Conques Summer School of Vernacular Architecture
9th to 25th of August 2027
Application deadline⎟26th of March 2027
Why Conques ?
The vernacular architecture of Conques has emerged over centuries from the creativity of man in his natural environment: hills of sandstone and schist, oak, chestnut and walnut trees, red clay...
The village wakes in a bed of mist and lays to rest in a slowly setting sun. Great imagination invented here the most vivid forms of art, such as the tympanum of the Romanesque abbey church of Sainte-Foix. This venerable 12th-century church with its two stone bell towers is an important stage on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Every day, dozens of pilgrims stop at Conques for a night or two. Both single walkers and groups of friends come from every continent to strengthen their souls through contact with nature and to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world for a few days. In the evening, tired from a long walk, they linger on a restaurant terrace to contemplate the dying rays of the sun as they sink into the forest across the valley. Conques is plunged into darkness. And the shadows that dance across the stone facades as night-time strollers go by conjure up long-lost legends.
The village resonates with stories of days gone by, when the monk Aronidse stole the relics of Sainte-Foy d'Agen to give them to his abbey in Conques, or when the armies of the King of France devastated Occitania in search of the Albigensian heretics... These resounding tales of crusades, pious petty theft, knight-poets, cavalcades and Romanesque devotion have shaped the history and identity of the village of Conques. Its architecture, both modest and endearing, bears the hallmark of peril, courage and piety in the Middle Ages.
Course Programme
Conques Summer School of Architecture & Crafts
Lectures & guided tours - 30 hours
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Guided tour of the village, from Conques to Le Bancarel: history, urban fabric, architecture & construction
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Analysing the architecture of Conques: site, programme, construction techniques & materials
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Introduction to Christian architecture: Romanesque & Gothic
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Guided tour of the abbey church with Brother Godefroid
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Symbolic and artistic evolution of flora carved in stone
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Decorative arts in the Romanesque period
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Illuminated manuscripts: typography, borders & illustrations
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Discussion: Romanesque Revival and historicist design
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The work and thought of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
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Viollet-le-Duc’s drawings: reading traditional architecture in plan, section & elevation
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Rendering measured drawings: washes, materials & cast shadows
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Perspective, light & shadow
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Foliage & watercolour
Drawing sessions - 60 hours
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Measured drawings: an entrance (1:10), the cloister gallery of the abbey (1:10 or 1:1), the tribunes of the abbey church, a façade and a façade-section (1:50)
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Geometry: principal forms & arches; polygons, rosettes & proportional layouts; Gothic geometry (pointed arches, rib vaults & tracery)
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Vernacular construction details in perspective & section
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Perspective and light & shadow studies in the streets of Conques
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Rendering: material textures, then foliage and full watercolour rendering of your measured façade & section
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Titles & borders
Study trips - 12 hours
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Visit of Rodez: the cathedral and its Gothic geometry, and the town centre in pen & wash
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Hike: Drawing in nature: studying plants and their link to architecture, foliage sketching and creating ornamental stencils
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Visit of the Musée Fau, Conques
Craft workshops - 16 hours
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Illumination workshop: letters & borders
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Ceramic workshop: shaping, engraving & carving tiles, fired in the village kiln and glazed
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Producing watercolour paint from natural pigments (ochres)
Exhibition
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The school ends with an exhibition of the students’ drawings and tiles at the Musée Fau
Every evening, students are invited to attend a concert of classical music in the abbey church of Conques.
Observe, measure & draw
The teachers
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Nadia Naty Everard
Builder, founder of La T.R.A. and chapter Chair of INTBAU Belgium.
Aliénor Cros
Interior designer & founder
of Artfully Crafted
Gertrud Oberg
Draughtsman
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Noé Morin
Writer, founder and research Fellow of La T.R.A.
Valérie Duclos
Illuminator specialised
in the Middle Ages
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
DATES⎟9th to 25th of August, 2027
Arrival: Early afternoon on 9 August 2027. Conques can be reached by bus from Rodez train station.
Departure: 25 August 2027. There are no classes on the last day. After breakfast, we tidy up together and departures begin at 9 am.
