An introduction to Van Gogh in beautiful Provence: how to create your own masterpiece… where the artist painted some of his best works

Vincent van Gogh may have been earless and borderline crazy during his time in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, but the Dutch master painted some of his greatest works here, in the bustling French tourist town near Avignon.

The productive period of his career included Irises, Sunflowers and The Starry Night.

So with a C in O level art I traveled to Saint Remy to create my own masterpiece.

My hand is guided by Aicha Bendafi, who patiently teaches tourists how to sketch the landscapes immortalized by Van Gogh in their own oily palettes of blue and gray.

We meet outside the gates of Saint Paul de Mausole, the monastery turned asylum and where Van Gogh admitted himself in 1889, a year after cutting off his left ear.

Jeremy wonders if the landscape and lavender can inspire his “inner artist” in the same way as Van Gogh. Pictured is a lavender field in bloom at the Monastery of Saint Paul de Mausole

Tourists come here to see a reconstruction of the artist’s sparsely furnished first-floor room and to follow a walking trail that highlights the locations where Van Gogh set up his easel.

“He was fascinated by the quality of the light and the beauty of the landscape,” says Aicha.

‘Thanks to a serene atmosphere and the help of the nuns, he completed more than 100 drawings and 143 oil paintings in just one year.’

Aicha explains that to this day, Saint Paul de Mausole is still a psychiatric home for artists, and their work is sold in a nearby gallery.

“From the upstairs windows you can still see those same limestone hills, vineyards and olive groves that made Van Gogh reach for brush and canvas,” she adds.

There’s certainly an atmosphere about this place – far removed from busy Saint Remy, a short walk away.

Pictured is Van Gogh’s recreated room in Saint Paul de Mausole

Masterpiece: one of Van Gogh’s approximately fifteen paintings depicting olive groves. Jeremy tries to paint a similar scene during his visit

This chic town of cobbled streets, cafes and restaurants celebrates Van Gogh’s 444 days in Provence in many ways – sometimes boring – but I wonder if the landscape and lavender can inspire my inner artist in the same way.

Aicha has set up my easel in front of an olive grove, probably where Van Gogh painted The Olive Trees in June 1889.

His famous original is said to be worth around £60 million… so no pressure.

Van Gogh is said to have created fifteen paintings of olive groves, fascinated by the twisted, gnarled shapes that reflected his mental state at the time.

Saint Remy, pictured, is just a short walk from where Jeremy learns to ‘sketch the landscapes immortalized by Van Gogh’

In the photo: the fountain of Nostradamus in the medieval old town of Saint Remy

I start simple, with a dash of yellow sun, but the shape of the tree trunks is already driving me crazy. I’m having trouble capturing the texture with my crazy brush strokes.

Aicha tells me to split my piece into sections, sky, trees and earth, and soon I’m moving my brush around like a pro.

I find that varying the thickness of the paint gives an uneven, rough texture – Van Gogh often used paint straight from the tube, but for the leaves I decide to squeeze every shade of green onto my palette and start freestyling.

A small group of tourists have now come to watch. I give a thumbs up to help measure the distance between the tree trunks, before a small round of applause breaks out as I scribble my name in the bottom corner.

It’s nothing like the view, but I’m very tempted to offer my ‘Olive Grove Revisited’ to the highest bidder.

Jeremy describes Saint Remy (pictured) as a ‘chic town with cobbled streets, cafes and restaurants’

Jeremy is staying at Mas Van Gogh (photo), a restored farmhouse within a bike ride from the center of Saint Remy

That evening I retreat with my rolled-up work of art to Mas Van Gogh, a restored farmhouse within a bike ride from the center of St. Remy.

This luxurious, self-contained property has an outdoor swimming pool and space for eight guests, but I imagine the Dutch master would have preferred to paint alone in a quiet corner of the enormous garden.

‘Olive Grove Revisited’ now hangs in my downstairs toilet. One day, when I’m gone, it might turn up again in a thrift store. It will not be mistaken for a masterpiece.