All language subtitles for Escape to the Chateau DIY S01E13.720p.CBC.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-BTN.English

♪ ♪

I'm Dick Strawbridge and along
with my wife Angel and our two

children, we left the U.K. for
a whole new life in France

and bought this
magnificent chateau.

We haven't ever regretted what
we've done.

It is so worth it.

We've gradually been
making it into our home,

as well as running it
as a business.

[banging]

That's a long way up.

But it turns out, we're
not alone, as dozens of

Brits are doing exactly the same
thing.

♪ ♪

[child yelling]

Sometimes you have to pinch
yourself to think,

"I own that."

Dick: In this series, Angel and
I will reveal more about our

journey as chateau owners.

Quite a lot of scrap here.

It's worth money.

Might be able to pay you this
time.

Dick: And guide these daring
Brits where we can.

It's a solid old bridge, matey.

As they renovate--

Man: This is looking good.

I'm quite happy with this.

Dick:--repair--

I've never done this before so
it should be all right.

Dick:--and struggle to transform
these buildings into their homes

and businesses.

Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!

Absolutely magnificent!

This is the glamorous chateau
life that everyone thinks I

lead.

Just trying to avoid getting my
face near the toilet seat.

This is not the way to make
money.

Dick: But however hard the going
gets, these plucky Brits can

always say they're kings and
queens of their very own

castles.

Cheers...chin chin.

♪ ♪

Dick: Today, whilst a trio of
chateau rookies get their home

ready to move into--

This stuff absolutely stinks!

Dick:--one of them goes AWOL.

Michael!

Michael!

Michael!

Dick: Two chateau owners find
playing Cupid--

He wants to propose to his
girlfriend so he's asked us to

help him.

Dick:--is easier said than done.

I need to very discreetly get
the gentleman on his own,

just because of loitering in the
tent.

Dick: Things fall apart for a
novice builder--

Okay, gently let it down.

[boom]

Oh!

Dick:--and whilst Angel and I go
bargain hunting at a brocante--

I love it!

Dick: It's so wrong.

--Angel finds it hard to
stay focused.

- What do you fancy?
- You.

[laughing]

Dick: You're so full of twaddle.

Come on.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dick: Young chateau rookies
Billy, Gwendoline, and Michael,

have taken on the challenge of
restoring the 18th century

Chateau de la Basmaignée.

Gwendoline: I don't really like
heights.

- Especially that high.
- Yeah.

[laughing]

Dick: Situated in the Pays de la
Loire region of northern France,

the beautiful but neglected
chateau sits in over 60 acres of

woodland.

I never imagined I'd live in a
chateau, nor be renovating one.

I like it in France.

In England, it's a bit more
hectic and rush everywhere and

it's better here.

We can really enjoy yourself a
little bit more.

You've got more time to do
things.

♪ ♪

Dick: Over the last three
months, they've got the heating

up and running.

Michael: That's it.

It's drawing.

It's not smoking at all, is it?

Dick:--started decorating--

Billy: Still got to do a second
coat on all the woodwork.

Dick:--and fixed the giant
chimney.

Have you managed to finish it
then?

- Yeah, it's all done.
- Oh, brilliant.

Dick: But now, they've just a
day left to make the chateau

livable so they can move in and
leave their current home,

the guest house opposite, empty
for their first paying guests.

♪ ♪

Even though, you know, this
guest house that we're in at the

moment is really comfortable,
it's not the chateau that I

thought I'd be living in.

Dick: But before this momentous
move can happen, the chateau's

kitchen must be finished.

After weeks of preparation, the
final phase of the work is due

to happen today, the fitting of
the handmade kitchen units.

Yeah, it's very exciting.

It's--we've been talking about
that kitchen for weeks.

Billy: Kitchen is really the
first step of getting the house

ready so that we can actually
live in it as a home.

Dick: Having paid guests staying
in the guest house will be a

vital way of raising money to
pay for the restoration of the

chateau.

Bonjour, Amelie.

C'est Gwendoline au Chateau de
la Basmaignée.

Dick: And their first booking is
a big one.

A group of 14 girls I think, for
hen night.

Quite exciting.

It's going to be the very first
one and for them, it has to be

like really good as well because
one of them is getting married.

It has to be an amazing weekend.

She's also pregnant so they're
going to throw a baby shower for

her as well.

They're coming in this house
where we live at the moment so

we need to get out of
it--[laughing]--and get it

ready.

♪ ♪

Dick: They've got a mountain of
stuff to move before the guests

arrive tomorrow.

♪ ♪

Dick: But now something else
urgently needs their attention.

Oy, kitchen's here.

♪ ♪

[van pulls up]

- Look how amazing it is.
- Yeah.

It's so well-built.

Come have a look at this.

