Since 1999, the question that has driven the Rats des Champs (Field Mice) has been: "Can Nature stimulate artists today?"

They suggest that artists express in a contemporary language the beauty and diversity of landscapes.

The Rats des Champs have chosen to paint the outdoors, showing in their own way that today, Nature is still an inextinguishable source of inspiration, a reservoir of shapes, colors, and feelings. Painting is always an individual adventure, but we know that individual itineraries are enriched and built up by confrontation, discussion, and sharing. Those are the ideas on which our association was built.

Offering one painting outing a month and four longer painting trips a year, the Rats des Champs are open to artists who wish to paint or draw landscape. Throughout the year, exhibitions, debates, group classes and museum tours may also be offered to members.

The Rats des Champs have carried out projects in partnerships with local and regional institutions, such as the Parc National des Ecrins (Southern Alps), the Paris Town Hall, the Parc Naturel Régional du Vexin Français (Val d'Oise), the town of Le Pré Saint-Gervais (Seine-Saint-Denis), the town of Tigeaux (Seine et Marne)...