From June 20 to September 10 2022, rediscover Saumur and the Loire Valley under the alert pencil of the American draughtswoman Marilyn MacGregor. An exhibition full of life and colors to visit at Domaine de Rocheville, in Parnay!

Visiting Saumur, you wonder what to see? The famous Cadre Noir (French National Riding School), a bike ride along the Loire, a visit to a troglodytic cellar, the King René castle, the Tank museum… Indeed the Valley of the Kings is full of beautiful sites and heritage treasures and you may not know where to start.

3 good reasons to visit Rocheville’s exhibition

A tip: if you love art and wine, you can combine at least three interests in one visit by coming to Domaine de Rocheville. Three? Of course! 

• Art, because since the creation of its eco-responsible winery and reception hall in 2014, Rocheville has been happily hosting exhibitions. The white stone walls regularly come alive with paintings, photos or drawings by local or more distant artists, whose works, very diverse, have touched us.

• Wine, because it is the heart of Rocheville’s activity. 17 hectares of vines. 9 vintages produced with passion by an independent winemaker, certified organic, 100% chenin or 100% cabernet franc.

• And the third center of interest, you might ask? It could be nature, in the form of the vineyards that surround the estate, which you can explore on foot or by bike, or cultural heritage in the form of the famous “troglos” to be explored during a guided tour of the cellars.

Saumur under the pencil of an American woman

After having been postponed for 2 years because of the Covid crisis, the exhibition “Saumur under the pencil of an American woman” is finally installed at the estate.

Whether you were born there or spend your vacations there, Marilyn MacGregor’s drawings will make you rediscover the city of Saumur and the Loire Valley with a new eye.

With her lively and colorful line, the artist sketches the city and the landscapes of Anjou and Touraine with gaiety, tenderness and a touch of humor. The French way of life, history and heritage are her favorite themes.

From the Place Saint-Pierre to Saint-Nicolas church, from the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud to the gardens of Villandry, have fun recognizing the neighborhood where you grew up, the farmer from whom you bought your mushrooms at the market or the castle you visited with your family! Two views of Paris have even slipped in among the works. Will you spot them?

Who is Marilyn MacGregor ?

Marilyn MacGregor is a draughtswoman, art historian and teacher, as well as a well-known writer and illustrator.

Half American (by birth), half French (by adoption), she has been living between Philadelphia and Saumur for the past 5 years.

“France has always been a great love, but I feel at home wherever I find this magical combination of art and history.”

Since her early childhood, this traveler who has also lived in California, New York and Paris – she knows every corner of our capital – has dedicated her life to art and draws the world on her sketchbook. 

She exhibits in galleries, museums and other places like, for example, the Domaine de Rocheville! 

She is also a designer and has created her line of art prints and greeting cards from the scenes designed in her sketchbook, including pictures of Philadelphia.

Finally, she writes: an award-winning blog, art reviews and articles in local and national publications, children’s books, and a historical crime novel set in Paris.

A technique marrying tradition and modernity

For Marilyn MacGregor, drawing is a kind of dance in which each step opens up new possibilities and allows the ordinary to be seen in a new way. She sketches street scenes and landscapes with a supple and spontaneous line, seeking to faithfully reproduce the spirit of the place and to reveal the hidden subtleties of the scene, even if her illustration is not meant to be realistic.

Once the drawing is sketched in ink on paper, she finalizes the scene using a technique that marries a classic medium with a contemporary one.

She scans her sketches into her computer and creates the finished scenes by painting them by hand, with a digital program. This technique preserves the original clearness and strength of her line in a colorful environment where the creamy white of the tufa, the blue-gray of the slate, the light blue of the sky… The result? Images full of life, tenderness and humor.

Where and when can you see the exhibition ?

The timetable

Soak up the artist’s picturesque atmosphere during the estate’s opening hours:

Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 6:30pm
Sunday from 2pm to 6pm

Free entrance

The location

Rocheville is a wine estate located on the heights of Parnay, between Saumur and Montsoreau, near the Wine Road and in the heart of the Saumur Champigny wine area.

The hall is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Take advantage of your visit to combine pleasures and taste our organic wines in appellation Crémant de Loire, Saumur Blanc, Saumur Rosé or Saumur Champigny!