It's really gorgeous, isn't it?

I love it.

You've got it?

Dick: The carpenter John
handbuilt the cabinets and

worktops from scratch, using a
combination of beech, elm, and

pine wood.

Looks like it's a really, really
good quality kitchen and we're

really pleased with it so far.

Just by looking at it in pieces,
it's really impressive.

All right, yeah.

Are you excited about the
kitchen?

♪ ♪

Dick: With a professional
carpenter on site, Michael's

happy to take a breather and
escape to his own pet project,

the chateau's greenhouse.

It's definitely nice to go and
get away from everything.

To have a space like this
dedicated to growing fruit and

veggies is just amazing.

Dick: Whilst Michael gets back
to nature, brother Billy's flat

out helping to fit the kitchen.

We're just using a laser level
to get the right measurement for

the worktop because if it's not
perfectly level, the windows

probably won't open.

♪ ♪

Dick: Michael's dream is to grow
enough fruit and veg to make the

chateau self-sufficient.

I really enjoy it in here.

Sometimes you can spend hours in
here and not realize the time's

passed.

♪ ♪

Dick: But before planting his
first crop, these beds

desperately need fresh
fertilizer.

Dick: Luckily, he knows a large
stash nearby.

Because the loft is inhabited by
hundreds of pigeons, and they've

been there for years,
thankfully, we didn't throw away

all the pigeon manure and
apparently, it's one of the most

amazing fertilizers that money
can buy.

♪ ♪

Dick: Pigeon poo does contain
masses of nitrogen which makes

it ideal for feeding plants but
it's strong and it needs to be

mixed with compost.

♪ ♪

This stuff absolutely stinks.

[sprinkling]

There's a dead pigeon there.

I don't think I want to plant
that.

Dick: Michael's pigeon plan has
worked a treat.

♪ ♪

Dick: But in the half-fitted
kitchen, there's a problem.

Man: Nine...

I'm trying to line up the units
so there's not too much of a gap

at the other end.

John the carpenter is worried
that once the units have been

fitted, there won't be enough
room for the cooker that

Michael's ordered.

Gwendoline: You should ask him,
really.

Yeah.

All right, then.

- Should we call Michael?
- Call Michael.

- Michael!
- Oh, like that.

Billy [yelling]: Michael!

Dick: Michael is the only one
who knows how big the cooker is.

Without him checking the
measurements, the kitchen can't

be finished.

Dick: But just when he's needed
the most, he's heading to the

far edge of the vast estate.

Just off down to the bottom of
the forest, there's a massive

pile of old leaves that are
right down to the most amazing

compost.

Michael!

Michael!

Dick: With no time to spare and
more than 60 acres of land to

roam, finding him could be
tricky.

Gwendoline: Michael!

♪ ♪

Dick: 100 miles south, in the
heart of the Loire Valley, is

Chateau La Perrière.

A stroll away on the banks of
the Vienne river stands Chinon,

a medieval town steeped in
history, rich with culture,

and the wines aren't bad either.

It generally does all taste
good.

Dick: This is Paul Horne, proud
joint owner of Chateau La

Perrière with his wife Karen.

The chateau was love at first
sight.

It was.

We weren't love at first sight.

I was--

No, you didn't.

You're lying now.

[laughter]

The chateau's relatively modest.

I think it's 400 square metres,
it's got eight bedrooms.

Dick: The Hornes, who live in
England, bought the mid-19th

century chateau for £500,000.

Having renovated all 16 rooms,
they've turned it into a luxury

holiday rental.

[children yelling]

Pool's literally just been
opened and although it's only

22° you've gotta go in there
'cause you gotta make the most

of it, really.

♪ ♪

Dick: This week, there's a gap
in bookings so Paul, Karen and

their kids, Katie and Tom, have
a chance to enjoy the chateau

and crack on with the next stage
of renovation.

♪ ♪

Dick: Paul has a plan to give
the chateau a unique selling

point: A new luxury office
space.

Next project we're looking to do
is, one of the lovely

outbuildings is the original
water tower from the 1850s.

What we're looking to do is
completely strip out the first

floor and then put an office in
there.

Et voilà.

All right, let's get this out.

One window down, two to go.

Dick: The first job is to remove
the tower's shutters.

With a little bit of sanding up
and paint, they'll be absolutely

fine.

I've always wanted to maintain
old shutters.

[laughing]

Dick: Removing the shutters was
easy.

A much bigger problem is the
tower's massive 10,000-metre

steel water tank, which needs
cutting out piece by piece with

an angle grinder, a tool Paul's
never used before.

Paul: Looked it on the Internet,
I've taken a few tips from

people.

And it can't be that hard to
remove three tonnes of steel.

Karen: I don't think Paul has
had an angle grinder.

