pieces of ephemera waiting to be rediscovered. If something stirs you, pause to make a quick sketch, but only if it feels natural. Collect fragments of inspiration that will later unfold across your pages and guide your compositions.Return to the venue in time to enjoy lunch before an afternoon spent arranging what you’ve gathered. Spread out your photos, ephemera, and sketches, then begin shaping them into layered compositions. Explore how to simplify the energy of a busy street or a crowded shop window into something playful and easy to draw. Use Katie’s guidance to focus on color, balance, and flow as you plan how each page can hold multiple elements without losing clarity. Bring together the vibrant produce, vintage signage, and textures from the morning into pages that feel alive and connected.Later, enjoy your leisure time by the pool, in the gardens, or gathered with others on the terrace as the day softens around you. Come together in the evening for a three-course dinner prepared by the in-house chef, paired with French wine, and share stories from the day’s discoveries.

### Day 4: Art trip to Gaillac market
Begin the morning with a wholesome breakfast before setting off to Gaillac, a historic town on the Tarn River known for its Roman roots and deep ties to winemaking.Walk through stalls piled high with fresh produce, fragrant bread, local cheeses like Roquefort, and bottles of Gaillac AOC wine, a favorite of locals and connoisseurs alike. Sample flavors, gather inspiration, and collect visual references to bring into your sketchbook. If you feel drawn to capture the moment, sketch directly on location, or focus on taking photographs and noting colors, patterns, and details to use later. Among the market treasures, you will also find handmade pottery, textiles, jewelry, and other pieces that hold their own stories, perfect for bringing back as inspiration or keepsakes.Return to the venue for lunch, then carry the energy of the market into an afternoon devoted to still life. Warm up with quick sketches to explore composition, using objects and textures from the morning as your starting point. Experiment with layering gouache, watercolor, and brush pens, allowing marks to evolve naturally as you work. Shift your perspective freely, blending expressive strokes with carefully placed details. Katie will guide you through techniques that help you release control while building pages that feel alive and connected to the day’s discoveries.As the day winds down, spend your free time however you like before joining everyone for a beautifully prepared dinner paired with French wine, closing the day surrounded by the lively energy you’ve brought back from the market.

### Day 5: Art trip to Albi
Step outside into the soft morning air and set out with Katie for the journey to Albi, watching the countryside roll past in quiet waves of farmland, vineyards, and scattered villages before the city begins to rise ahead.Begin your morning surrounded by Albi’s warm red brick and winding streets, a place where history settles into every surface. Katie will guide you through perspective exercises and architectural framing, showing how to break down intricate shapes into simple, sketchable forms. Watch the Basilica of Saint Cecilia lift above the skyline, its sculpted stone full of details waiting to be translated onto paper. Pause at the Pont Vieux bridge, where the Tarn River flows beneath you, and sketch fragments that speak to you while experimenting with watercolor washes, gouache layers, or brush pen marks that capture texture and depth without chasing perfection.After lunch by the river, continue into the afternoon at the Palais de la Berbie. Walk through the fortress gardens, where the geometry of the terraces contrasts with soft bursts of green and floral edges. Photograph textures and color shifts, collect reference material, and work with Katie on layering techniques to translate those impressions into your sketchbook. Capture the atmosphere rather than accuracy, shaping studies that hold movement, shadow, and light across a page.Return to the venue as the evening settles in and enjoy dinner paired with French wine, carrying Albi’s streets and gardens back with you in your pages.

### Day 6: Art at the venue & wine tasting
A bright breakfast will carry you into a morning of loosening up with Katie, diving deeper into playful mark-making and botanicals.Prepare your pages with bold blocks of color, building textured grounds that invite layers to grow naturally on top. Work loosely with mixed media, gouache, watercolor, and brush pens, letting each material react differently and shape your choices. Katie will guide you through creating backgrounds that suggest movement and depth, setting up spaces where botanicals and other details will later emerge. You will return to the mark-making explored earlier in the week and rediscover how small, intuitive gestures can shift the energy of an entire page. By combining textures and shapes in unexpected ways, build sketchbook spreads that feel alive and open rather than controlled or overworked.After a satisfying midday meal, you will set out for an afternoon among the vines at a nearby château winery. Walk through the rows of sunlit grapes and take in the shifting patterns of color and light, gathering textures and palettes to bring back into your sketchbook. Capture reference photos if you wish and collect moments of inspiration that will feed into your pages later. The visit will close with a tasting of locally made wines before returning to the venue in the late afternoon, where time will open up for rest or more personal sketching.As the day winds down, you will gather with your group for a thoughtfully prepared dinner paired with wine, ending the evening with the warmth of good food and shared creativity.

