The Crozant School

Somewhat lost in the deeply rural north-west of the Creuse department, Crozant and its neighbouring village of Fresselines were key locations in the development of the Impressionist art movement.

Claude Monet came to Crozant to stay with a friend in 1889, remained for three months, and painted a series of canvases of the rugged landscapes of the Sedelle and Creuse valleys. Following his visit, several other major artists from the Impressionist school, such as Sisley and Pissaro, came to paint and develop their techniques, and the “Crozant school” was born. There are still artists working in the two villages today, and Fresselines has an art centre with many reproductions of the now famous canvases that were painted in the area.

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