I think seeing him use that is a
little bit nerve-wracking.

Dick: But first, he needs to get
the angle grinder started.

Paul: Where's Neil?

Neal: I'm here Paul, I'm here.

In or out?

Dick: Thankfully, he's got
professional help.

Neil: I just want to swivel this
around to the other side now.

Dick: The chateau's handyman
Neil, who looks after the estate

when the family are away.

When you're ready to start, tell
me.

Plug yourself in.

The plug is around that side.

Right, okay.

Start around that side and we'll
fire the fan up.

It's going to be very loud and
very smelly in a minute.

[whirring]

[bang]

Dick: Ooh, classic rookie error.

Never start the grinder when
it's already touching the metal.

Neil: You need to have the blade
spinning before you put it in

the crack.

[grinding]

Dick: The tank is three metres
tall and weighs over

three tonnes.

[grinding]

Dick: Cutting through
half-inch-thick metal is

hard work.

Karen: Have you worked out how
long it's going to take to

actually get this whole
thing out 'cause it

looks quite lengthy.

[grinding]

About that much left to go.

First panel.

[grinding]

[banging]

Wow!

Oh!

There you go.

That was pretty easy, wasn't it?

First bit, first bit.

Dick: If Paul continues cutting
at this rate, he'll still be

there in a week.

But the chateau's next paying
guests arrive in just three days

and Paul's angle grinder isn't
going to help the ambiance.

Oh, you'll fly through it this
afternoon.

Now you got experience.

Got confidence.

♪ ♪

Haven't you?

Dick: Whilst Paul butters the
water tank, Karen and Tom are

also busy.

Karen: Oh, look at all these
bugs.

Too many.

Karen: This shutter has probably
been on that water tower 200

years and it's still in very
good shape.

Dick: Restoring these shutters
will provide a cheap but

charming original feature.

Karen: Where possible, it's
really nice to be able to

recycle.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Oh, wow.

Dick: Renovating a chateau is a
never-ending job and every penny

counts.

Off you eat, Matey.

Dick: Grandma's chicken soup.

Dick: So we're no strangers to a
spot of upcycling.

- It's nice and warm.
- It feels cold.

- Is that a loo?
- I did think that.

Dick: We love scouring
reclamation yards like this one

at La Gravelle, 20 miles from
our chateau.

And no one can spot a bargain
like my Angel.

We haven't got very long but
we're looking for a birthday

present.

Lots of old stuff.

It's my birthday.

47.

[Angel laughing]

Dick: So we're galloping around
to have a quick look, see what

we can find.

[Angel laughing]

Dick: What do you fancy?

You.

Dick: You're so full of twaddle.

Come on.

You want a fountain, don't you?

Yeah, I do.

Look how ridiculous that is.

Where?

Where, where, where?

Keep looking, keep looking.

- Oh, I love it!
- It is so wrong.

[laughter]

Angel: But it's not a water
feature.

- It is.
- Is it?

[Angel laughing]

I quite like all of these like
just wonky things.

♪ ♪

Dick: When on a salvage hunt,
spotting a diamond in the rough

can take a while.

Dick: There's lots of nice stuff
here.

Angel: Oh!

Dick: Amidst a sea of rust,
Angel's spotted something.

Dick: Double ended?

Angel: Aha!

Hmm.

Dick: This old bath has real
potential and is a 10th of the

price of a fully restored one.

I gotta tell you, that is not a
bad bath.

Yeah, I know.

It's a deep bath.

Seems quite good nick,
actually.

You see outside it's very--

Dick: No, but the outside's dead
easy.

Yeah.

You wire brush that off and then
you can--

Yeah.

You can come right down any way
you want.

But this bit here, the
surprising bit is--

Angel: It's not a bad nick, is
it?

Dick: No, it isn't.

Dick: Restored, this would be
perfect for our chateau.

Time to close the deal on this
cast iron bargain.

Dick: Bonjour, madame.

Dick: We also find a second very
promising bath at the same

brocante with a combined price
tag of less than £350,

including home delivery.

Already restored, these baths
could easily cost over £1,000

each.

♪ ♪

I think that re-enamelling and
sanding the side down and

painting is going to bring this
bath back to life.

We could be saving quite a lot
of money.

I'm very, very excited about it.

If we get these back to life,
they are going to be just part

of this whole big adventure and
journey.

They're going to be a bit of a
talking point.

And I just think they'll be a
bit soulful than something new.

♪ ♪

Dick: But to get these rusty
baths ship shape--

Angel: I don't like these
things.

[gasping]

Dick:--Angel's got her work cut
out.

They'll make great composts if
you can't get them back to life.

[spraying]

Dick: This is Abbaye de la
Bussière, a monastery for 900

years.