### Day 7: Art classes at the venue
Ease into your final full day with a relaxed breakfast and a warm drink while you chat with the group about the creative celebration ahead.The morning will focus on finishing the sketchbook spreads you began earlier in the week and preparing them for the afternoon. Katie will guide you as you refine existing pages, add fresh layers, and bring together textures and marks from previous sessions. Use mixed media, gouache, watercolor, and brush pens to create cohesion across your work while keeping the energy loose and spontaneous.After lunch, you will look through the sketches you’ve gathered during the retreat and spend time with Katie discussing your progress. She will share feedback and ideas to carry forward before you prepare for a joyful mini-exhibition of your work. Walk around, take in the pages created by everyone, and celebrate the discoveries made along the way.As the retreat draws to a close, gather one last time for a beautifully prepared farewell dinner and raise a glass to everything you explored and created.

### Day 8: Departure
After enjoying a satisfying breakfast with Katie and the art group, it's time to bid farewell and exchange any last contact details. Prepare for your transfer to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, scheduled for 10:00 AM, with an estimated arrival time of 11:00 AM.

## Instructors

- [Katie Moody](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/instructors/katie-moody) — Mixed-media sketchbook artist & educator

## Accommodation

### Historic French Estate
Tucked away in the heart of Tarn, Occitanie, your venue for the art retreat with Katie Moody is a sprawling countryside estate with a rich history. This lovingly restored farmhouse combines rustic elegance with modern comforts, featuring original wooden beams, stone fireplaces, an imposing watchtower, and terracotta tiles that capture the rural charm of southern France. With no other buildings in sight, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the rolling hills and a patchwork of lush fields.The 5-acre estate features a main house, a cozy guesthouse, and a repurposed barn transformed into a well-lit art studio. Your classes with Katie Moody will take place in the studio or out and about in the gardens of the venue. Beyond your daily classes, enjoy the outdoor amenities present at the estate: two swimming pools, sprawling French gardens, and a fruit orchard.Please note that getting around the accommodation spaces, the studio, and the main building where meals are served requires a short walk. This retreat may not be suitable for participants with low or limited mobility.

### Shared ensuite attic room (female only)
You will share this spacious attic room and its ensuite bathroom with another same-gender participant. The attic is a large space measuring 900 sq. ft. (85 sq. m.) located on the third floor of the main house, with two distinct sleeping areas separated by curtains. This room features twin or double beds (for guests traveling together) and an ensuite shower bathroom. The attic has beautiful wooden beams crossing the ceiling, giving the space a cozy and romantic look.

### Shared standard ensuite room (female only)
You will share this room and its ensuite bathroom with one other same-gender participant. The shared standard ensuite rooms feature comfortable twin beds (or a double bed for guests traveling together) and ensuite bathrooms. Located in the main house at the venue, on the second floor, the rooms are decorated in a beautiful French style and offer gorgeous views over the surrounding countryside.

### Shared superior ensuite room
You will share this room and its ensuite bathroom with one other same-gender participant. The shared superior rooms feature comfortable twin beds (or a double bed for guests traveling together) and ensuite bathrooms. Located on the first and second floors of the main house at the venue, the rooms have large French windows with views of the beautiful garden.

### Shared bathroom - single room (female only)
You will share the bathroom with another same-gender participant, but you will have this room to yourself. Two single rooms with shared bathrooms are available for single occupancy; the rooms share a spacious bathroom. These rooms feature comfortable double beds and are beautifully decorated in a charming French manner. The two rooms and their shared bathroom are located on the second floor in the main house at the retreat venue.

### Single room - adjacent bathroom
A single-occupancy room is located on the second floor of the guesthouse. It is furnished with a double bed and offers Wi-Fi access. The private shower room, located adjacent to the bedroom, is equipped with a toilet, shower, and hand basin. The room also features beautiful views of the surrounding garden.

