Loire Valley Sketchbook

Fabrice Moireau, born in 1962, is a graduate of the École nationale supérieure des Arts appliqués et des métiers d’Art (National School of Applied Arts and Crafts). Inspired by his many travels, he creates sketchbooks that are both cultural and ethnographic testimonials. Passionate about architecture, gardens, and nature, he uses watercolors to capture the subtlety of light and the atmosphere of streets and landscapes.

His career took shape during his studies, where he excelled in observational drawing and trained as a stand designer/set designer, before creating his first travel journals for the Chaumont-sur-Loire Garden Festival. His approach quickly attracted attention, and his sketchbooks led to commissions for Vuitton and then Éditions du Pacifique, with whom he produced more than 35 art books devoted to cities and regions around the world, from Paris to New York, Lisbon to Provence.

Contemplative, Fabrice Moireau paints in situ, sometimes sitting for hours on a simple fishing stool, capturing the light, framing and details with precision. His works have been the subject of numerous exhibitions, about one per year, and reflect a sensitive and poetic view of the world.

Fabrice Moireau is the author of the following books published by Éditions du Pacifique: Berlin Sketchbook, Bretagne Sketchbook, Paris Sketchbook, Corse Sketchbook, Florence Sketchbook, Gardens de Paris Aquarelles, Lisbonne Sketchbook, and Normandie Sketchbook.

Jean-Paul Pigeat (1946-2005) was a specialist in the history of gardens, landscapes, and landscaping, which were the central themes of his numerous publications. Born in Montluçon in the Allier department, he began his career at ORTF before working at the Centre Pompidou for fifteen years, where he organized several exhibitions on the environment and society. As gardening advisor to Jack Lang, Minister of Culture, he created the Chaumont-sur-Loire International Garden Festival in 1992, which he directed for 14 editions, introducing an innovative approach: a temporary event highlighting the art of gardens around a unique theme each year.

Jean-Paul Pigeat also contributed to the redevelopment of the gardens of the Palais-Royal and the restructuring of the Tuileries, while participating in the creation of the École Nationale Supérieure du Paysage in Blois in 1995, with Chilpéric de Boiscuillé. His commitment to education and landscape mediation led to the establishment of a conservatory for professional training and higher education in the field of gardens.

Although criticized for his “ephemeral spectacle” vision, he is unanimously recognized for his extensive knowledge of gardens around the world, his ability to bring people together and convey his passion, and his decisive role in the revival and media coverage of gardens in France.

He is the author of Loire Valley Sketchbook, published by Éditions du Pacifique.