It's now owned and run as a
hotel by Brits, Clive and Tanith

Cummings.

I think a lot of the locals
probably looked at it as like

being a hostile takeover.

Les anglais have arrived.

Dick: They gave up life in
Sussex to start the hotel,

which is nestled in lush
Burgundy countryside,

close to the region's capital
Dijon and where competition

for guests is especially fierce.

Tanith: It's basically very up
and down.

We can have a really good year
and then the next year, for

reasons that are very hard to
pinpoint, it can be not so busy.

Dick: And with the huge
overheads of running a luxury

hotel, for Clive and Tanith,
every summer is make or break.

- We're up to four loans?
- I think so.

Four loans with our French bank.

It is very, very seasonal.

So we have to make our money in
that very short space of time.

Still very much a work in
progress and we have to be

really, really tight with
everything.

♪ ♪

Dick: Clive and Tanith's
exclusive resort hosts everyone

from Hollywood stars to Porsche
owners' clubs.

I'm a bit of a petrolhead myself
so I do like seeing nice cars.

♪ ♪

Welcome, bonjour, bienvenue.

Thank you.

Envy, Porsche envy.

Dick: Today, a VIP guest has
made a romantic request.

Clive: Right.

He wants to propose to his
girlfriend so he's asked us to

help him try and find a way of
making it really special and do

something really lovely that
she's not going to forget.

So they're flying in by
helicopter, which is going to be

an amazing start.

So we're just trying to find
somewhere that would just make

it really romantic and not
somewhere where every hotel has

and not many hotels have a crypt
so this could make it really

special.

Dick: For centuries, this crypt
was used as a burial vault and a

place for the monks to store
holy relics.

But Clive and Tanith reckon that
by tomorrow, it will be the

perfect place to propose
marriage.

♪ ♪

Tanith: I would have as many
candles as possible.

'Cause I think that would just
make it really romantic.

The idea will be that, he
will take her for a nice walk

around the garden, they'll
discover the crypt so he'll go,

"Let's have a look in here."

And then he'll bring her in and
then he'll pop the question.

Fingers crossed she'll say yes
and there will be champagne and

then they're going to have a
private dinner up in the lounge

and just make it as romantic as
possible.

Like me when I did my romantic
proposal to you.

You never did a romantic
proposal.

[laughter]

I don't think you--you do it for
other people but you're not very

good at doing it for yourself.

[laughter]

♪ ♪

Dick: The guests' helicopter is
expected in about 20 minutes.

It's general manager Michael's
job to make sure the landing

goes smoothly.

I don't know too much about
them.

Very important VIP from the
United States.

She's got no tables and chairs
out here.

We've taken the parasols down so
everything is safe.

Minute by minute until he lands,
we're here, watching them in.

[helicopter flying above]

Michael: Here we go.

Okay Michael, move back now.

Dick: With their VIP guest
expecting the perfect venue for

a proposal, Clive and his staff
must keep their heads.

You never approach until the
blades have actually totally

stopped.

Just wait for him, Mike.

Just duck your head.

I don't want you to bump your
head.

[laughter]

Dick: As the big moment draws
nearer, the pressure's on for

Clive and Tanith.

Michael: Good morning.

♪ ♪

Dick: 350 miles west in our
chateau, my wife Angel is

tackling a less romantic
problem.

Angel: These are the two baths
that we picked up in the

brocante.

I love the feet.

They are feet that you just
don't find on new baths now.

They're just amazing.

♪ ♪

Dick: Fixing up both baths
ourself instead of buying them

fully restored could save us
over £1,500.

But there's several tricky
stages.

♪ ♪

Oh man, it's been a hell of a
lot of work.

Lots of sanding.

Definitely had a couple of my
nails.

[laughing]

I'd like to say I've done it all
myself but--[laughing]--"Dick!"

He's helped out a bit.

I mean, you sand--you can sand
forever.

Dick: It's the crucial moment.

Angel's applying an even
undercoat.

But you know what, we'll get
there.

We will get to a bath that looks
good in the end.

Dick: And whilst the primer
dries on the first bath, Angel

turns her attention to the one
she painted earlier.

Right, oh!

Getting there.

Legs on?

Angel: No, it's--I'm just
putting them on.

I just wondered if you would
help me lift the bath.

[clattering]

Angel: He's always got a tool
for everything.

Baby, oh, you're so strong.

That is heavy.

Right, where do I need to go
to--

Nowhere.

Not yet.

Not until I get on this side.

Angel: Now for the enamelling.

Dick: To get this scratched old
tub looking like new again,

Angel needs to re-enamel it.

I don't think that's going to be
an easy job.

Dick: This special paint will
set into a hard brilliant white

finish.

Angel: Feels very runny.