APPLICATION DEADLINE⎟26th of March 2027
COURSE LOCATION⎟Conques, France
COURSE LANGUAGE ⎟English (All teachers also speak French)
COURSE TIMETABLE⎟9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Sunday
FEES⎟2 470 EUR
The fees includes:
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The lectures, drawing sessions, crafts workshops & heritage site visits,
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The drawing and crafts materials (you will get to keep your drawing material),
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The accommodation in a mansion house in the village of Conques (shared twin room),
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The breakfasts served daily at 8.00 am,
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The lunch served daily at 12.00 am,
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A daily afternoon snack & drink,
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The evening meals served daily at 7.00 pm,
Partial scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the TRA’s Education Committee, based on applicants’ motivation letters and supporting documents (e.g. proof of a previous university scholarship). Thank you to our donors and sponsors who make this possible.
University credits: Students may contact their university directly to have this course recognised for academic credit. Once the process is under way, our team will be happy to help with the documents required (programme, hours, certificate of attendance).
ACCOMMODATION LOCATION⎟La Maison de Conques
The accommodation includes: the bed linen, a shower towel, shared shower rooms, a fitted kitchen, a dining room, a living room & a large terrace.
TRANSPORT TO CONQUES⎟train & bus
COME TO CONQUES BY WALK BY THE COMPOSTELLE ROUTES⎟information
How to Apply?
Minimum age: 18 years old
IMPORTANT: Only complete applications will be considered.
Please send all required documents before 26 March 2027
by email to: contact@latablerondearchitecture.com
Email subject: Application CSSVA 2027 – Full Name
Required information
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Personal details: Full name, full postal address, phone number, and date of birth.
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Title and background: e.g. carpenter, architecture student, historian, architect, urbanist, or simply curious about architecture, with relevant details (school, company, or institution).
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Cover letter: In English or French, in PDF format (max. 1 page).
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Three hand drawings: Combined into a single PDF (e.g. measured drawings of a door, window, façade, or construction details). You may also include photographs of your own craftwork.
Frequently asked questions
When will I know if I have been selected?
Applications close on 26 March 2027. Once your application has been sent, please wait until 31 March 2027: all applicants will receive an answer by email on that date, including the scholarship decision for those who applied for one.
What do I need to send if I am selected?
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A scanned copy of:
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your health insurance card valid for 2027, showing that you are covered by a private insurer or by your social security in the event of illness or accident in France for the full duration of the course;
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your identity card or passport.
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Proof of payment of your fees.
What happens once I have sent my documents?
Once we have received the documents requested above, you will receive the detailed programme of your curriculum, all the practical information about your stay, a reading list, and essays and books in PDF format to read before your arrival.
How and when do I pay?
Fees are paid by bank transfer to La Table Ronde de l’Architecture. Wise is also accepted. Payment is due no later than 30 April 2027.
Can I pay in several instalments?
Yes. If needed, payment in several instalments can be arranged on request. Payments are then spread until June 2027, according to a schedule agreed with us.
Can I get university credits for this course?Students may contact their university directly to have this course recognised for academic credit. Once the process is under way, our team will be happy to help with the documents required (programme, hours, certificate of attendance).
Where will I stay?
You will stay in a shared room of two at La Maison de Conques. Men and women are housed in separate rooms.
How do I get to Conques, and how do I leave?
Participants travel to and from Conques by bus, at their own expense: liO line 223 runs from Rodez train station (about 1 hour). Please plan to arrive in Conques by early afternoon on 9 August. On the last day, departures begin at 9.00 on 25 August.
Is transport between Rodez and Conques provided?
No. Participants organise and pay for their own bus journey.
Can I arrive earlier or stay longer?
Extra nights are not possible at the Maison de Conques. If you wish to arrive earlier or stay longer, you are welcome to book your own accommodation in Conques or Rodez.
Do I have to attend the whole summer school?
Yes. You must be present for the entire summer school, from arrival on 9 August to departure on 25 August 2027. Late arrivals and early departures are not possible.
Is the age limit flexible?
No. Participants must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the summer school.
What happens to my drawings?
By confirming your participation, you agree that all your drawings from the summer school (except your sketchbook) will become part of the archives of La Table Ronde de l’Architecture. You will receive high-definition scans of all your drawings by email in October 2027. By accepting, you also confirm that you are comfortable with your drawings being exhibited in Conques, in Westhoffen and online, on the association’s website and social media (Instagram and Facebook).
What happens if I need to cancel?
The amounts paid are refunded in full only if the cancellation is due to war, a natural disaster, the death of a close family member, a serious illness or accident, a visa refusal, official travel restrictions or an official summons, supported by written proof, and only if the request is sent at least one month before the start of the course (by 9 July 2027). In all other cases, no refund is made. Full conditions are set out in the participant agreement.