### Single standard ensuite room
Two standard ensuite rooms are available for single occupancy, each furnished with a comfortable queen-sized bed. The rooms are located on the first floor of the guesthouse and feature WiFi and a TV, as well as a spacious private Italian bathrooms (within the room) equipped with a separate toilet, shower, and two hand basins. Both rooms offer beautiful views of the venue's gardens.

### Single superior ensuite room
The single superior ensuite room is located on the second floor and includes WiFi access, A/C, and a private ensuite bathroom with a toilet, shower, and hand basin. It offers beautiful views of the venue's gardens.

## Food

Indulge in the robust flavors of Occitanie with every meal during your art retreat. The private chef crafts traditional southern French cuisine, featuring regional specialties like the beloved cassoulet, brimming with savory meats and beans, and the ocean's bounty in a classic bouillabaisse.Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the area's renowned crisp white wines, served during dinner. Your culinary journey begins with welcome cocktails and appetizing canapés and concludes with a memorable farewell dinner. Enjoy delicious meals and stay refreshed with available water, coffee, and tea throughout the day.All meals are included, except for one lunch during the full-day trip to Albi. Dietary needs can be catered to if announced in advance. However, please keep in mind that we may be unable to accommodate severe, life-threatening allergies.For further details on the culinary experience awaiting you at the art retreat, please see the information below.

## Getting There

The art retreat with Katie Moody takes place in the Occitanie region, in southern France. This area is famed for its stunning countryside landscapes, charming French towns, and fantastic food. Your venue, a sprawling countryside estate, is a gateway to the past, surrounded by villages with centuries-old buildings and cobbled streets. This historic estate is located an hour from Toulouse by car.The tranquility of the countryside, the warm smiles of locals, and the untouched natural beauty provide a serene backdrop for your classes. Explore the architectural marvels of Albi (an hour away from the venue), wander through a lush botanical garden, and visit a vineyard estate (both only 30 minutes away).Check-in at the retreat venue starts at 4:00 PM on June 2, 2026. Check-out is after breakfast on June 9, 2026, by 10:00 AM.To be transferred to the retreat venue, please arrive at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). We strongly recommend planning more time for long-distance international travel because of the current disruptions in flight schedules. It is best to arrive in France a day before the retreat starts to prevent any inconveniences caused by flight delays, rest after the long travel, and adjust to the new time zone. Please hold off booking your flights and train tickets until the retreat becomes guaranteed and you are charged for your participation.How to get to Toulouse:If you cannot find good connecting flights from your departure airport to Toulouse, we recommend you fly to Paris and fly domestically to Toulouse (local roundtrips starting from US$100, 1 hour and 20 minutes of journey time; fares may vary).How to get from Toulouse to the retreat venue:Private transfers at prearranged times to and from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) are included. The journey takes approximately one hour.Arrival Transfer:June 2, 2026 — 3:00 PM (leaving from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, arriving at the retreat venue at 4:00 PM)Departure Transfer:June 9, 2026 — 10:00 AM (leaving from the retreat venue, arriving at Toulouse Blagnac Airport at 11:00 AM)If your travel arrangements don't work with our pre-set transfer times, please consider the following options:Spend extra days at a hotel in Toulouse pre/post-retreat and catch the transfer shuttles from/to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.Grab a taxi to the retreat venue (address: Domaine d'En Naudet, 81220 Teyssode, France; estimated cost of US$200 per way). Please note that taxi fares may vary.

