Ma grande aventure virtualle with sketching was a bit like planning for a trip. Travel agents, tours, and cruises have their place, but it is a limited one in my mind because the planning is an integral part of the journey. We always spend many wonderful hours researching the itinerary, checking out places to stay, trains and planes, restaurants, and the rest. I would not want to give that up to someone else, nor be limited by a group’s schedule – unless there was no other way to visit a place, Antarctica for example.

As I looked for places to visit I spent much time on Google Maps, checking out villages I had never heard of, using Street View to travel down streets, looking for interesting sights; I discovered a couple of places that are now on my list of places I want to visit one day, I also revisited memories from past trips.

Here are the final sketches, and one painting, from this grande aventure. I hope they motivate you to explore the world, even from the confines of your own home.

I hung out in Najac for a bit, that of course required finding a Patisserie as croissants and baguettes are a basic necessity.

Windows in France are always attractive to an artist, so I did this painting. It is gouache on 6×8 watercolor paper. The souvenirs you make yourself from a trip are far more dear than the trinkets sold at “Souvenir Shops.”

Many years ago we made a brief foray near the French Alps, so on this virtual journey I wanted to go in a bit deeper, found the village of Breil-sur-Roya. The restaurant Le Biancheri right off the main road was a perfect place to sit in the sun while sipping vin blanc and eating escargots.

From the Alps it was easy to head for Nice, a city we visited two-and-a-half years ago – made for a pleasant ending of ma grande aventure.

With things opening up a bit I hope we all get to take some actual journeys, even if they are only a few hours from home. In the meantime I will be thinking of places to travel by car, not too far away. Hmmm, Eastern Washington Wine country and lunch at Wine O’clock in Prosser sounds enticing.

Where will you go? Don’t forget your sketchpad.

AND, just a teaser, no details yet, but there is a possibility of a Travelsketcher workshop in early July. Stay tuned.