Dick: This is the tricky part.

Angel needs to roll the enamel
on thickly, without leaving any

run marks.

Angel: It's covering it.

That's a good start, isn't it?

Dick: And it set quickly.

So she has to apply the coat as
fast as possible to stop the

roller getting stuck to the
bath.

Angel: I'm definitely expecting
to do two coats of this.

♪ ♪

Angel: I'm liking this paint.

It's like you know, Tipp-Ex.

[laughing]

♪ ♪

I'm sweating.

It's hard work.

Dick: One coat down, one to go.

♪ ♪

Angel: Quietly confident that I
wouldn't mind bathing in it

myself.

♪ ♪

Angel: I'm super happy.

I think that looks quite good.

These baths new are around
£1,000.

We paid £150 and £185.

So yeah, we've probably saved
quite a lot of money.

Dick: Saving money is always
nice.

♪ ♪

Dick: Especially when the
finished product looks as good

as this.

Angel: Super, super happy with
the bath.

I love it!

I've bathed the kids in this.

It was quite a lot of work but
we saved a lot of money.

And it looks great.

So you can say I'm a bath
expert.

Said very tongue in cheek.

I've even had a couple of people
send me pictures of themselves

in the bath.

[laughing]

And not dirty pictures.

Like you know, just really
beautiful like romantic

pictures.

♪ ♪

[laughter]

♪ ♪

Dick: Back at Chateau de la
Basmaignée's 60-acre estate,

keen to get his greenhouse up
and running, Michael's deep in

the woods, searching for the
perfect compost.

This stuff is absolutely
amazing.

I mean, if you have a look, it's
got a beautiful crumbly texture

and it's perfect for what I
need.

Michael!

Dick: He's blissfully unaware
Gwendoline is searching for him.

Michael!

Michael!

Oy!

Did you hear that?

A woodpecker.

There's one that lives in the
cedar.

Michael!

Michael!

It's a really nice sound hearing
things like that in here.

You know, in the countryside.

You don't hear things like that
in the city.

So...

[cart drives away]

He's needed right now and he's
not here.

Never here when he needs to be.

♪ ♪

Dick: They've got just hours
left to move into the chateau

and out of the adjacent guest
house where their first paying

guests, a hen party of 14, are
due to stay in the morning.

[scrubbing]

Dick: All this depends on
finishing the chateau's kitchen.

But without Michael's
measurement for the new cooker,

work has ground to a halt.

♪ ♪

Michael: Oh, Gwendoline.

- You're needed in the chateau.
- I'm needed in the chateau.

- Yeah.
- What for?

Because they need to know what
size exactly, like how wide is

the Aga going to be--

Michael:Aga--oh, right.

--so they can have the proper
measurement where to put the

units

Where to cut and all.

Right, okay.

Do you want to get on or are you
all right walking back?

[laughing]

Michael: All right, here we go.

♪ ♪

We need to take the habit of
taking the walkie-talkies with

us everywhere we go.

Michael: Oh right, yeah.

Right, I'll see you in a minute.

Gwendoline: Finish.

Get on with things.

♪ ♪

Dick: To save money, the cooker
Michael's bought is a reclaimed

cast iron one which is still in
pieces but will it actually fit

in the new kitchen?

It's 70 but the handrail pokes
out to 75 and that's slightly

below the height of the worktop.

So I don't know if this cupboard
door is going to open.

Let's just check.

Brought my hand up here so it's
up here.

So the door will open under the
handle brackets without any

problems.

John: No problem, yeah.

So it's perfect.

Bit touch and go there, yeah.

I thought the cooker wasn't
going to fit.

I mean, that would mean we would
have to find a whole new cooker.

And that would have been no good
so yeah, everything's fine.

No worries.

Yeah.

Dick: Crisis averted.

Work on the kitchen can resume
but to get it finished, there's

still many more hours of work.

♪ ♪

[sawing]

[birds chirping]

Dick: After a very long night,
the bespoke kitchen worktop is

finally going on.

- You've got that there, John?
- Yeah, I got it.

- Oh, my hand.
- Yeah.

Dick: But in just two hours, a
hen party's arriving to stay in

the guest house where Billy,
Gwen, and Michael have been

living.

♪ ♪

Dick: So they're facing a
packing nightmare.

I don't know how many pair of
shoes I've got.

Too many, probably.

Dick: With 14 paying guests
expecting flawless

accommodation--

[bleep]

Dick:--all their belongings must
be moved to the chateau where

they'll now be living.

I'll have time to organize it
all later.

♪ ♪

Dick: With a mountain of mess to
sort out, Gwen's badly in need

of furniture for the empty
chateau.

And some help from the boys.

Is it heavy?

- Oh [bleep], it is heavy.
- Really heavy.