## Reviews

Testimonials from past workshops with artist Katie Moody:"Katie was an incredible teacher—part artist, part wizard, part gentle fairy godmother with the power to disarm even the most anxious perfectionist (hi, it’s me). She didn’t just teach—she saw us, asked about our creative meltdowns, and then magically reframed everything so it felt fun again.""Katie is an amazing teacher and I have learned so much from her art retreat! Her lessons are a reflection of her: thoughtful, open-hearted and playful. I highly recommend any opportunity to learn from her in person!""Katie puts everyone at ease with her friendly, patient manner. Katie was very supportive and enthusiastic about everyone's art and made everyone feel welcome and seen, beginners and long time artists alike. I would wholeheartedly recommend a retreat.""I thoroughly recommend going to a retreat run by Katie! Katie’s retreat gave me the skills to tackle complex landscapes in my sketchbook. I came away feeling inspired and less daunted to use my sketchbook out and about."Venue reviews from previous retreats:"The venue was just what I was hoping for -- I love the rural area. It was very clean, hosts were professional and pleasant. Food by all three caterers was wholesome.""Beautiful location. Our hosts were wonderful, lovely, and accommodating. I highly recommend Domain d'En Naudet!""UpTrek: all transfers, tours & venues were great. It was perfectly charming and Sophie & Nicolas (the hosts) were absolutely wonderful & really adapted to all of our requests beyond what I expected! The week was made fabulous by our great group of women, the snacks, wine & the bond we all formed. We learned from each other & have formed lasting friendships!""I had a perfect week in France. The venue was beautiful and Sophie and Nicolas (the hosts) did everything in their power to make our stay comfortable. The trips were perfectly timed and provided much inspiration for our paintings. I thoroughly enjoyed the company of my fellow painters and would definitely use your company for travel again.""The venue was so beautiful and comfortable. I was happy with my room and the circumstances that allowed me a comfortable single room. EVERYTHING we asked for was provided by the following day or meal! I enjoyed the pool and the outdoor dining and painting. Such care was given to us by our lovely kind hosts.""Stunning venue; delicious food and wine; wonderful hosts. Lots of painting time. Interesting day trips. I definitely want to do another retreat!""I had a wonderful time! I also loved getting to know the fun, encouraging women who were with me on this retreat. The setting was gorgeous - like a postcard!""The food, the hosts, the accommodations, and the views were wonderful. The field trips were enjoyable and educational. I would take another trip with UpTrek." "The trip organization and warm, professional service from Uptrek, and the amazing service, delicious food, and high quality from the venue, Domaine d'En Naudet. And the other retreat participants were truly lovely! From the start, UpTrek provided prompt, careful service that was carried right through to our arrival at the retreat. Communication is key, especially when travel is just getting going again, and Andra (the retreat coordinator) was always ready with a response. I really appreciated the sensible, yet friendly approach, as well as the clear policies that were upfront from the start. Meeting Ted (CEO of UpTrek) and Andra put faces to the business - this human touch adds value and reassurance. Sophie and Nicolas (the venue hosts) were charming, attentive hosts who looked after many needs. They served us tasty treats throughout the day, they kept us shaded and they helped find solutions when required. I wish we had 48 hours in which to enjoy each day even more. The Domaine d'en Naudet was an excellent venue. The setting was magical. I was very comfortable and there was plenty of space for a group of this size. The rooms were very clean and the use of laundry facilities was much appreciated. It was lovely to feel at ease to use the pool, the hot tub, the fridge, the common areas, and the grounds - after being cooped up for over two years, this was a wonderful physical release. Having access to a well-lit space for us to enjoy Sketchbook Night Club each night was the icing on the cake: we were able to keep making art, have some laughs and get to know one another better. I would highly recommend each component and hope to have the opportunity to travel this way again. This retreat was truly like a dream come true. I loved it. I thank each of you from the heart."

