Welcome to a Magical World Where Shapes, Ideas and Visions are Born
Imagine staying at a calm and welcoming retreat nestled in the countryside of Charente, France, created especially for artists, writers, and creative thinkers who want time and space to work, rest, and simply be. Surrounded by fields, trees, and open skies, Maison Les Buis offers a peaceful, inspiring setting where ideas can grow and flow at their own pace and days unfold without hurry.
The house and studios are simple and lived in, designed to help you settle easily. Old stone walls, shared spaces, and quiet corners support both focus and rest. Life follows a gentle rhythm: mornings filled with light and birdsong, afternoons for creating or wandering, and evenings often shared with others over food and conversation. There is space to be alone and space to be together, with no pressure either way.
Maison Les Buis was founded by three friends, Martina, Julian and Andrew, who wanted to create a place that feels open, supportive, and human. It welcomes artists, writers, and creative thinkers at every stage, whether you arrive with a clear project or simply a need for space and clarity. The emphasis is not on productivity or outcomes, but on presence, curiosity, and mutual respect.
Maison Les Buis is run as a not-for-profit association. All our activities are focused on nurturing artistic practice and shared experiences, rather than generating profit. At its heart, Maison Les Buis offers time and space: time to think, create, and rest; space to feel at home, explore ideas, and share them if you wish. We encourage a quieter kind of creativity, rooted in attentiveness, generosity, and a sense of belonging.
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Our Story
At the heart of Maison Les Buis is a simple conviction: art and culture should be accessible to everyone, not reserved as a privilege. We believe that everyone is an artist. Our intention is to grow a creative hub. We offer space for artists of all backgrounds to come and work, and we warmly welcome the local community to meet, connect, and take part in the act of making.
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Your Residency
Our residencies offer you the chance to step out of the rush of everyday life and into a gentler, slower rhythm where creativity can breathe and grow. Set in the peaceful French countryside, this is a place to be attentive, curious and present, whether you’re deep into a project, searching for fresh ideas, or simply ready to explore your creative voice with openness and joy.
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The House
Set around a spacious, secluded courtyard, the house offers a sense of calm, openness and privacy. The main house unfolds into three light-filled bedrooms, a welcoming salon and a bright, generous kitchen. High ceilings and large windows look out onto a mature acacia garden, allowing light, air and the surrounding landscape to flow naturally through the spaces.
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Around & About
The countryside around Maison Les Buis offers you endless opportunities to be inspired by the world beyond the studio. The gently rolling landscape is perfect for cycling and walking, with it’s quiet lanes, open fields and shaded paths. History and art surround you too, from stunning châteaux and Romanesque churches to prehistoric caves waiting to be explored.
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![An abstract expressionist painting with colorful streaks and dashes on a canvas clipped to a wooden easel against a textured beige wall.]()
Artist's Gallery
During their time here artists have the space and time to explore, experiment, and create. This page celebrates the work that has emerged from these residencies, inspiration drawn from the surrounding landscape, and the freedom to play, reflect, and follow curiosity wherever it leads. This gallery offers insight into the space where art and everyday life meet.
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Workshops
Several times a year, we host gatherings at Maison Les Buis built around carefully chosen themes, created in collaboration with our resident artists. These occasions are more than opportunities to meet a visiting artist; they are invitations to slow down, create, and be inspired together. This page features the events and workshops we have coming up.
“This place is more than magical it is a home for the lover, the adventurer, the believer, the one who wants to stay. A little world where everything is possible.”
ANNELIES KAERE