We'll have to carry it without.

Put it--

- In our bedroom.
- There's no room.

Billy: Oh there will be--

All right, if you want.

Gwendoline: But it's to put
towels and--

Billy: I thought it would be
good for my clothes.

Oh, whatever.

Gwendoline's difficult.

Gwendoline: I'm not being
difficult.

I'm trying to find room for
everything at the moment.

Oh, it's better now.

It's not as heavy.

♪ ♪

Billy: Right.

Just plunk it down here for now.

[grunt]

Until the boss tells us where to
put it.

Dick: With lots still to do,
will Gwen, Billy, and Michael

be ready for their first-ever
guests?

We're kind of almost running out
of time.

♪ ♪

Dick: Back at Chateau Perrière,
the idyllic calm of the Loire

Valley is still being punctuated
by Paul's angle grinder.

[grinding]

Dick: After five hours cutting
the giant water tank, Paul and

his helper Neil have removed
several large sections.

Paul: Nice one.

I finally made friends with the
angle grinder and we're going

quite well now.

Dick: Cutting out the
three-tonne tank is the first

stage of transforming this
outbuilding into a new

office retreat.

Watching somebody angle
grinding, the novelty wears off

real quick.

- It does, doesn't it?
- Yeah.

[grinding]

Dick: Paul needs the noisy metal
work finished before the next

paying guests arrive in just two
days.

♪ ♪

Dick: In the chateau, Karen also
has a project she's rushing to

complete.

My intention is to screen print
some fabric to make some blinds

for our guests' bedroom so our
guests don't have to wake up at

the same time that the sun
rises.

♪ ♪

Dick: But making the stencil of
the screen printer blinds is a

long and tricky process.

The motion is being applied in a
very messy fashion.

[laughing]

So I have my negative prints.

These are clear of the areas
where the ink should go through.

That is of course, if I've done
it correctly.

Dick: To burn this design onto
the light-sensitive screen--

Karen: Going to go where it's
nice and bright.

Dick:--Karen exposes it to
direct sunlight for three

minutes.

We'll see.

Dick: Now for the moment of
truth.

Okay now, I'm getting worried.

You know what I've done.

I've actually done the reverse
to what I actually wanted.

Dick: Poor Karen's got her
template wrong.

This screen will print the area
outside her pattern,

not the pattern itself.

I've done it the wrong way
around.

I laid at night worrying that
I've done this.

Dick: And with just a day to
finish the blinds, it's back to

the drawing board.

Paul: So now we've done the easy
bit.

We're going to do the hard bit.

We're going to get the roof
down.

Outside, Paul and handyman Neil
have reached the last and most

dangerous part of removing the
tank.

We want to rotate it around so
that this is pointing towards

the doorway.

Hopefully not acting like a
guillotine at the same time.

Man: Steady, steady.

Right, I'm going to go outside
the door then.

- You ready?
- Yeah.

Don't stand there. Kate.

Neil: Just bear with me for a
minute.

Neil: Okay, gently lift it down.

[crash]

Oh, so scary.

[crash]

If I hadn't lost the end of my
finger already, I may well have

done just then.

[laughing]

You should have put the other
one in.

Could have got a matching pair.

Yeah, we're down.

'Cause I've got really dusty
throughout now, obviously, being

inside.

I think I got slightly soiled
underwear as well after that.

[laughter]

♪ ♪

Dick: The top of the water tank
may be vanquished.

I'm just seeing if it's attached
to anything.

Dick: But with time running out,
Neil and Paul still need to

remove the base.

♪ ♪

Dick: 100 miles north at Chateau
de la Basmaignée,

Billy, Gwendoline, and Michael's
first guests, a hen party of 14,

are due in just two hours.

♪ ♪

Dick: And their accommodation,
the guest house, is still not

ready.

The whole building's got to be
completely cleaned and prepared

for the guests.

It's a bit rushed.

Bit last minute but we're going
to get it done.

♪ ♪

Dick: Whilst Billy and Gwen
concentrate on the guest house,

Michael's discovered something
outside that may not be of help.

Billy: Picking up dog poo.

Right, you're going in
here for the day.

♪ ♪

Dick: With this messy problem
sorted, it's time for the final

push.

Michael: How many men does it
take to change a light bulb?

Two.

[laughing]

Lovely.

We're kind of almost running out
of time now.

The guests are going to be here
really soon.

[motor running]

♪ ♪

[scrubbing]

♪ ♪

Dick: And with that, with just
minutes to spare, the guest

house is finally ready.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dick: The guests are due to
arrive at any minute.

[blow drying]

♪ ♪

I'm going to hide out of the way
because Gwendoline is probably

best suited for the job of
greeting the guests.

