Escape to the Chateau DIY (2018–2021): Season 4, Episode 10 - Episode #4.10 - full transcript
Dick, voice-over:
I'm Dick Strawbridge.
Along with my wife Angel
and our two children...
Angel: Yay!
Dick: Well done.
Dick, voice-over: We've lived
in this magnificent chateau
for the past 5 years.
Dick:
Look. Look, look, look, look,
look, look, look, look, look,
look, look, look,
look, look, look.
Angel: Oh, my God.
That is so beautiful.
Dick, voice-over:
It's not just our home...
Dick: Ahh, we're up.
Dick, voice-over:
But our business.
Dick:
You may kiss your bride.
[Cheering and applause]
Dick, voice-over: And all over
France, there are other Brits
doing exactly the same.
Woman: Oh, my God.
Dick, voice-over:
We'll follow a new wave of
intrepid chateau owners...
[Tool whirring]
Man: Open some windows.
Might help get rid of some dust.
Dick, voice-over:
and some familiar faces...
[Tool whirring]
as they take on these
majestic buildings...
and we'll reveal more about
our own chateau life.
Girl: Thank you very much.
Dick and Angel: Yay!
Dick, voice-over:
There'll be triumphs...
Woman: This looks incredible.
Second woman: You like it?
First woman: I love it.
Dick, voice-over:
and setbacks...
Man: Oh!
Dick, voice-over: as they battle
to renovate their homes...
[Clattering]
and earn their keep.
Woman: OK. I'm ready.
Dick, voice-over: But no matter
how hard the going gets...
Woman: This is probably
my worst nightmare.
Dick, voice-over: They get
to live the dream
as custodians of
their very own castle.
Today...
Woman: Doesn't look
square to me.
Dick, voice-over: One couple
gets to work in their garden...
Woman: And that top's
completely to cock.
Dick, voice-over: And risk
a flat-packed fallout.
Man: I didn't want to do this
in the first place.
Dick, voice-over:
A new gite project
lifts off at this chateau.
Man: Ian and I
is gonna shiggle it.
Woman: Shiggle.
Is shiggle a--
is it--shiggle's
the word, isn't it?
Man: Yeah, we're gonna
shiggle it.
Dick, voice-over: At our place,
it's a case of boys...
Dick: It's our own private road,
so, it has to be looked after.
Dick, voice-over:
and their toys.
And as one couple gear up
for their first-ever wedding...
Man: There's the groom.
Woman: He's forgotten
his cufflinks.
Dick, voice-over:
They're in for a shock.
Woman: George, the power's
gone off again.
Dick, voice-over:
Moving overseas to start
a new life and business
can feel like a big risk,
especially if you're sinking in
every last penny you've got.
Take the 19th-century 23-room
Chateau Gioux.
It's home to Yorkshire couple
Debbie and Nigel,
who put it all on the line
and snapped it up
for 280,000 pounds
a few months ago.
Debbie: When we first
bought the place,
you have a vision of
how you'd like it to look,
and the potential
is massive here, isn't it?
Nigel: It Is.
Dick, voice-over: Located near
Limoges in central France,
to make ends meet,
Debbie and Nigel
have opened it as a B&B,
renovating the salon
and 3 guest suites.
Nigel: You'll go backwards now.
No, that's not backwards.
[Thud]
Dick, voice-over:
But it's not been easy.
Nigel: The main thing that's
limiting us is the finance.
We can't just go out and just
buy everything we want to buy.
Debbie: We viewed it
from the very beginning
as a long-term project.
We'll do what we can
when we can.
Nigel: Absolutely,
because we can't afford
to do any renovations without
taking some money in.
Debbie: No.
Dick, voice-over: With an income
stream trickling in,
Debbie and Nigel
now want to make
their 5-acre grounds
more attractive for guests.
Debbie: So, these are a couple
of Gothic arches, heh,
that we've got to go down
where the garden finishes
and the field starts.
Quite a lot of parts,
isn't there?
[Nigel chuckles]
Yep.
Dick, voice-over:
Nigel's been roped in to help
with the unenviable task
of assembling
the two flat-packed arches.
Nigel: Oh, Debbie.
Debbie: What?
Nigel:
Didn't put these in very well.
What you doing?
Debbie: That was your side.
Nigel: Heh heh.
Dick, voice-over: If anything
can test a relationship,
a flat pack can.
Nigel: Good.
Looking good, baby.
Dick, voice-over:
First hurdle negotiated.
Nigel: Carry it down...
Dick, voice-over:
Now to position it
at the end of the garden.
Should be simple enough.
Nigel: Right.
How far?
Debbie: I'm just gonna
go up here
and have a look from here.
Go back to the other bit, Nige.
[Laughs]
Nigel: Uhh.
[Debbie laughs]
I think--
Nigel: Right.
If you can just come
and hold this, then.
Hold the middle bit.
Debbie: Yeah.
You've got another one
to drop today.
Dick, voice-over: I'd keep quiet
about that if
I were you, Debbie.
A few tweaks later
and they're back in business.
Nigel: That's where
we're having it?
Debbie: Yeah, that's right.
Nigel: That's not [indistinct].
Debbie: Right.
[Hammering]
Nigel: I'm very good at that.
What did that hit?
Debbie: There is
something down there.
Nigel: Yeah, it's bending. See?
That's no good.
Debbie: That's no good.
Dick, voice-over: Looks like
Nigel's caught between
a rock and a hard place.
Debbie: We've got a plan B.
Nigel: I think we go
for the nuclear option.
Dick, voice-over: Now, that's
a serious piece of kit.
Nigel: Not gonna
let it beat me.
Debbie: Don't think it's
overkill, Nige? The...
Nigel: It might be
a touch overkill, but...
Debbie: Ha ha!
Nigel: Hey.
One needs must.
Dick, voice-over: Well said,
that, man.
[Tool whirring]
With light work
made of the holes,
all that's left is to put
the arch in place.
Nigel: That's straight,
that's straight,
that's straight, there.
Debbie: But the top isn't.
Nigel: Yeah, it is.
Debbie: Is it?
Nigel: Yeah, compared--
compared to those two, yeah.
Want to see what
it looks like there.
Oh! Perfect.
Debbie: Are you sure?
Doesn't look square to me.
Just look--it looks
really cockeyed.
And that top's
completely to cock.
We can't--we can't
have it like that.
Nigel: I didn't want to do this
in the first place.
[Debbie sighs]
Neither did I.
Nigel: Can you just pass me
that small hammer, please?
Debbie: What are you gonna
do with it? [Laughs]
Is that for me? [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: Don't lose it
now, Nigel.
You're too close.
[Hammering]
Nigel: Marvelous.
Debbie: Think you've
about done it.
In the face of adversity.
Nigel: I think it looks lovely.
[Debbie laughs]
Nigel: I'm really glad you
talked me into getting that.
[Slap]
Right?
Debbie: OK.
Nigel: Is it beer time?
Debbie: I think you probably
deserve a beer after that.
Dick, voice-over: Cheers, Nigel.
You can think about
that second arch
while you're enjoying
that drink.
115 miles away is the elegant
Chateau de Brives.
Sitting on 30 acres of grounds,
this 19th-century beauty
was bought 9 years ago
for 415,000 pounds
and is home to antique dealers
George and Sarah
and their children
Tatiana and Alexei.
George: I think moving
to France for me
was definitely the best decision
we ever made.
It's benefited all of us.
It really has been
a lovely experience.
Sarah: Mm. I mean,
it's wonderful
for the children
growing up here.
They've got the space,
the freedom to roam.
Yeah, we're lucky.
I think we're lucky.
Dick, voice-over:
Set in the southwest of France
near the town of Cognac,
to help fund the upkeep
of the chateau,
Sarah and George have decided
to turn their home
into a wedding venue.
Sarah: George likes to do
the big areas
and then I get called in
to do the fiddly bits.
George: Sarah always says
I'm the podger.
[Sarah laughs]
Dick, voice-over: They've plowed
their savings into
renovating the old
coach house
into an events space.
George: It's quick, isn't it?
Blimey.
Dick, voice-over: And a few
months ago,
secured their first booking,
with groom Charlie
and bride Charlotte.
Charlie: Oh,
this looks fantastic.
Charlotte: It's beautiful.
Really lovely.
Charlie: Happy?
Charlotte: Yeah,
I'm really happy.
Dick, voice-over: It's now just
two days before the wedding
and the pressure is on.
George: The first wedding is
terribly important for us,
'cause we must get it right,
because it's from this
that we get the photos
to put on the website,
the word of mouth,
uh, more bookings in the future.
But if we blow it, then, uh,
the opposite, all those things.
Dick, voice-over:
The wedding party has already
started to arrive,
but without guest accommodation,
Sarah and George are giving up
their bedrooms for the weekend
and moving into an annex.
Sarah: And then here we are.
Here's your bedroom.
Ha ha ha!
Woman: Wow.
Sarah: Charlotte's dress
will be hung up
in that room there, so, we'll
just keep that safe. Yeah.
And if you need anything at all,
just shout.
Dick, voice-over:
With the guests settled,
Sarah's on to her next job.
She's invited the wedding party
to join them
for dinner this evening
and wants everything
to be perfect.
Sarah: Sit there, please.
Dick, voice-over:
A few months ago,
Angel showed her
how to dress the table
and create a napkin flour
as a finishing touch.
Sarah: Let's--how did
they do it?
It's..
you make a kind of sausage.
Possibly something like that.
Not looking anything like
a rose yet.
Ha ha!
It's looking a bit like
a big, fat donut,
isn't it, rather than a rose?
Maybe they'll get better
the more we do.
[Laughs]
How's that look?
I don't think they look
good, do they?
Tatiana: No.
Sarah: George?
George: Yeah.
Dick, voice-over:
Time to get a second opinion.
