Day 4
Light, Stillness & Swans
Today was a rest day — and a much-needed one.
After a slow sleep-in and a leisurely breakfast filled with lively conversation with the other creatives here. I felt myself start to soften back into my body (the stretches in the morning helped!). It’s easy to forget, when you're chasing ideas on canvas, just how physically and mentally challenging this work is. So today, I paused.
The morning was unusually lively as a marathon passed through the property — a ribbon of colour and motion cutting through this quiet valley. There was something beautiful in the contrast: the energy of runners pulsing through a landscape shaped by centuries. The past and present layered on top of each other, as they so often are in this part of the world.
Later, I wandered down the hill to the lakes. It’s impossible to overstate how peaceful this part of the château is. On the way I passed crumbling outbuildings, each one whispering its own story — worn doors, moss-covered stones, a rusted hinge left ajar. They’re slowly being restored, but even in their in-between state, they draw you in.
The hill and lake were alive with animals — goats munching in the grass, ducks darting through the reeds, and two elegant swans gliding across the water. There are chickens too, and of course, Dusty — the château’s resident cat and official overseer of all things. He’s charming, unpredictable, and utterly convinced he runs the place (and who are we to argue?).
And then there’s the light. Everyone who comes to France talks about it — but until you’re standing in it, you can’t quite grasp what they mean. It’s softer here and, to use artist language, as though everything has been washed in a glaze. Not like the often harsh light of home in Australia. This feels quieter, more considered. I can see why so many painters fall in love with it.
No painting for me today — just walking, resting, and letting thoughts percolate. Tomorrow I’ll return to the studio, but for now I’m simply letting it all soak in.
If you’d like a little glimpse of this beautiful place, I’ve posted a reel on Instagram today that takes you on a short walk around the grounds. It’s the closest I can get to bottling the magic of this place and sending it your way.
With love from Orquevaux
Robyn xx