I'll be standing there a bit
like a lemon, going,

"Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour,"
and that'd be it.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dick: Whilst the chateau's first
paying guests begin to let their

hair down--

[screaming]

♪ ♪

Oh what's that you got?

Oh we need to celebrate. don't
we.

- Oh, lovely.
- Yeah.

I fancy a little bit of that.

Dick: Gwendoline, Billy, and
Michael can now toast two

life-changing moments.

[cork pops]

Hey!

Dick: Getting their business off
the ground and even better,

their first day living in the
chateau itself.

In the chateau now.

Cheers.

We're here.

The guests are in the guest
house.

And to our future in the
chateau.

- Yeah.
- Cheers.

♪ ♪

Dick: With the tiles done, the
cooker in, their beautiful

bespoke kitchen is now ready to
use.

♪ ♪

Dick: But they've still got 39
more rooms to go.

We'll get 'em in the end.

- Not today.
- Not today, no.

No.

- Lunch?
- Yeah.

Eat something.

Dick: So that's one new chateau
finally open for business.

♪ ♪

Dick: 400 miles away in Dijon--

Rose petals on the floor?

That would just give it a nice
bit of colour as well.

Experienced hoteliers Clive and
Tanith are ready to welcome a

high flier.

- Good morning!
- Hello.

How are you?

Welcome to the Abbaye.

- Nice to finally meet you.
- And you too.

- How are you, welcome.
- Pleasure.

Yeah, so come on through, come
on through.

Let me take you in.

Dick: Their VIP guest Frank has
told Clive he wants to propose

to his girlfriend Tammy before
dinner this evening.

♪ ♪

Dick: At Clive's suggestion,
he's popping the question in the

Abbaye's crypt.

But Frank's never actually been
here before so he doesn't know

the layout of the grounds.

I need to very discreetly get
the gentleman on his own so I

can show him where the crypt is.

Just in case they're loitering
now.

Loitering with intent, as I keep
saying.

I'm just going to hang around
and wait.

Hopefully, he might need to go
to the toilet.

When he does need to go to the
toilet, I'll quickly lead him

over to the crypt, show him the
crypt and I need to know the

time as well.

That's important for me so I can
get the candles lit and the

champagne.

♪ ♪

Dick: Clive just needs a couple
of minutes alone with Frank.

I'll bet she catches me sneaking
a peek.

♪ ♪

Dick: But he's got to be
discreet.

Nearly.

Why risk it?

I'll stay inside and wait.

Dick: But an hour-long lunch
comes and goes without a single

trip to the bathroom.

I'm sat here patiently waiting
for one of them to move and

they've both moved.

So they've both now gone for a
walk.

♪ ♪

Clive: Dush, dush, dush, dush,
dush.

Loitering, loitering, loitering.

♪ ♪

Dick: Clive and Tanith can't
risk the couple stumbling across

the crypt when it's not
proposal-ready, so they're

going ahead with the
finishing touches.

We're just going to try to make
it really pretty and really

romantic so we've got lots of
red rose petals.

Obviously, some nice bouquet of
roses which she'll be able to

take away with her and then just
lots of candles but I sort of

got vanilla ones that have a
nice smell as they walk in so it

might give them a good hour
before they're due in so

hopefully it'll give a nice,
nice smell.

You can never have too many
candles.

The more candles, the better as
well.

I haven't been able to get him
alone so we're lighting the

candles a little bit premature
at the moment.

So we're just hoping that he
does find it 'cause it's a

little bit tucked away but we
couldn't really say anything in

front of her so we're just going
to have to cross our fingers and

hope he finds it.

♪ ♪

Fingers crossed it will go as
according to plan.

Should we have a trial run?

No?

Okay.

See, I did offer her.

- Good.
- Let's go.

Tanith: Happy with that.

Dick: The crypt is ready.

All they need now is the couple.

Shall we go and hide?

They're coming through that way?

Yeah.

Tanith: Need to go for a wee.

Dick: And 90 minutes later, the
big moment arrives.

Clive: Nice dress.

Nice dress she's got.

Clive: In they go.

We could be standing here for a
long time.

[cork pops]

Oh. there goes the cork.

That wasn't the cork.

That was the cork.

♪ ♪

[laughing]

Yes!

[applause]

Clive: Congratulations!

Well done.

Congratulations!

Good.

[laughter]

He did well.

Clive: Fantastic, fantastic.

We're going to leave you in
peace with the champagne.

[clinking glass]

Ah.

Good day's work.

It's a happy day for both of us.

Happiest days of our lives.

Muah.

- I love you.
- I love you.

♪ ♪

Dick: 250 miles west in the
Loire Valley, at Chateau

Perrière, with guests arriving
in the morning and renovation

work behind schedule, the whole
Horne family are pitching in.