George: I would prefer you--
you folded them, darling.
Sarah: All right.
OK, right.
Let's go for normal route.
I'm so sorry, Angel.
We've let you down.
Dick, voice-over: Oh, well.
Full marks for effort, Sarah.
And even without
the napkin flowers,
the table is beginning
to look the part.
Sarah: That's--that's better.
Dick, voice-over:
And just in time,
'cause the happy couple-to-be
have arrived.
Charlotte: I feel good.
Preparations are going well.
We haven't had too many
disasters yet, so--
Charlie: No. George and Sarah
couldn't be more helpful.
They're doing everything
they can sort of make it
a special day for us.
Charlotte: And they've
made it feel like
a real home from home, so,
that doesn't feel like
a bit of a wedding factory.
It feels very special
and unique to us,
so, it's perfect.
Dick, voice-over: With dinner
about to be served,
it's action stations
all round.
George: I want to create
a lovely atmosphere.
Dick, voice-over: Well, it looks
like you've done just that.
Woman: I like the table.
Sarah: I don't think you'll
ask me to go to the church.
[Laughter]
Dick, voice-over:
Sarah and George,
your first wedding weekend
has officially begun.
Let's hope the rest of it
goes as smoothly.
This is the splendid
Chateau de Lalande.
Sitting in 60 acres of
stunning countryside,
it's home to Stephanie,
who's run it as a B&B
and events business,
for the past 13 years.
Stephanie: One of the best
things about living
in a chateau is the sense of
constant adventure
and excitement.
You have no idea what's
going to happen next.
It's always new and also,
you never run out of projects.
Dick, voice-over: Located
53 miles from Limoges,
to boost her income, Stephanie
has recently started renovating
a Renaissance-style gite
in the oldest part
of the chateau.
Woman: Oh!
Sweetheart, this is beautiful.
Man: That's very nice.
Dick, voice-over: There's still
the salon next door to finish,
where she plans to have
made-to-measure wood paneling.
Stephanie: The thing
I'm most worried about is
the wall covering for
the room next door,
because we don't have that yet.
It has to be beautiful.
It has to be sumptuous
and in keeping with this bed.
It's got a lot
to live up to now.
Dick, voice-over: Wary the
paneling's going to be pricey,
Stephanie's keen to save money
on furnishing.
So, today, she's visiting
a local charity shop.
Stephanie: I don't have money
to burn on this
because I don't yet know
how expensive
the wall coverings and the
paneling are going to be.
So, I'm not going to buy
anything very, very expensive,
but if I can find something
at a reasonable price,
then I can get it.
Dick, voice-over:
And it's not long before
something catches her eye.
Stephanie: Yeah, look at this
detailing here.
It's really Gothic.
That's exactly what
I'm looking for.
Kind of neo-Gothic furniture
and it will actually
fit in really will
with the Renaissance idea.
It's 120 euros,
which is actually more
than I was hoping to spend
on the table.
I'll go and see if they can
make that price better
in any way,
'cause it needs
quite a bit of work.
Dick, voice-over: Looks like
a reasonable price.
[Man and Stephanie
speaking French]
Dick, voice-over:
Now get out of there before
your eyes start wandering.
You're on a budget, remember.
[Stephanie speaking French]
Dick, voice-over: Uh-oh.
She's spotted
a vintage upholstered bed.
[Man and Stephanie
speaking French]
[Stephanie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
And Stephanie's not done yet.
Stephanie: I like it, but
have I spent too much today?
I come here for one thing
and I end up going with
things that I didn't come
to look for at all.
I do like the mirror.
Dick, voice-over: Decisions,
decisions, decisions.
Stephanie: I think
I'm going to get it.
Dick, voice-over:
Then again, at 180 euros,
just over 150 pounds,
let's hope it doesn't reflect
badly on your budget.
[Stephanie speaking French]
Today has surpassed my wildest
shopping dreams.
[Speaking French]
I'm excited about
the Renaissance salon,
but it is a bit daunting,
because I want it to look right.
I want--I want people to feel
as they walk in,
that they're walking into
something that's looked that way
for hundreds of years,
and that's
going to take quite a bit
of getting right.
Dick, voice-over:
It certainly is,
but back at the chateau,
and a couple of weeks later,
there's a hitch.
Stephanie: We got some
good news, which was
we found somebody to do
amazing wood paneling
in there for
an incredible price,
and I couldn't say not to that.
It was too good an opportunity.
So, that means
he can't come until
the end of the year,
which means that
we've got a two-month
delay there.
So, I'm cracking on
with our second gite,
which is pretty exciting,
and it's totally different
from the other one,
because the first is where
the marquis used to live
and it's very old style,
and this one is where
the groom used to live,
so, it's the opposite end
of the spectrum at the chateau,
and we're going to something
much brighter
and more contemporary in here.
Dick, voice-over: Not wanting
to put all her eggs
in one basket,
for the past year,
Stephanie's also been
working on converting
the old stables
into an apartment.
She now wants it guest-ready
to start generating income
for next season.
Stephanie: In terms of
the business,
it is really important to get
more rentable spaces,
and under French law,
you can only have
5 bedrooms rented and still
remain a chambre d'hote,
but you can have gites
on top of that,
so, it's important
for us to do this.
Dick, voice-over:
Looks like you've got your
work cut out, Stephanie.
Better leave you to it.
Less than 40 miles south
at Chateau Gioux,
Debbie and Nigel are busy
giving the place a facelift.
Debbie: I think that's
looking nice, isn't it?
Nigel: Yeah, it's
[indistinct] arch.
[Debbie laughs]
Nigel: Flower [indistinct].
[Debbie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
With two new arches in,
next they're moving on to
the large, rather tired
roof terrace at the rear
of the chateau.
Nigel: The terrace itself is
for our bedroom at the moment,
but we have plans
of maybe moving
upstairs into the loft,
in which case
we'd have our room
as a family room
and then they'd have
this terrace
as their outside space,
so, it'd be
quite a premium room
if we could do that.
Dick, voice-over: Currently,
the terrace isn't watertight
and leaks into the room below.
To fix that, Nigel first needs
to power-wash away
years of grime.
[Machine whirring]
But he's barely started
before there's a hiccup.
[Whirring stops]
[Whirring starts]
Nigel: Got a blockage
somewhere. What?
Yeah, doesn't seem
to want to go.
[Whirring stops]
Hose pipe didn't turn up,
did it?
Dick, voice-over: The water
pressure has separated
the hose pipe from the tap,
so, it's time to call in
the cavalry.
Debbie: I'm the official
hose pipe holder.
[Laughs] Stopping the pipe
blowing off. [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Oh, the glamorous life
of a chateau owner.
[Machine whirring]
[Whirring stops]
Debbie: How is it going?
Nigel: Better.
Debbie: Wow!
Nigel: Before, the problem was
you can't see
where all the problem areas are.
Debbie: God, yeah, there is
quite a lot of cracks,
isn't there?
Nigel: Filling the cracks in now
with self-leveling cement
and then cover it in the resin.
Debbie: Is it ClearPave,
the resin, then, or--?
Nigel: Yes.
Debbie: Right.
Nigel: I don't know.
[Laughter]
Debbie: OK.
Dick, voice-over:
Better crack on anyway.
All that filling in
is going to take time.
Debbie: To me, this whole area
is all a bit of an eyesore,
so, everything we're doing to
improve it is great.
Just improves the whole
look of the chateau overall.
And obviously, everybody
comes into the front,
but it's important to have
the back nice as well.
Dick, voice-over:
With the cracks filled,
Nigel can get on with the work
of applying
the waterproof finish.
Nigel: Here we go.
Let's get it on.
Dick, voice-over: But with 100
square meters to cover by hand,
rather your knees
than mine, matey.
Nigel: It's chateau on
a shoestring for us,
and this is the best way
we can do it
to make it watertight
until we can afford to
do it properly.
Debbie: Wow, Nige. Amazing.
Oh, it's gonna look so much
better, isn't it?
Nigel: Yeah.
Debbie: Well done.
Good effort.
Nigel: Thank you.
Dick, voice-over:
I couldn't agree more.
That's a big, old terrace.
You're just gonna have to keep
going there, fella.
At our place, we've learned that
chateau maintenance never stops,
from the early days of
patching a roof
with tens of thousands
of slates...
Dick: There's quite
a serious problem.
Dick, voice-over:
to the Herculean task
of cleaning over 50 windows.
Angel: Aah! I think
this is the bit
where you get a bit
twitchy, isn't it?
[Machine whirring]
Dick, voice-over:
Years later, there's still
an endless list of jobs to do.
[Slice]
Dick: Oh, there's that one!
Dick, voice-over: They might not
be the most glamorous of tasks,
but they're essential to
running a place like this.
Dick: When you buy a chateau,
you realize you're
gonna do everything,
unless you got lots of money
and you pay
somebody else to do it.
Every aspect of human life
takes place in a chateau.
[Laughs]
It's--yeah, it keeps you busy.
Dick, voice-over: With
all the comings and goings,
one job I needed
to keep on top of
was our 100-meter-long driveway.
Dick: It's our own private road,
so, it has to be looked after.
Once or twice a year,
I come out and just sort of
do a bit of scraping,
usually by hand,
but the tractor is
so much easier.
Dick, voice-over: I never need
much of an excuse
to get on my tractor.
First it's a matter
of leveling the surface...
then filling the potholes
before any visitors
to the chateau come a cropper.
And finally,
a hand-raked flourish.
Dick: This is hardly
the pristine driveway
that some chateaus have.
Not too terrible.
Over to me.
Dick, voice-over: Jobs
like this couldn't be further
from the glitz of a wedding,
but it's this
essential maintenance
that keeps our home running.
Now, what was next on my list?
Back at Chateau de Brives,
it's the day of
Sarah and George's
first wedding,
and there's no shortage
of glamour.