## Frequently Asked Questions

Is this retreat available to all levels? The art retreat with artist Katie Moody is suitable for all experience levels.When is the art retreat available?The retreat will take place between June 2 - 9, 2026.How do I get to the retreat venue?Please plan to arrive at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). The retreat venue is located approximately an hour's drive from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. We advise allowing extra time for long-distance international travel. Arriving in France a day before the retreat starts helps mitigate potential issues due to flight delays, allows for rest post-travel, and facilitates adjustment to the new time zone. Roundtrip airport transfers from/to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) at prearranged times are included. For more information, see the Location tab. Please hold off booking your flights until the retreat becomes guaranteed and you have been charged for your participation.Are there any check-in and check-out hours?Please make your travel arrangements to arrive at the venue after 4:00 PM on June 2, 2026. Check-out is after breakfast on the last day at 10:00 AM, on June 9, 2026.What art supplies do I need for the art classes?A detailed list of art materials recommended by artist Katie Moody will be provided five months before the retreat takes place.What’s the weather like in Teyssode, Occitanie, France, in early June?The weather in Teyssode in early June is usually sunny and pleasant. You can expect average highs of 24°C / 75°F during the day that drop to around 12°C / 54°F at night. However, in recent years, temperatures have become harder to predict accurately, and averages may vary. Please check the weather a week before traveling and pack accordingly.What should I pack? Please pack appropriate clothing, a swimsuit, sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable shoes, a cardigan for chilly evenings, a waterproof raincoat, a water bottle, personal care items, and any personal medication you might need.Can I do laundry while on the retreat?Laundry facilities are available at the retreat venue and you are welcome to use them for free during your stay.I am vegetarian/vegan. Can I book this retreat?Yes. All diets are catered for if announced in advance. Please note, however, that we cannot accommodate severe, life-threatening allergies.Is WiFi available?Yes.How many people are to be expected on the art retreat?Maximum of 16 participants.Do I need a visa?Guests from the US, Canada, EU, UK, and/or Schengen member states can enter France for tourism without a visa. If this policy changes, we will inform you promptly. For additional assistance, please reach out to us.Are there any age restrictions?There are no restrictions whatsoever. Please keep in mind that you must be 18 years of age to travel independently.What language is used during the art classes and other activities?The art retreat is available in English.Is the retreat available to guests with limited mobility?Unfortunately, the retreat venue and day trips are not well-suited for people with limited mobility. The trips involve plenty of walking on uneven, cobbled streets. Getting around the studio, the accommodation spaces, and the main building where meals are served at the venue also requires a short walk.What happens if I need to cancel?Once the retreat is guaranteed, all payments are final and nonrefundable. Bookings are nonrefundable under any circumstances. Participants are required to purchase travel, medical, and cancellation insurance for protection against any circumstances that might require cancellation or change of travel arrangements. After your payment is processed, you may purchase insurance through the following link: Purchase insurance. Please review our cancellation policy.Do I need travel insurance?Yes. Since all bookings are nonrefundable, travel insurance is mandatory for all UpTrek travelers. Participants are required to purchase travel, medical, and cancellation insurance for protection against any circumstances that might require cancellation or change of travel arrangements. We strongly advise that your chosen policy provides cover against lost or delayed baggage, loss of personal belongings, trip cancellation, trip interruption, accidents, illness, injury, medical expenses, death, and emergency repatriation.For your convenience, UpTrek is affiliated with Allianz Travel and is a Registered Travel Retailer under AGA license. Click here to purchase your insurance plan.Please note that UpTrek is not qualified or authorized to answer questions about coverage, benefits, exclusions, or conditions of any Allianz Travel Insurance plan. If you have questions about your plan, please contact Allianz Global Assistance directly at CustomerService@AllianzAssistance.com or by phone at 1-800-284-8300. Be sure to provide the reference code F215276 so Allianz knows you are purchasing protection for an UpTrek trip.We strongly recommend reviewing the terms and conditions of any insurance policy you purchase to fully understand the coverage, benefits, and claims process. We will gladly provide the essential documentation to support refund claims with the insurance provider.Do I have to pay a deposit?No. Once the number of guest reservations reaches the minimum number required for the retreat to become guaranteed, UpTrek charges the guests the cost of the retreat. Guests who reserved will be notified 48 hours in advance that their payment method on file is about to be charged.Will I receive a full refund if the retreat is not guaranteed?UpTrek does not charge the payment method we collect until the retreat becomes guaranteed. Once the retreat is guaranteed, there will be no reimbursement. Participants are required to purchase travel, medical, and cancellation insurance for protection against any circumstances that might require cancellation or change of travel arrangements.Will I receive a full refund if the guaranteed retreat is canceled by the artist or by UpTrek?If the retreat is canceled due to force majeure events or circumstances out of UpTrek's and/or the instructor's control, UpTrek will let you know as soon as possible, refund the total cost of the retreat, and help you find another option for your vacation.

## Book This Retreat

👉 **[Reserve your spot on uptrek.com](https://uptrek.com/retreat/mixed-media-travel-sketchbooking-retreat-artist-katie-moody-france#book)** — no deposit required.

See [cancellation policy](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/cancellation-policy) and [travel insurance requirements](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/insurance).

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**Last updated:** 2026-04-15