I've gotta get all the
toiletries out and in the

cupboard.

I need to reply to the email
from the people that are coming

tomorrow and need to pack and we
need to cook.

Karen: I think it might be a
late night.

♪ ♪

Paul: See if we can fold this
down.

Ready?

Dick: In the outbuilding, Paul's
angle grinding marathon is

almost at an end.

♪ ♪

Man: Whoa, big hole.

Dick: The final challenge for
him and handyman Neil is to cut

out the water tank's base.

[grinding]

Dick: In the chateau, despite
her disastrous first attempt,

Karen's persevering with her
screen printing.

Voilà.

Perfect.

That's exactly what we want.

Dick: She's created a new design
template and this time, it's the

right way around.

I'm happy.

Although it is really blotchy.

[blow drying]

Dick: Karen hopes to screen
print her pattern on to a set of

blinds and hang them in a guest
bedroom.

But she's going to have to wait.

It's still very wet.

And I'm not sure I've got any
hope in this drying anytime

soon.

Dry a bit quicker.

Probably end up with a disaster
as well.

Dick: While her troublesome
template dries, Karen goes to

inspect Paul and handyman Neil's
work in the new office.

Just going to try and cut up the
last bit of the floor of the

water tank.

[grinding]

[grinding stops]

Neil: You survived the disk
cutter experience.

Mate, well done.

Karen: God, it's enormous.

I can't believe--

I can't believe you've done it.

I know.

- Two days.
- Yeah.

That's impressive, isn't it?

Bet you didn't think that when
you started.

No, I thought I'd be here for a
week.

[birds chirping]

The view is just fantastic.

There could be worse places to
work.

Karen: It looks fab.

Dick: With Karen suitably
impressed--

Man: Oh!

Dick:--the boys get on with
removing the floor.

Man:--that corner rips.

Dick: After slicing through over
three tonnes of steel,

Paul certainly mastered
the angle grinder.

Now this one is heavy.

Ooh.

Dick: But with new masonry,
plumbing, and electrics all

still to do, he's got a lot more
to learn before the office is

finished.

So that's the original valve for
the water tank for the whole of

the chateau in a stay.

That'll definitely be polished
off and put in the office just

to remind me of my angle
grinding days.

♪ ♪

Dick: It's been a long day and
there's still one job left to

do.

It's now Karen's last chance to
get the screen printing right on

her blinds.

I only have one piece and it's
exactly the right size for my

window and I don't have anymore.

I've only got tonight to get it
finished and printed so there's

a lot counting on me not making
any mistakes.

♪ ♪

Karen: I'm really nervous.

[exhales]

Okay, here we go.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Voilà.
- Wow!

That's amazing!

Doesn't that look beautiful?

I love the mottling.

I love it.

Absolutely love it!

That's so beautiful.

♪ ♪

Dick: Magnificent.

A finish to be proud of.

Karen: This fabric will be
unique because it's not

digitally printed so every one
is slightly different.

And that's what is the beauty of
printing by hand.

[sewing]

Just sewing the last few seams
together so that I can get on

and actually hang these blinds.

It's a little bit stressful as I
am running out of time.

[sewing]

Dick: All that's left is to get
the blinds hung, ready for

tomorrow's guests.

Paul: High up on the ceiling?

Karen: Can you come down a
little bit?

[drilling]

Karen: Wow.

Let's see what these beauties
look like.

Karen: I think the guests are
going to love it because I think

it adds a little bit of warmth
to the room: I love the idea of

reusing fabrics.

♪ ♪

It just adds a quality you can't
buy.

Dick: It's been a productive
trip and the family can now

enjoy their final evening in the
chateau before their guests move

in.

What do you think, Tom?

Tom: It's delicious.

Dick: But there's still a huge
amount of work to do on the

office.

And with the chateau booked out
for most of the summer,

there are only a few
free days to do it.

So cheers.

Enjoy the meal.

'Cause in half an hour, we'll be
packing and finishing and

getting ready for the guests
tomorrow.

Karen: You've ruined it for me.

We're not there yet.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

To La Perrière.

♪ ♪

Dick: Next time, I receive an
SOS from some chateau

neighbours.

How are we doing?

Lovely to meet you.

Dick: And wind up with a serious
challenge on my hands.

Are you ready?

This isn't going to work, is it?

Dick: Out in the woods, the hunt
is on for some unwanted

visitors.

You really gotta keep away from
them because they're quite

dangerous.

Dick: And in the Loire Valley,
the heat is on to repair a

crumbling wall.

♪ ♪

It's hot.

I'm expiring here.

I don't think I could be hotter.

♪ ♪

Dick: Plus: Michelin-star food
sourced from the back garden.

Look at this.

Look.

All the strawberries, look at
them all.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