George: Look.
There's the groom.
Sarah: He's forgotten
his cufflinks.
[Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: Or of nerves.
Sarah: So, we're really nervous.
Really, really
nervous, actually.
George: At 6:00 this morning,
nothing was ready,
apart from the grass
had been cut
and the tents were up.
Nothing else had been
done, so...
Sarah: We've been up early
and done a lot.
Dick, voice-over: Even though
they've hired a wedding planner
to run the day,
Sarah and George
still have concerns.
Sarah: I'm most worried
about the weather,
because it's patchy,
but as long as
the rain holds off,
we'll be absolutely fine.
Dick, voice-over:
What's that they say about
famous last words?
George: It's just
starting to rain.
We've got 45 minutes.
It's OK.
Sarah: Oh, crikey.
That's bad timing.
If it really rains,
we're gonna have to change
every single plan.
I mean, we haven't moved
anything in the house.
We're just hoping it passes,
because we're not ready
for plan B. [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: With guests
already arriving
at the local church,
there's no time to worry.
So, Sarah's checking bride
Charlotte's on schedule.
Charlotte: Yes?
Sarah: Hello.
Girl: [Indistinct].
Sarah: Hello. How's it going?
Charlotte: Yeah, good, yes.
Sarah: Oh, look at you.
You look absolutely gorgeous.
We'll leave it to you
to get ready.
Charlotte: Now? Yeah.
Sarah: Well, no, no.
Whenever you're ready.
Charlotte: We haven't
got loads of time.
We've got like, what--
[Sarah laughs]
35 minutes...
Charlotte: 35 minutes.
Sarah: We'll leave you to it.
It looks amazing.
Have fun, girls.
[Girls speaking at once]
Sarah: Yeah, she's still
extremely relaxed,
Charlotte, so...
as long as she does get there
on time, we'll be fine.
George: Car is coming.
Oh, lovely.
Dick, voice-over: And that's not
the only good news.
Sarah: Look, see, it's gone
again, the rain.
It's looking positive, yeah.
Let's just hope
that was a blip
half an hour ago.
Dick, voice-over: The sun
may have made an appearance,
but Charlotte still hasn't.
Sarah: She hasn't got
her dress on yet. Ha!
George: You put it on
the last minute.
Sarah: I know.
You do.
No, I'm a bit stressed about it.
Oh, look, guys.
They're coming down.
It's quite a special moment,
isn't it?
You look absolutely beautiful,
all of you.
Dick, voice-over:
Ah, false alarm.
It's just the flower girls.
With groom Charlie
waiting at the altar,
there's still no sign.
Sarah: Ohh.
A good 10 minutes late
and she hasn't come to
the top of the stairs yet.
[Gasp] I hear success.
She's gone back in again.
Ohh.
Come on, Charlotte.
[Laughs] I'm impatient.
I want to get it started.
[Laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Charlotte's a tad late.
She was supposed to walk down
the aisle 15 minutes ago.
It's up to Sarah and George
to make sure
it's only the cake
that's in tears.
In central France,
with work halted
on the Renaissance gite,
Stephanie has moved on
to another
of her ongoing projects--
a guest apartment
that was once
the chateau's stables.
She's been renovating it
for the past year
in between other jobs,
but today is tackling
the bathroom.
Stephanie: I'm going to
wallpaper this room now
with the paper that
I bought in sale
about 10 years ago.
I knew I'd use it one day,
but now I'm worried.
I've got 4 rolls.
I think it might
be a bit tight.
Dick, voice-over: As ever,
Stephanie's keen
to cut her cloth
to fit her budget.
But with just enough wallpaper
to cover the walls,
any slip of the scissors
could be a costly mistake.
Stephanie: I'm measuring twice,
cutting once.
Dick, voice-over:
The paste she's using
brushes on pink to avoid
missing any patches
but dries clear.
Pretty clever stuff.
Stephanie: Right,
and it's higher.
I think I'm gonna
need your help.
I can't actually
get to the wall.
Dick, voice-over: Stephanie's
roped in workaway Natalia
to give her a hand.
Stephanie: You let me know
when you've
got enough down there.
Natalia: [Indistinct].
Stephanie: Yeah.
Natalia: Yep.
Stephanie: OK.
It's long enough.
That's the good news.
Dick, voice-over:
A bit of a stretch,
a quick check with the level...
Stephanie: Oh.
By sheer fluke, spot on.
Dick, voice-over: And with
the first section hung,
the rest follows fairly easily.
Stephanie: Well, that's awesome.
Natalia: I have the paper
here, so,
let me know if you want it now.
Stephanie: I do.
Natty, we are the dream team.
Quite high.
Are we OK at the base?
Natalia: Yeah.
Stephanie: Good, 'cause
I cut a lot here.
The top.
Right.
Dick, voice-over: Mission
very nearly accomplished.
Stephanie: And I love the paper.
It looks really, really pretty.
Dick, voice-over:
Satisfied with the progress
in the bathroom for now,
Stephanie's turning
her attention
to the apartment's wooden floor.
Choosing the right finish
is crucial,
so, she has
a big decision to make.
Stephanie: I'm gonna try
these two stains
and I'm picking this floorboard
and this floorboard
because they're both
quite badly damaged.
They're right in the
middle of where
the bed's going to be,
so, let's give it a shot
on these.
That just feels naughty.
That is a lot darker
than I was expecting,
so, it might actually hide
the marks after all.
It's probably enough to test.
I'll try the white one now.
This is a rubbish brush,
this one.
It's really stiff.
I think this just looks
as though I'm
pouring PVA onto the floor.
That's definitely not
covering the stain.
I can see already it's still...
definitely coming through.
I think I like the blue,
blue-gray.
I like this one, but
I'm going to let them dry
and have another look tomorrow
and think about how
it's going to look
with the furniture that
we've got as well.
But I'm quite drawn to this one,
and I like the fact
that it's the same color
as the stables
and the courtyard.
Dick, voice-over:
Prepping and painting
this expansive floor
is going to be no easy task.
Stephanie: This is going
to be a huge job.
I mean, just clearing the floor
so that we can paint it
and sanding the rest
of the floor,
it's really vast.
Dick, voice-over: And once
the decision's made,
there's no going back.
At Sarah and George's,
they're in the middle
of their first-ever wedding.
Sarah: Ohh.
Come on, Charlotte.
Dick, voice-over: Or at least
they would be
if the bride wasn't running
a little late.
Sarah: She's ready.
She's coming.
George: Oh.
Tatiana: She's coming.
Dick, voice-over: Finally.
The motor's running,
and with a quick dash
to the church,
the wedding ceremony
can get underway.
Woman: It gives me
great pleasure
to welcome you all here today
on behalf of
Charlie and Charlotte
to this beautiful church
in the heart of
the French countryside.
I now have the pleasure
in pronouncing you
husband and wife.
You may now kiss your bride.
[Cheering and applause]
Dick, voice-over:
With the ceremony over,
the celebrations can begin,
and with a professional
wedding planner,
and caterers on site,
Sarah and George are confident
this first wedding
will be a success.
Sarah: I think we've done
the hard part, actually.
George: I think well.
They won the home run,
as they say.
[Crowd cheering]
Sarah: I think we better
have a drink.
[Laughs]
Charlie: The wedding's
going wonderfully.
The chateau's fantastic.
I mean, everyone's commented,
everyone's said how
just lovely it is.
Charlotte: To be
the first wedding here
is really special.
Dick, voice-over:
The happy couple happy,
and with the coach house
good to go,
the guests are moving, too.
But behind the scenes,
there's a problem.
The electrics have blown.
Sarah: Are these on or not?
OK. I've seen you've got
the chateau ones on, yeah.
Dick, voice-over: It turns
out the electric ovens
and catering equipment
are tripping the power.
[Indistinct chatter]
George: How long before
the cooker's off?
Man: Uh, as soon as
the meal is served
and the cook is
finished with it.
Dick, voice-over: Quick dash
to the fuse box
and the power's back on.
Now Sarah and George
need it to stay that way
until after the food's ready.
Sarah: You all right?
Woman: It's gone off again.
Sarah: George, the power's
gone off again.
We need to turn something off.
Dick, voice-over:
With the bride and groom
about to enter the room
and problems in the kitchen,
George and Sarah's first wedding
is facing calamity.
115 miles away,
Nigel and Debbie
are giving their crumbling
roof terrace
a budget facelift.
Nigel's covering it
with a waterproof compound.
But with less than half of
the 100-square-meter
terrace done,
he's hit a problem.
Nigel: Been painting it by hand
and just using too much paint.
Problem is that it's
a textured surface.
It says that each tin'll do
50 square meters,
and each tin is doing about
10 square meters, so,
we're going to very quickly
run out of paint.
Dick, voice-over: He may want to
keep the cost of the job down,
but for Nigel, there's
no danger of him
not having the right tools.
Nigel: So, I'm going to
use the sprayer,
and it'll go on a lot--
a lot thinner.
[Spraying]
Dick, voice-over:
Fingers crossed.
But getting this terrace
fit for guests
doesn't appear to
be a one-man job.
Debbie: All right, Nige.
Nigel: Yup.
Debbie: Wire brushing?
Nigel: Yes, please.
Do you want to start
in that corner?
Debbie: Over there, yeah.
Nigel: Yeah, and then
work with--along.
Dick, voice-over:
The rusty, old railing
surrounding the terrace
also needs some attention.
Debbie: How good does it
have to be?
Ha ha ha!
Can tell I'm bored already.
Nigel: You just get
the loose sort of stuff,
you'll be all right.
You don't have to go back
to bare metal.
Yeah, that's good.
Debbie: Yeah?
Nigel: Keep going.
Only 756 to go.
[Debbie laughs]
The terrace is
really important.
Obviously, Nigel's
weatherproofing that.
It'll be nice to get
railings painted as well.
