La SOURCE
Situated in the department of Brittany, France between the natural reserve of Les Monts d'Arrée and the beaches of the Celtic Sea, La SOURCE is a converted farm, once known as "Le Tisserand du Cosquer" (the weaver of the old village). The property, as a flax farm and linen mill, was once part of a thriving local industry that supplied the merchant ships and fishing boats of the region with their linen sails.
​
Within close driving distance of several small cities, beautifully preserved historic sites, and charming villages - the site of La SOURCE is a hidden paradise just far enough from civilization to be peaceful, and yet still close enough to remain connected to the world.
​
3 hours by train to the center of Paris, and 35 minutes to the Brest airport - we can easily welcome participants arriving from every corner of the world to our campus, a hidden creation lab in Finistère (from Finis Terra - meaning 'the end of the earth').
La SOURCE is built to be a sanctuary of co-creation and learning.
We have worked diligently to envision an environment that supports harmony within ourselves, between one another and with our environment. Our project/property development began in February of 2021 with the evolution of the south campus (everything below the road, Cosquer), and continues in 2023 with the expansion of the north campus (everything above the road).
campus map
N
The valley of the property is crossed by a stream called Le Coat Toul Zac'h, which flows into the river La Penzé, and out into the sea 25 km from the property.
​
The southern-most tip of the property is home to Le Kanndi du Fers - an historical landmark, and part of an organized walking path that teaches about the history of flax cultivation and linen weaving in the area. "Kanna" means "bleaching" and "Ti" means "house" in Breizh or Breton, the local language. The Kanndi was the laundry house for bleaching linen fibers before weaving.
​
A short 30-minute walk brings you to the edge of the "Parc Naturel Régional d'Armorique" - with protected forests, remarkable hiking paths, and panoramic views from the peaks of Les Monts d'Arrée. For those who enjoy wild swimming, with a hike of about 3 hours, you can enjoy the Lac du Drennec and its Centre Nautique (boat club)... or simply enjoy a bath in the river that runs through the neighboring forest, a 5 minutes walk from the center of campus.
this map is better explored on a full-screen computer
MAP KEY
​
​
1. Main House - East: downstairs - Library; upstairs - Coordinator & Resident Living Quarters
​
2. Main House - West: downstairs - Collective Kitchen, Pantry, Veranda; upstairs - Coordinator Living Quarters & Guest Room
3. Atelier
4. The office; laundry facilities
5. Darkness Retreat Studio
6. Resident Living Quarters
​
7. Resident Living Quarters
​
8. Resident Living Quarters (wheelchair accessible)
9. Terrace, Hammock Garden & Herb Spiral
10. Compost & Bird Habitat
11. The Hearth Kitchen
12. Alternate location of The Sky Pod (#24)
13. Fire Circle
14. Phyto-Purification system (our ecological reed-bed black & grey water treatment system)
15. The Ruins
​
16. The Lovers' Tree (otherwise known as 'the oak')
17. Bridge
​
18. Wellness Area (pool, fire bath, sauna, showers)
19. The Greenhouse Dôme (practice space)
20. Nature-Immersion Retreat Cabin (future)
21. The Stables - Collective Art Studio
22. Catharsis Cabin (future)
23. Horse pasture (available for land art and sculptural installation when not in use)
24. The Sky Pod - Creative/Meditative Isolation Retreat
25. Garden Studio & Woodstock
​
La TISSERANDE
aux fils de l'eau
The center's campus rests on the grounds of le Cosquer ("the old village" in the local language, Breizh.) To support the center, the property has been active in the summers as a guest house and retreat center: La Tisserande aux Fils de l'Eau, the Water-Weaver. (here you will find interior photos and details about the lodging available for fellows.)
Le Cosquer
Saint Thégonnec
Famous worldwide for its historic enclos paroissial (an elaborately ornamented churchyard, traditional in the diocese of Léon), this village has a rich history of vitality and wealth from the 16th and 17th centuries due to the success of the hemp and flax industries of the surrounding area.
La Bretagne
Brittany (in English) or Breizh (in the local language), is home to some of the world's oldest standing architecture, as far back as 5th millennium BC. As a remote peninsula with no country borders, this region was the last to be colonized by the Roman invasion, and thus has retained a close connection to its ancient roots.
France
Beyond the famous capital, Paris, France is a country of varied landscapes and ecosystems, diverse cultures and traditions, complex politics and discourse, disparate historical narratives... Birth place of Cartesianism, and ever-faithfully engaged in intellectual pursuit, we hear a hunger for heart-work.
the area & region
​
Getting to La SOURCE (click here)
We can provide pick-up from the TGV train station in Morlaix to the campus upon request.
​
For those traveling by train from elsewhere in France, please consult SNCF, the national train system, for tickets arriving at the station: "Morlaix (Brittany/Bretagne)"
​
For those traveling from Ireland or the UK, please consult Brittany Ferries for boat trips arriving in Roscoff (a 35-minute drive from La SOURCE). These ferries will allow you to come with your car.
​
2024/2025 PROGRAM
​
Applications :
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. ​
Minimum stay : 3 weeks
​​​
2023/2024 Publication Release Party:
Sunday, October 1
​
Fall Session 2024:
Saturday, September 28 - Saturday, December 21
Winter-School Theory Intensive:
Saturday, February 8 - Sunday, February 16
Spring Session 2025:
Saturday, March 1 - Saturday, May 24
​
Summer Session 2025:​
Saturday, June 7 - Saturday, August 30​​
​​​
(Dates subject to change as program planning evolves for the 2025 spring and summer sessions.)