It's therapeutic in a very odd
sort of a way.
Dick, voice-over: A few days
and a whole lot of
brushing and painting later,
Debbie and Nigel can add
the final touches.
Nigel: Right.
Debbie: Who's worked
the hardest?
Nigel: You have, dear.
[Debbie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Just 3 weeks ago,
years of neglect
had left this terrace
leaky and crumbling.
Now thanks to
Debbie and Nigel's hard work,
not only is it protected
against the elements
but has become
a relaxing suntrap
for their future B&B guests
to enjoy.
Debbie: I'm really
pleased with the terrace.
I think Nigel's done
a fab job on it.
Nigel: Oh, thank you.
Dick, voice-over: And it's only
fair that Debbie and Nigel
give it a first spin.
Debbie: There we are.
Nigel: Ahh. This is good.
Debbie: [Indistinct].
Nigel: No, it's fine.
Debbie: Ahh.
Dick, voice-over:
These two collected the keys
to this place just 6 months ago.
Nigel: Look at this. Wow.
Debbie: We're here. [Gasp]
Nigel: It's been
a whirlwind 6 months.
Really has.
And I couldn't wish
to be anywhere better.
Debbie: No.
Nigel: I'm really happy
to be here with you.
Debbie: Oh. [Laughs]
It is an amazing--
it is an amazing experience.
Dick, voice-over:
Working on a tight budget,
they've been grafting ever since
to earn an income,
finishing the master suite
just in time
for their first guests.
Debbie: This is
Vassiviere room.
Man: Wow.
That's amazing!
Debbie: You like it?
Man: Yeah!
Dick, voice-over: They've
spruced up the sunroom
and salon,
and their success so far
is a credit to them.
Debbie: We've been
really, really surprised
and obviously very
pleased about
how the chambre d'hote
has taken off.
We'll have people in every week
without fail,
and for the first year,
that's pretty good going.
Nigel: I'm very pleased.
I didn't think we would
be as busy as we have been.
Dick, voice-over: And all of
that is just the beginning.
Debbie: The priority for us next
is probably to convert
our current bedroom
into a really nice suite
for families.
We would then move upstairs
into the attic,
so, we'd need to obviously
do some things up there.
Convert that into a bedroom
and bathroom as well.
Nigel: It doesn't feel
like work.
It's something that
we enjoy doing
and we're happy to do it.
Debbie: Mm.
Both: Cheers!
Dick, voice-over:
Congratulations on a fantastic
first 6 months.
And with bookings already
coming in for winter,
long may it continue.
At Stephanie's
in central France,
she's been working 24/7
on the new apartment
in the chateau's old stables.
Stephanie: I finally
managed to finish the floor
at 6 a.m., so, we can
walk on it now,
and I really love the color.
I like the sort of teal,
and now we're just trying to
move all the furniture in.
Dick, voice-over:
Luckily for Stephanie,
reinforcements have arrived
in the form of Isabel,
her husband Percy,
builder Ian, and Gerry.
Gerry: Ian and I
is gonna shiggle it.
Stephanie: Shiggle?
Is shiggle--
is it--shiggle's the word?
Gerry: Yeah, we're gonna
shiggle it.
Dick, voice-over:
First is a team effort
to get the new sofa in.
Gerry: [Indistinct].
Stephanie: Yeah.
Now it's went through.
Brilliant.
Isabel: You see?
I did it all.
Stephanie: You did it?
Yes, of course you did. [Laughs]
Isabel: I've seen mountaineers
do that.
[Indistinct].
Man: Exactly.
I know you would.
Isabel: And it worked.
Stephanie: [Indistinct], Gerry.
Gerry: You OK?
Man: Mind the table.
Man: Yes.
Man 2: Oh, wonderful.
Man 3: Oh, [indistinct].
Dick, voice-over:
So far, so good,
especially for Gerry.
Stephanie: Don't get
too bothered.
He's got [indistinct] now.
Gerry: No, that's
[indistinct] talk.
[Indistinct].
[Stephanie laughs]
Gerry: A nice, little kick
with a [indistinct]
to keep my energy levels up.
Dick, voice-over: The
refreshments will have to wait.
Time to get this place dressed.
And it seems
that charity shop bed
was a pretty savvy
purchase after all.
Woman: Right there.
Dick, voice-over: What was once
a rough-and-ready resting place
for the chateau's groom...
has been transformed
into a sophisticated space.
Next door, the bathroom's been
brought up to scratch
with Stephanie's old wallpaper
and roll-top bath.
And I'm clearly not the only one
who's impressed.
[Pop]
[Isabel speaking French]
It is a wonderful thing
to have achieved.
Stephanie, you are to be
thanked profusely.
[Gerry laughs]
Isabel: I honestly didn't think
there would ever be
a time in my life when
I would be able to say to you,
"You are working too hard."
[Stephanie laughs]
To the tack room.
Gerry: Yay!
To the tack room.
Stephanie: Well, now that
this is finished,
my first priority is
to sleep for several days,
but after that,
in the immediate future
is the restoration
of the chapel
and the completion of
the marquis's apartment.
It was really annoying
getting quite close
and getting the bedroom done
and then having to pause
because I really can't
do the sitting room yet,
but at least it forced
me to do this,
which is great, and I've got
something to look forward
to still,
so, this winter I'll be able
to work on that.
Dick, voice-over: It's been
a busy year for Stephanie.
She's restored a vintage
horse-drawn carriage...
Gerry: Yeah.
It's coming almost on me!
Stephanie: Hold it!
Dick, voice-over:
and transformed her terrace
into an al fresco dining area
to host none other than
her mum Isabel's big day.
[Crowd cheering]
Stephanie: I see these areas
that I've wanted to tackle
finally come to life,
and it just makes
every day happier than
the previous one.
Dick, voice-over:
With a successful wedding
under her belt,
a brand-new apartment,
and another one almost finished,
the future is looking rosy
for you, Stephanie.
I wish you all the best.
[Indistinct chatter]
Back at Sarah and George's,
their first-ever wedding
has some troubles.
Woman: We've got a bit of
a problem with the electrics,
but don't worry.
It's all right.
Don't worry.
[Sarah laughs]
Dick, voice-over: With the food
yet to be served,
they're dealing with
major power cuts
in their newly renovated
coach house.
[Sarah speaking French] No?
Woman: Oh, God.
Sarah: It's not funny
just before service.
Dick, voice-over:
A fiddle in the fuse box
and the power is restored
just in time.
Man: Introducing
the bride and groom
Mr. and Mrs. Carter.
[Crowd cheering]
George: Power's still on,
and once the food goes out,
the power'll be fine.
Dick, voice-over:
And here it comes.
Sarah: Is it OK now,
the electric?
Dick, voice-over: But even
though the ovens are off now,
once again, the power trips.
Sarah: It's a bit
worrying, isn't it?
Do you think there's
anything that we can turn off?
George: Well, no,
turn the AGA off.
Sarah: All right,
can we do that now
if you want? OK.
George: Yes.
Dick, voice-over: In
a last-ditch attempt to keep
the power on in the coach house,
Sarah's headed to the chateau.
Sarah: Oh, what a nightmare.
OK. AGA is off.
Ha ha! Let's hope
that does the trick.
Dick, voice-over:
Back at the reception,
it sounds like Sarah and
George's lightbulb moment
has saved the day.
[Crowd cheering]
Sarah: Great.
No, it's great vibes
coming from the barn.
Charlie: This is my dream.
[Laughter]
All these people looking at me.
[Laughter]
Dick, voice-over:
With the power back on,
hopefully for good this time,
the evening can really
get underway.
[Cheering and applause]
George: It's weird to think
that 6 months ago,
it was a derelict barn,
and now it's a working barn.
Dick, voice-over:
Weird but wonderful.
And while the guests
are distracted
as the cake is cut with one of
George's antique swords...
[Crowd cheering]
The building is transformed
from dining room to party room.
Person: [Indistinct], Charlie.
Dick, voice-over:
Well, Sarah and George,
sparks flew at times,
but it looks like
you've pulled off
your very first wedding.
George: We had a slight problem
with the power tonight.
I think that was due to
having electric cookers
in the catering kitchen, but
apart from that,
from my point of view,
10 out of 10.
Sarah: I think it surpassed
all of our expectations.
[Crowd cheering]
George: All right.
Dick, voice-over: What a few
months it's been
for Sarah and George
as they've toiled
to turn the chateau
from family home
into chic wedding venue.
George: Refresh.
Ready for weddings.
Dick, voice-over: They've got
their website up and running...
Woman: Perfect.
[Clattering]
Dick, voice-over: created
a splendid party venue
in their old coach house...
Sarah: I don't make them
look quite as good as
everybody--as everybody else's.
[Crowd cheering]
Dick, voice-over:
With spectacular results.
Sarah: We've had
an awful lot of visits
that have come through
the website
and we've got 5 bookings.
George: I think
5 out of 6, so--
Sarah: We're absolutely filled.
We're in it now.
George: Yeah, you know,
we're in it
for the long run now.
Sarah: And we're enjoying it.
George: Yeah, we are.
Dick, voice-over: Well done.
You've done a grand job,
and I can't wait to see
what the future holds for you.
Next week, a whole new bunch
of adventurous chateau owners
get to work.
[Clattering]
Boy: Oh, it's disgusting.
Dick, voice-over:
One couple's budget spirals
out of control...
Man: How much is it?
Woman: 3,000.
Man: 3,000 euros?
Dick, voice-over: One family
go big for a wedding...
Man: And then, of course,
you have a fabulous view,
and also, I'll be having lots of
champagne in the shower.
Dick, voice-over: I set Angel
a challenge in the garden...
Angel: This is like
a start of our
actually working out, isn't it?
Quite romantic, really.
Dick, voice-over:
And new chateau owners
want to make a big impression.
Woman: Smile!
I'm Dick Strawbridge.
Along with my wife Angel
and our two children...
Angel: Yay!
Dick: Well done.
Dick, voice-over: We've lived
in this magnificent chateau
for the past 5 years.
Dick:
Look. Look, look, look, look,
look, look, look, look, look,
look, look, look,
look, look, look.
Angel: Oh, my God.
That is so beautiful.
Dick, voice-over:
It's not just our home...
Dick: Ahh, we're up.
Dick, voice-over:
But our business.
Dick:
You may kiss your bride.
[Cheering and applause]
Dick, voice-over: And all over
France, there are other Brits
doing exactly the same.
Woman: Oh, my God.
Dick, voice-over:
We'll follow a new wave of
intrepid chateau owners...
[Tool whirring]
Man: Open some windows.
Might help get rid of some dust.
Dick, voice-over:
and some familiar faces...
[Tool whirring]
as they take on these
majestic buildings...
and we'll reveal more about
our own chateau life.
Girl: Thank you very much.
Dick and Angel: Yay!
Dick, voice-over:
There'll be triumphs...
Woman: This looks incredible.
Second woman: You like it?
First woman: I love it.
Dick, voice-over:
and setbacks...
Man: Oh!
Dick, voice-over: as they battle
to renovate their homes...
[Clattering]
and earn their keep.
Woman: OK. I'm ready.
Dick, voice-over: But no matter
how hard the going gets...
Woman: This is probably
my worst nightmare.
Dick, voice-over: They get
to live the dream
as custodians of
their very own castle.
Today...
Woman: Doesn't look
square to me.
Dick, voice-over: One couple
gets to work in their garden...
Woman: And that top's
completely to cock.
Dick, voice-over: And risk
a flat-packed fallout.
Man: I didn't want to do this
in the first place.
Dick, voice-over:
A new gite project
lifts off at this chateau.
Man: Ian and I
is gonna shiggle it.
Woman: Shiggle.
Is shiggle a--
is it--shiggle's
the word, isn't it?
Man: Yeah, we're gonna
shiggle it.
Dick, voice-over: At our place,
it's a case of boys...
Dick: It's our own private road,
so, it has to be looked after.
Dick, voice-over:
and their toys.
And as one couple gear up
for their first-ever wedding...
Man: There's the groom.
Woman: He's forgotten
his cufflinks.
Dick, voice-over:
They're in for a shock.
Woman: George, the power's
gone off again.
Dick, voice-over:
Moving overseas to start
a new life and business
can feel like a big risk,
especially if you're sinking in
every last penny you've got.
Take the 19th-century 23-room
Chateau Gioux.
It's home to Yorkshire couple
Debbie and Nigel,
who put it all on the line
and snapped it up
for 280,000 pounds
a few months ago.
Debbie: When we first
bought the place,
you have a vision of
how you'd like it to look,
and the potential
is massive here, isn't it?
Nigel: It Is.
Dick, voice-over: Located near
Limoges in central France,
to make ends meet,
Debbie and Nigel
have opened it as a B&B,
renovating the salon
and 3 guest suites.
Nigel: You'll go backwards now.
No, that's not backwards.
[Thud]
Dick, voice-over:
But it's not been easy.
Nigel: The main thing that's
limiting us is the finance.
We can't just go out and just
buy everything we want to buy.
Debbie: We viewed it
from the very beginning
as a long-term project.
We'll do what we can
when we can.
Nigel: Absolutely,
because we can't afford
to do any renovations without
taking some money in.
Debbie: No.
Dick, voice-over: With an income
stream trickling in,
Debbie and Nigel
now want to make
their 5-acre grounds
more attractive for guests.
Debbie: So, these are a couple
of Gothic arches, heh,
that we've got to go down
where the garden finishes
and the field starts.
Quite a lot of parts,
isn't there?
[Nigel chuckles]
Yep.
Dick, voice-over:
Nigel's been roped in to help
with the unenviable task
of assembling
the two flat-packed arches.
Nigel: Oh, Debbie.
Debbie: What?
Nigel:
Didn't put these in very well.
What you doing?
Debbie: That was your side.
Nigel: Heh heh.
Dick, voice-over: If anything
can test a relationship,
a flat pack can.
Nigel: Good.
Looking good, baby.
Dick, voice-over:
First hurdle negotiated.
Nigel: Carry it down...
Dick, voice-over:
Now to position it
at the end of the garden.
Should be simple enough.
Nigel: Right.
How far?
Debbie: I'm just gonna
go up here
and have a look from here.
Go back to the other bit, Nige.
[Laughs]
Nigel: Uhh.
[Debbie laughs]
I think--
Nigel: Right.
If you can just come
and hold this, then.
Hold the middle bit.
Debbie: Yeah.
You've got another one
to drop today.
Dick, voice-over: I'd keep quiet
about that if
I were you, Debbie.
A few tweaks later
and they're back in business.
Nigel: That's where
we're having it?
Debbie: Yeah, that's right.
Nigel: That's not [indistinct].
Debbie: Right.
[Hammering]
Nigel: I'm very good at that.
What did that hit?
Debbie: There is
something down there.
Nigel: Yeah, it's bending. See?
That's no good.
Debbie: That's no good.
Dick, voice-over: Looks like
Nigel's caught between
a rock and a hard place.
Debbie: We've got a plan B.
Nigel: I think we go
for the nuclear option.
Dick, voice-over: Now, that's
a serious piece of kit.
Nigel: Not gonna
let it beat me.
Debbie: Don't think it's
overkill, Nige? The...
Nigel: It might be
a touch overkill, but...
Debbie: Ha ha!
Nigel: Hey.
One needs must.
Dick, voice-over: Well said,
that, man.
[Tool whirring]
With light work
made of the holes,
all that's left is to put
the arch in place.
Nigel: That's straight,
that's straight,
that's straight, there.
Debbie: But the top isn't.
Nigel: Yeah, it is.
Debbie: Is it?
Nigel: Yeah, compared--
compared to those two, yeah.
Want to see what
it looks like there.
Oh! Perfect.
Debbie: Are you sure?
Doesn't look square to me.
Just look--it looks
really cockeyed.
And that top's
completely to cock.
We can't--we can't
have it like that.
Nigel: I didn't want to do this
in the first place.
[Debbie sighs]
Neither did I.
Nigel: Can you just pass me
that small hammer, please?
Debbie: What are you gonna
do with it? [Laughs]
Is that for me? [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: Don't lose it
now, Nigel.
You're too close.
[Hammering]
Nigel: Marvelous.
Debbie: Think you've
about done it.
In the face of adversity.
Nigel: I think it looks lovely.
[Debbie laughs]
Nigel: I'm really glad you
talked me into getting that.
[Slap]
Right?
Debbie: OK.
Nigel: Is it beer time?
Debbie: I think you probably
deserve a beer after that.
Dick, voice-over: Cheers, Nigel.
You can think about
that second arch
while you're enjoying
that drink.
115 miles away is the elegant
Chateau de Brives.
Sitting on 30 acres of grounds,
this 19th-century beauty
was bought 9 years ago
for 415,000 pounds
and is home to antique dealers
George and Sarah
and their children
Tatiana and Alexei.
George: I think moving
to France for me
was definitely the best decision
we ever made.
It's benefited all of us.
It really has been
a lovely experience.
Sarah: Mm. I mean,
it's wonderful
for the children
growing up here.
They've got the space,
the freedom to roam.
Yeah, we're lucky.
I think we're lucky.
Dick, voice-over:
Set in the southwest of France
near the town of Cognac,
to help fund the upkeep
of the chateau,
Sarah and George have decided
to turn their home
into a wedding venue.
Sarah: George likes to do
the big areas
and then I get called in
to do the fiddly bits.
George: Sarah always says
I'm the podger.
[Sarah laughs]
Dick, voice-over: They've plowed
their savings into
renovating the old
coach house
into an events space.
George: It's quick, isn't it?
Blimey.
Dick, voice-over: And a few
months ago,
secured their first booking,
with groom Charlie
and bride Charlotte.
Charlie: Oh,
this looks fantastic.
Charlotte: It's beautiful.
Really lovely.
Charlie: Happy?
Charlotte: Yeah,
I'm really happy.
Dick, voice-over: It's now just
two days before the wedding
and the pressure is on.
George: The first wedding is
terribly important for us,
'cause we must get it right,
because it's from this
that we get the photos
to put on the website,
the word of mouth,
uh, more bookings in the future.
But if we blow it, then, uh,
the opposite, all those things.
Dick, voice-over:
The wedding party has already
started to arrive,
but without guest accommodation,
Sarah and George are giving up
their bedrooms for the weekend
and moving into an annex.
Sarah: And then here we are.
Here's your bedroom.
Ha ha ha!
Woman: Wow.
Sarah: Charlotte's dress
will be hung up
in that room there, so, we'll
just keep that safe. Yeah.
And if you need anything at all,
just shout.
Dick, voice-over:
With the guests settled,
Sarah's on to her next job.
She's invited the wedding party
to join them
for dinner this evening
and wants everything
to be perfect.
Sarah: Sit there, please.
Dick, voice-over:
A few months ago,
Angel showed her
how to dress the table
and create a napkin flour
as a finishing touch.
Sarah: Let's--how did
they do it?
It's..
you make a kind of sausage.
Possibly something like that.
Not looking anything like
a rose yet.
Ha ha!
It's looking a bit like
a big, fat donut,
isn't it, rather than a rose?
Maybe they'll get better
the more we do.
[Laughs]
How's that look?
I don't think they look
good, do they?
Tatiana: No.
Sarah: George?
George: Yeah.
Dick, voice-over:
Time to get a second opinion.
George: I would prefer you--
you folded them, darling.
Sarah: All right.
OK, right.
Let's go for normal route.
I'm so sorry, Angel.
We've let you down.
Dick, voice-over: Oh, well.
Full marks for effort, Sarah.
And even without
the napkin flowers,
the table is beginning
to look the part.
Sarah: That's--that's better.
Dick, voice-over:
And just in time,
'cause the happy couple-to-be
have arrived.
Charlotte: I feel good.
Preparations are going well.
We haven't had too many
disasters yet, so--
Charlie: No. George and Sarah
couldn't be more helpful.
They're doing everything
they can sort of make it
a special day for us.
Charlotte: And they've
made it feel like
a real home from home, so,
that doesn't feel like
a bit of a wedding factory.
It feels very special
and unique to us,
so, it's perfect.
Dick, voice-over: With dinner
about to be served,
it's action stations
all round.
George: I want to create
a lovely atmosphere.
Dick, voice-over: Well, it looks
like you've done just that.
Woman: I like the table.
Sarah: I don't think you'll
ask me to go to the church.
[Laughter]
Dick, voice-over:
Sarah and George,
your first wedding weekend
has officially begun.
Let's hope the rest of it
goes as smoothly.
This is the splendid
Chateau de Lalande.
Sitting in 60 acres of
stunning countryside,
it's home to Stephanie,
who's run it as a B&B
and events business,
for the past 13 years.
Stephanie: One of the best
things about living
in a chateau is the sense of
constant adventure
and excitement.
You have no idea what's
going to happen next.
It's always new and also,
you never run out of projects.
Dick, voice-over: Located
53 miles from Limoges,
to boost her income, Stephanie
has recently started renovating
a Renaissance-style gite
in the oldest part
of the chateau.
Woman: Oh!
Sweetheart, this is beautiful.
Man: That's very nice.
Dick, voice-over: There's still
the salon next door to finish,
where she plans to have
made-to-measure wood paneling.
Stephanie: The thing
I'm most worried about is
the wall covering for
the room next door,
because we don't have that yet.
It has to be beautiful.
It has to be sumptuous
and in keeping with this bed.
It's got a lot
to live up to now.
Dick, voice-over: Wary the
paneling's going to be pricey,
Stephanie's keen to save money
on furnishing.
So, today, she's visiting
a local charity shop.
Stephanie: I don't have money
to burn on this
because I don't yet know
how expensive
the wall coverings and the
paneling are going to be.
So, I'm not going to buy
anything very, very expensive,
but if I can find something
at a reasonable price,
then I can get it.
Dick, voice-over:
And it's not long before
something catches her eye.
Stephanie: Yeah, look at this
detailing here.
It's really Gothic.
That's exactly what
I'm looking for.
Kind of neo-Gothic furniture
and it will actually
fit in really will
with the Renaissance idea.
It's 120 euros,
which is actually more
than I was hoping to spend
on the table.
I'll go and see if they can
make that price better
in any way,
'cause it needs
quite a bit of work.
Dick, voice-over: Looks like
a reasonable price.
[Man and Stephanie
speaking French]
Dick, voice-over:
Now get out of there before
your eyes start wandering.
You're on a budget, remember.
[Stephanie speaking French]
Dick, voice-over: Uh-oh.
She's spotted
a vintage upholstered bed.
[Man and Stephanie
speaking French]
[Stephanie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
And Stephanie's not done yet.
Stephanie: I like it, but
have I spent too much today?
I come here for one thing
and I end up going with
things that I didn't come
to look for at all.
I do like the mirror.
Dick, voice-over: Decisions,
decisions, decisions.
Stephanie: I think
I'm going to get it.
Dick, voice-over:
Then again, at 180 euros,
just over 150 pounds,
let's hope it doesn't reflect
badly on your budget.
[Stephanie speaking French]
Today has surpassed my wildest
shopping dreams.
[Speaking French]
I'm excited about
the Renaissance salon,
but it is a bit daunting,
because I want it to look right.
I want--I want people to feel
as they walk in,
that they're walking into
something that's looked that way
for hundreds of years,
and that's
going to take quite a bit
of getting right.
Dick, voice-over:
It certainly is,
but back at the chateau,
and a couple of weeks later,
there's a hitch.
Stephanie: We got some
good news, which was
we found somebody to do
amazing wood paneling
in there for
an incredible price,
and I couldn't say not to that.
It was too good an opportunity.
So, that means
he can't come until
the end of the year,
which means that
we've got a two-month
delay there.
So, I'm cracking on
with our second gite,
which is pretty exciting,
and it's totally different
from the other one,
because the first is where
the marquis used to live
and it's very old style,
and this one is where
the groom used to live,
so, it's the opposite end
of the spectrum at the chateau,
and we're going to something
much brighter
and more contemporary in here.
Dick, voice-over: Not wanting
to put all her eggs
in one basket,
for the past year,
Stephanie's also been
working on converting
the old stables
into an apartment.
She now wants it guest-ready
to start generating income
for next season.
Stephanie: In terms of
the business,
it is really important to get
more rentable spaces,
and under French law,
you can only have
5 bedrooms rented and still
remain a chambre d'hote,
but you can have gites
on top of that,
so, it's important
for us to do this.
Dick, voice-over:
Looks like you've got your
work cut out, Stephanie.
Better leave you to it.
Less than 40 miles south
at Chateau Gioux,
Debbie and Nigel are busy
giving the place a facelift.
Debbie: I think that's
looking nice, isn't it?
Nigel: Yeah, it's
[indistinct] arch.
[Debbie laughs]
Nigel: Flower [indistinct].
[Debbie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
With two new arches in,
next they're moving on to
the large, rather tired
roof terrace at the rear
of the chateau.
Nigel: The terrace itself is
for our bedroom at the moment,
but we have plans
of maybe moving
upstairs into the loft,
in which case
we'd have our room
as a family room
and then they'd have
this terrace
as their outside space,
so, it'd be
quite a premium room
if we could do that.
Dick, voice-over: Currently,
the terrace isn't watertight
and leaks into the room below.
To fix that, Nigel first needs
to power-wash away
years of grime.
[Machine whirring]
But he's barely started
before there's a hiccup.
[Whirring stops]
[Whirring starts]
Nigel: Got a blockage
somewhere. What?
Yeah, doesn't seem
to want to go.
[Whirring stops]
Hose pipe didn't turn up,
did it?
Dick, voice-over: The water
pressure has separated
the hose pipe from the tap,
so, it's time to call in
the cavalry.
Debbie: I'm the official
hose pipe holder.
[Laughs] Stopping the pipe
blowing off. [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Oh, the glamorous life
of a chateau owner.
[Machine whirring]
[Whirring stops]
Debbie: How is it going?
Nigel: Better.
Debbie: Wow!
Nigel: Before, the problem was
you can't see
where all the problem areas are.
Debbie: God, yeah, there is
quite a lot of cracks,
isn't there?
Nigel: Filling the cracks in now
with self-leveling cement
and then cover it in the resin.
Debbie: Is it ClearPave,
the resin, then, or--?
Nigel: Yes.
Debbie: Right.
Nigel: I don't know.
[Laughter]
Debbie: OK.
Dick, voice-over:
Better crack on anyway.
All that filling in
is going to take time.
Debbie: To me, this whole area
is all a bit of an eyesore,
so, everything we're doing to
improve it is great.
Just improves the whole
look of the chateau overall.
And obviously, everybody
comes into the front,
but it's important to have
the back nice as well.
Dick, voice-over:
With the cracks filled,
Nigel can get on with the work
of applying
the waterproof finish.
Nigel: Here we go.
Let's get it on.
Dick, voice-over: But with 100
square meters to cover by hand,
rather your knees
than mine, matey.
Nigel: It's chateau on
a shoestring for us,
and this is the best way
we can do it
to make it watertight
until we can afford to
do it properly.
Debbie: Wow, Nige. Amazing.
Oh, it's gonna look so much
better, isn't it?
Nigel: Yeah.
Debbie: Well done.
Good effort.
Nigel: Thank you.
Dick, voice-over:
I couldn't agree more.
That's a big, old terrace.
You're just gonna have to keep
going there, fella.
At our place, we've learned that
chateau maintenance never stops,
from the early days of
patching a roof
with tens of thousands
of slates...
Dick: There's quite
a serious problem.
Dick, voice-over:
to the Herculean task
of cleaning over 50 windows.
Angel: Aah! I think
this is the bit
where you get a bit
twitchy, isn't it?
[Machine whirring]
Dick, voice-over:
Years later, there's still
an endless list of jobs to do.
[Slice]
Dick: Oh, there's that one!
Dick, voice-over: They might not
be the most glamorous of tasks,
but they're essential to
running a place like this.
Dick: When you buy a chateau,
you realize you're
gonna do everything,
unless you got lots of money
and you pay
somebody else to do it.
Every aspect of human life
takes place in a chateau.
[Laughs]
It's--yeah, it keeps you busy.
Dick, voice-over: With
all the comings and goings,
one job I needed
to keep on top of
was our 100-meter-long driveway.
Dick: It's our own private road,
so, it has to be looked after.
Once or twice a year,
I come out and just sort of
do a bit of scraping,
usually by hand,
but the tractor is
so much easier.
Dick, voice-over: I never need
much of an excuse
to get on my tractor.
First it's a matter
of leveling the surface...
then filling the potholes
before any visitors
to the chateau come a cropper.
And finally,
a hand-raked flourish.
Dick: This is hardly
the pristine driveway
that some chateaus have.
Not too terrible.
Over to me.
Dick, voice-over: Jobs
like this couldn't be further
from the glitz of a wedding,
but it's this
essential maintenance
that keeps our home running.
Now, what was next on my list?
Back at Chateau de Brives,
it's the day of
Sarah and George's
first wedding,
and there's no shortage
of glamour.
George: Look.
There's the groom.
Sarah: He's forgotten
his cufflinks.
[Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: Or of nerves.
Sarah: So, we're really nervous.
Really, really
nervous, actually.
George: At 6:00 this morning,
nothing was ready,
apart from the grass
had been cut
and the tents were up.
Nothing else had been
done, so...
Sarah: We've been up early
and done a lot.
Dick, voice-over: Even though
they've hired a wedding planner
to run the day,
Sarah and George
still have concerns.
Sarah: I'm most worried
about the weather,
because it's patchy,
but as long as
the rain holds off,
we'll be absolutely fine.
Dick, voice-over:
What's that they say about
famous last words?
George: It's just
starting to rain.
We've got 45 minutes.
It's OK.
Sarah: Oh, crikey.
That's bad timing.
If it really rains,
we're gonna have to change
every single plan.
I mean, we haven't moved
anything in the house.
We're just hoping it passes,
because we're not ready
for plan B. [Laughs]
Dick, voice-over: With guests
already arriving
at the local church,
there's no time to worry.
So, Sarah's checking bride
Charlotte's on schedule.
Charlotte: Yes?
Sarah: Hello.
Girl: [Indistinct].
Sarah: Hello. How's it going?
Charlotte: Yeah, good, yes.
Sarah: Oh, look at you.
You look absolutely gorgeous.
We'll leave it to you
to get ready.
Charlotte: Now? Yeah.
Sarah: Well, no, no.
Whenever you're ready.
Charlotte: We haven't
got loads of time.
We've got like, what--
[Sarah laughs]
35 minutes...
Charlotte: 35 minutes.
Sarah: We'll leave you to it.
It looks amazing.
Have fun, girls.
[Girls speaking at once]
Sarah: Yeah, she's still
extremely relaxed,
Charlotte, so...
as long as she does get there
on time, we'll be fine.
George: Car is coming.
Oh, lovely.
Dick, voice-over: And that's not
the only good news.
Sarah: Look, see, it's gone
again, the rain.
It's looking positive, yeah.
Let's just hope
that was a blip
half an hour ago.
Dick, voice-over: The sun
may have made an appearance,
but Charlotte still hasn't.
Sarah: She hasn't got
her dress on yet. Ha!
George: You put it on
the last minute.
Sarah: I know.
You do.
No, I'm a bit stressed about it.
Oh, look, guys.
They're coming down.
It's quite a special moment,
isn't it?
You look absolutely beautiful,
all of you.
Dick, voice-over:
Ah, false alarm.
It's just the flower girls.
With groom Charlie
waiting at the altar,
there's still no sign.
Sarah: Ohh.
A good 10 minutes late
and she hasn't come to
the top of the stairs yet.
[Gasp] I hear success.
She's gone back in again.
Ohh.
Come on, Charlotte.
[Laughs] I'm impatient.
I want to get it started.
[Laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Charlotte's a tad late.
She was supposed to walk down
the aisle 15 minutes ago.
It's up to Sarah and George
to make sure
it's only the cake
that's in tears.
In central France,
with work halted
on the Renaissance gite,
Stephanie has moved on
to another
of her ongoing projects--
a guest apartment
that was once
the chateau's stables.
She's been renovating it
for the past year
in between other jobs,
but today is tackling
the bathroom.
Stephanie: I'm going to
wallpaper this room now
with the paper that
I bought in sale
about 10 years ago.
I knew I'd use it one day,
but now I'm worried.
I've got 4 rolls.
I think it might
be a bit tight.
Dick, voice-over: As ever,
Stephanie's keen
to cut her cloth
to fit her budget.
But with just enough wallpaper
to cover the walls,
any slip of the scissors
could be a costly mistake.
Stephanie: I'm measuring twice,
cutting once.
Dick, voice-over:
The paste she's using
brushes on pink to avoid
missing any patches
but dries clear.
Pretty clever stuff.
Stephanie: Right,
and it's higher.
I think I'm gonna
need your help.
I can't actually
get to the wall.
Dick, voice-over: Stephanie's
roped in workaway Natalia
to give her a hand.
Stephanie: You let me know
when you've
got enough down there.
Natalia: [Indistinct].
Stephanie: Yeah.
Natalia: Yep.
Stephanie: OK.
It's long enough.
That's the good news.
Dick, voice-over:
A bit of a stretch,
a quick check with the level...
Stephanie: Oh.
By sheer fluke, spot on.
Dick, voice-over: And with
the first section hung,
the rest follows fairly easily.
Stephanie: Well, that's awesome.
Natalia: I have the paper
here, so,
let me know if you want it now.
Stephanie: I do.
Natty, we are the dream team.
Quite high.
Are we OK at the base?
Natalia: Yeah.
Stephanie: Good, 'cause
I cut a lot here.
The top.
Right.
Dick, voice-over: Mission
very nearly accomplished.
Stephanie: And I love the paper.
It looks really, really pretty.
Dick, voice-over:
Satisfied with the progress
in the bathroom for now,
Stephanie's turning
her attention
to the apartment's wooden floor.
Choosing the right finish
is crucial,
so, she has
a big decision to make.
Stephanie: I'm gonna try
these two stains
and I'm picking this floorboard
and this floorboard
because they're both
quite badly damaged.
They're right in the
middle of where
the bed's going to be,
so, let's give it a shot
on these.
That just feels naughty.
That is a lot darker
than I was expecting,
so, it might actually hide
the marks after all.
It's probably enough to test.
I'll try the white one now.
This is a rubbish brush,
this one.
It's really stiff.
I think this just looks
as though I'm
pouring PVA onto the floor.
That's definitely not
covering the stain.
I can see already it's still...
definitely coming through.
I think I like the blue,
blue-gray.
I like this one, but
I'm going to let them dry
and have another look tomorrow
and think about how
it's going to look
with the furniture that
we've got as well.
But I'm quite drawn to this one,
and I like the fact
that it's the same color
as the stables
and the courtyard.
Dick, voice-over:
Prepping and painting
this expansive floor
is going to be no easy task.
Stephanie: This is going
to be a huge job.
I mean, just clearing the floor
so that we can paint it
and sanding the rest
of the floor,
it's really vast.
Dick, voice-over: And once
the decision's made,
there's no going back.
At Sarah and George's,
they're in the middle
of their first-ever wedding.
Sarah: Ohh.
Come on, Charlotte.
Dick, voice-over: Or at least
they would be
if the bride wasn't running
a little late.
Sarah: She's ready.
She's coming.
George: Oh.
Tatiana: She's coming.
Dick, voice-over: Finally.
The motor's running,
and with a quick dash
to the church,
the wedding ceremony
can get underway.
Woman: It gives me
great pleasure
to welcome you all here today
on behalf of
Charlie and Charlotte
to this beautiful church
in the heart of
the French countryside.
I now have the pleasure
in pronouncing you
husband and wife.
You may now kiss your bride.
[Cheering and applause]
Dick, voice-over:
With the ceremony over,
the celebrations can begin,
and with a professional
wedding planner,
and caterers on site,
Sarah and George are confident
this first wedding
will be a success.
Sarah: I think we've done
the hard part, actually.
George: I think well.
They won the home run,
as they say.
[Crowd cheering]
Sarah: I think we better
have a drink.
[Laughs]
Charlie: The wedding's
going wonderfully.
The chateau's fantastic.
I mean, everyone's commented,
everyone's said how
just lovely it is.
Charlotte: To be
the first wedding here
is really special.
Dick, voice-over:
The happy couple happy,
and with the coach house
good to go,
the guests are moving, too.
But behind the scenes,
there's a problem.
The electrics have blown.
Sarah: Are these on or not?
OK. I've seen you've got
the chateau ones on, yeah.
Dick, voice-over: It turns
out the electric ovens
and catering equipment
are tripping the power.
[Indistinct chatter]
George: How long before
the cooker's off?
Man: Uh, as soon as
the meal is served
and the cook is
finished with it.
Dick, voice-over: Quick dash
to the fuse box
and the power's back on.
Now Sarah and George
need it to stay that way
until after the food's ready.
Sarah: You all right?
Woman: It's gone off again.
Sarah: George, the power's
gone off again.
We need to turn something off.
Dick, voice-over:
With the bride and groom
about to enter the room
and problems in the kitchen,
George and Sarah's first wedding
is facing calamity.
115 miles away,
Nigel and Debbie
are giving their crumbling
roof terrace
a budget facelift.
Nigel's covering it
with a waterproof compound.
But with less than half of
the 100-square-meter
terrace done,
he's hit a problem.
Nigel: Been painting it by hand
and just using too much paint.
Problem is that it's
a textured surface.
It says that each tin'll do
50 square meters,
and each tin is doing about
10 square meters, so,
we're going to very quickly
run out of paint.
Dick, voice-over: He may want to
keep the cost of the job down,
but for Nigel, there's
no danger of him
not having the right tools.
Nigel: So, I'm going to
use the sprayer,
and it'll go on a lot--
a lot thinner.
[Spraying]
Dick, voice-over:
Fingers crossed.
But getting this terrace
fit for guests
doesn't appear to
be a one-man job.
Debbie: All right, Nige.
Nigel: Yup.
Debbie: Wire brushing?
Nigel: Yes, please.
Do you want to start
in that corner?
Debbie: Over there, yeah.
Nigel: Yeah, and then
work with--along.
Dick, voice-over:
The rusty, old railing
surrounding the terrace
also needs some attention.
Debbie: How good does it
have to be?
Ha ha ha!
Can tell I'm bored already.
Nigel: You just get
the loose sort of stuff,
you'll be all right.
You don't have to go back
to bare metal.
Yeah, that's good.
Debbie: Yeah?
Nigel: Keep going.
Only 756 to go.
[Debbie laughs]
The terrace is
really important.
Obviously, Nigel's
weatherproofing that.
It'll be nice to get
railings painted as well.
It's therapeutic in a very odd
sort of a way.
Dick, voice-over: A few days
and a whole lot of
brushing and painting later,
Debbie and Nigel can add
the final touches.
Nigel: Right.
Debbie: Who's worked
the hardest?
Nigel: You have, dear.
[Debbie laughs]
Dick, voice-over:
Just 3 weeks ago,
years of neglect
had left this terrace
leaky and crumbling.
Now thanks to
Debbie and Nigel's hard work,
not only is it protected
against the elements
but has become
a relaxing suntrap
for their future B&B guests
to enjoy.
Debbie: I'm really
pleased with the terrace.
I think Nigel's done
a fab job on it.
Nigel: Oh, thank you.
Dick, voice-over: And it's only
fair that Debbie and Nigel
give it a first spin.
Debbie: There we are.
Nigel: Ahh. This is good.
Debbie: [Indistinct].
Nigel: No, it's fine.
Debbie: Ahh.
Dick, voice-over:
These two collected the keys
to this place just 6 months ago.
Nigel: Look at this. Wow.
Debbie: We're here. [Gasp]
Nigel: It's been
a whirlwind 6 months.
Really has.
And I couldn't wish
to be anywhere better.
Debbie: No.
Nigel: I'm really happy
to be here with you.
Debbie: Oh. [Laughs]
It is an amazing--
it is an amazing experience.
Dick, voice-over:
Working on a tight budget,
they've been grafting ever since
to earn an income,
finishing the master suite
just in time
for their first guests.
Debbie: This is
Vassiviere room.
Man: Wow.
That's amazing!
Debbie: You like it?
Man: Yeah!
Dick, voice-over: They've
spruced up the sunroom
and salon,
and their success so far
is a credit to them.
Debbie: We've been
really, really surprised
and obviously very
pleased about
how the chambre d'hote
has taken off.
We'll have people in every week
without fail,
and for the first year,
that's pretty good going.
Nigel: I'm very pleased.
I didn't think we would
be as busy as we have been.
Dick, voice-over: And all of
that is just the beginning.
Debbie: The priority for us next
is probably to convert
our current bedroom
into a really nice suite
for families.
We would then move upstairs
into the attic,
so, we'd need to obviously
do some things up there.
Convert that into a bedroom
and bathroom as well.
Nigel: It doesn't feel
like work.
It's something that
we enjoy doing
and we're happy to do it.
Debbie: Mm.
Both: Cheers!
Dick, voice-over:
Congratulations on a fantastic
first 6 months.
And with bookings already
coming in for winter,
long may it continue.
At Stephanie's
in central France,
she's been working 24/7
on the new apartment
in the chateau's old stables.
Stephanie: I finally
managed to finish the floor
at 6 a.m., so, we can
walk on it now,
and I really love the color.
I like the sort of teal,
and now we're just trying to
move all the furniture in.
Dick, voice-over:
Luckily for Stephanie,
reinforcements have arrived
in the form of Isabel,
her husband Percy,
builder Ian, and Gerry.
Gerry: Ian and I
is gonna shiggle it.
Stephanie: Shiggle?
Is shiggle--
is it--shiggle's the word?
Gerry: Yeah, we're gonna
shiggle it.
Dick, voice-over:
First is a team effort
to get the new sofa in.
Gerry: [Indistinct].
Stephanie: Yeah.
Now it's went through.
Brilliant.
Isabel: You see?
I did it all.
Stephanie: You did it?
Yes, of course you did. [Laughs]
Isabel: I've seen mountaineers
do that.
[Indistinct].
Man: Exactly.
I know you would.
Isabel: And it worked.
Stephanie: [Indistinct], Gerry.
Gerry: You OK?
Man: Mind the table.
Man: Yes.
Man 2: Oh, wonderful.
Man 3: Oh, [indistinct].
Dick, voice-over:
So far, so good,
especially for Gerry.
Stephanie: Don't get
too bothered.
He's got [indistinct] now.
Gerry: No, that's
[indistinct] talk.
[Indistinct].
[Stephanie laughs]
Gerry: A nice, little kick
with a [indistinct]
to keep my energy levels up.
Dick, voice-over: The
refreshments will have to wait.
Time to get this place dressed.
And it seems
that charity shop bed
was a pretty savvy
purchase after all.
Woman: Right there.
Dick, voice-over: What was once
a rough-and-ready resting place
for the chateau's groom...
has been transformed
into a sophisticated space.
Next door, the bathroom's been
brought up to scratch
with Stephanie's old wallpaper
and roll-top bath.
And I'm clearly not the only one
who's impressed.
[Pop]
[Isabel speaking French]
It is a wonderful thing
to have achieved.
Stephanie, you are to be
thanked profusely.
[Gerry laughs]
Isabel: I honestly didn't think
there would ever be
a time in my life when
I would be able to say to you,
"You are working too hard."
[Stephanie laughs]
To the tack room.
Gerry: Yay!
To the tack room.
Stephanie: Well, now that
this is finished,
my first priority is
to sleep for several days,
but after that,
in the immediate future
is the restoration
of the chapel
and the completion of
the marquis's apartment.
It was really annoying
getting quite close
and getting the bedroom done
and then having to pause
because I really can't
do the sitting room yet,
but at least it forced
me to do this,
which is great, and I've got
something to look forward
to still,
so, this winter I'll be able
to work on that.
Dick, voice-over: It's been
a busy year for Stephanie.
She's restored a vintage
horse-drawn carriage...
Gerry: Yeah.
It's coming almost on me!
Stephanie: Hold it!
Dick, voice-over:
and transformed her terrace
into an al fresco dining area
to host none other than
her mum Isabel's big day.
[Crowd cheering]
Stephanie: I see these areas
that I've wanted to tackle
finally come to life,
and it just makes
every day happier than
the previous one.
Dick, voice-over:
With a successful wedding
under her belt,
a brand-new apartment,
and another one almost finished,
the future is looking rosy
for you, Stephanie.
I wish you all the best.
[Indistinct chatter]
Back at Sarah and George's,
their first-ever wedding
has some troubles.
Woman: We've got a bit of
a problem with the electrics,
but don't worry.
It's all right.
Don't worry.
[Sarah laughs]
Dick, voice-over: With the food
yet to be served,
they're dealing with
major power cuts
in their newly renovated
coach house.
[Sarah speaking French] No?
Woman: Oh, God.
Sarah: It's not funny
just before service.
Dick, voice-over:
A fiddle in the fuse box
and the power is restored
just in time.
Man: Introducing
the bride and groom
Mr. and Mrs. Carter.
[Crowd cheering]
George: Power's still on,
and once the food goes out,
the power'll be fine.
Dick, voice-over:
And here it comes.
Sarah: Is it OK now,
the electric?
Dick, voice-over: But even
though the ovens are off now,
once again, the power trips.
Sarah: It's a bit
worrying, isn't it?
Do you think there's
anything that we can turn off?
George: Well, no,
turn the AGA off.
Sarah: All right,
can we do that now
if you want? OK.
George: Yes.
Dick, voice-over: In
a last-ditch attempt to keep
the power on in the coach house,
Sarah's headed to the chateau.
Sarah: Oh, what a nightmare.
OK. AGA is off.
Ha ha! Let's hope
that does the trick.
Dick, voice-over:
Back at the reception,
it sounds like Sarah and
George's lightbulb moment
has saved the day.
[Crowd cheering]
Sarah: Great.
No, it's great vibes
coming from the barn.
Charlie: This is my dream.
[Laughter]
All these people looking at me.
[Laughter]
Dick, voice-over:
With the power back on,
hopefully for good this time,
the evening can really
get underway.
[Cheering and applause]
George: It's weird to think
that 6 months ago,
it was a derelict barn,
and now it's a working barn.
Dick, voice-over:
Weird but wonderful.
And while the guests
are distracted
as the cake is cut with one of
George's antique swords...
[Crowd cheering]
The building is transformed
from dining room to party room.
Person: [Indistinct], Charlie.
Dick, voice-over:
Well, Sarah and George,
sparks flew at times,
but it looks like
you've pulled off
your very first wedding.
George: We had a slight problem
with the power tonight.
I think that was due to
having electric cookers
in the catering kitchen, but
apart from that,
from my point of view,
10 out of 10.
Sarah: I think it surpassed
all of our expectations.
[Crowd cheering]
George: All right.
Dick, voice-over: What a few
months it's been
for Sarah and George
as they've toiled
to turn the chateau
from family home
into chic wedding venue.
George: Refresh.
Ready for weddings.
Dick, voice-over: They've got
their website up and running...
Woman: Perfect.
[Clattering]
Dick, voice-over: created
a splendid party venue
in their old coach house...
Sarah: I don't make them
look quite as good as
everybody--as everybody else's.
[Crowd cheering]
Dick, voice-over:
With spectacular results.
Sarah: We've had
an awful lot of visits
that have come through
the website
and we've got 5 bookings.
George: I think
5 out of 6, so--
Sarah: We're absolutely filled.
We're in it now.
George: Yeah, you know,
we're in it
for the long run now.
Sarah: And we're enjoying it.
George: Yeah, we are.
Dick, voice-over: Well done.
You've done a grand job,
and I can't wait to see
what the future holds for you.
Next week, a whole new bunch
of adventurous chateau owners
get to work.
[Clattering]
Boy: Oh, it's disgusting.
Dick, voice-over:
One couple's budget spirals
out of control...
Man: How much is it?
Woman: 3,000.
Man: 3,000 euros?
Dick, voice-over: One family
go big for a wedding...
Man: And then, of course,
you have a fabulous view,
and also, I'll be having lots of
champagne in the shower.
Dick, voice-over: I set Angel
a challenge in the garden...
Angel: This is like
a start of our
actually working out, isn't it?
Quite romantic, really.
Dick, voice-over:
And new chateau owners
want to make a big impression.
Woman: Smile!