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00:00Oh!
00:02Guys, that is stunning!
00:04But it comes with a long list of jobs.
00:08Timber!
00:10Might be winter, but you soon build a sweat doing anything like this.
00:13Especially if you live in an enormous chateau.
00:18There's a lot more work involved than we ever imagined.
00:21We're following intrepid owners.
00:24I am slightly anxious of whether it's going to stay up.
00:27Let's hope it's going to hold, hold, hold.
00:29As they prepare for the festive season in France...
00:34This is my idea of fun.
00:36..we'll witness the highs...
00:38We have Christmas!
00:40..the lows...
00:42Can't go forwards, can't go backwards.
00:44So now we've got to work out our way of getting it out.
00:46..the joy...
00:47Merry Christmas, everyone! Merry Christmas!
00:50..and magic...
00:52Woo-hoo!
00:54Yay!
00:56Look at the chateau!
00:58..as they turn their castles into a winter wonderland.
01:02Owen.
01:03There you go.
01:04Merry Christmas.
01:05And this is Christmas.
01:06And isn't it wonderful?
01:07Today...
01:13You OK?
01:14..never mind Santa fitting down the chimney.
01:17What do you do?
01:18..will a dining table make it through a front door?
01:22You've got to lift it right up.
01:24I like your optimism.
01:26How much brandy are you going to put in?
01:28No idea.
01:29A potential recipe for disaster...
01:31I've never had a raspberry in a mince pie.
01:33Well, my nose is going to be like that tomorrow.
01:35..and a Christmas miracle in the making for another couple...
01:40It's all about preparing the stable for a new arrival.
01:44..but only if enough room can be made.
01:47It's all a bit backwards and higgledy-piggledy...
01:49..because I've been making this up as I go along, really.
01:51In the winter wonderland of the Dordogne in south-west France...
02:02..lies the historic 14th-century Chateau de Vieilles Vigne.
02:09This once-abandoned former monastery boasts 35 rooms...
02:16..and a medieval tower.
02:18What about this one?
02:20It's being brought back to life...
02:22I can't smell anything either.
02:24..by former Londoners Nick and Nicole...
02:27..who live here with son Noah.
02:30Christmas is magical and I've been waiting for so long...
02:34..to just be able to go all out, decorate it...
02:37..bring in foliage from the garden and, yes, just make it magical.
02:41Preparing for Christmas in a chateau is quite full-on.
02:46It's become a full-time job, really.
02:49Located two hours inland from Bordeaux...
02:52..the couple bought the derelict Chateau in 2021...
02:57..for £195,000.
03:00Their Christmas parties are becoming legendary with the locals...
03:06..and last year they turned a neglected and empty wine cellar...
03:16..into a twinkling hideaway to enjoy a festive tipple.
03:22We have our own wine cup.
03:26Merry Christmas.
03:28Merry Christmas.
03:29Most recently, they've transformed a vast dining room...
03:33..but now need to furnish it...
03:36..in time for this year's sparkling festive party.
03:39We're so excited that the dining room is going to be ready for Christmas.
03:44Aw.
03:45I mean, it's a vision that we've had for so long...
03:47..and to see it come together with the table, the fireplace...
03:50Yeah.
03:51..yeah, it's something quite special.
03:53It's going to be magical, we promise.
04:00Are we done?
04:01Today, their Christmas wish is starting to come true with a special delivery.
04:08Oh, wow.
04:09Oh, my goodness.
04:10Wow, this is absolutely stunning.
04:13Gorgeous.
04:15True craftsmanship.
04:16I'm glad you like it.
04:17I can tell by your expression.
04:18It's amazing.
04:20But will Dave's bespoke tabletop fit up the stone steps...
04:25..and in through the narrow front door?
04:28I think it's just going to go.
04:30I think we'll be OK.
04:31I like your optimism.
04:32Yeah, you've got to be optimistic.
04:33When you're dealing in big tables, you've got to be very optimistic.
04:35Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:37Workman Andrew lends an extra pair of hands.
04:41Dave's going to make us look really weak when he just carries off one by himself.
04:44I'm not making him look weak.
04:46Flick him over.
04:54Yeah, I would say that's about right.
04:56One, two, three.
04:58Oh, yeah.
04:59Yeah.
05:00It's the four-metre-long tabletop that could prove the problem.
05:04Slow down.
05:06You OK?
05:07Yeah.
05:08You have to get a bit higher if you can.
05:09Just watch the wall.
05:10Yeah.
05:11It also weighs more than 30 stone.
05:15What are you going to do, Ann, now?
05:16You've got to lift it right up.
05:17Yeah, we can stop it tipping it right up.
05:19Wait, I've got it here, don't worry.
05:22Watch it.
05:23Keep it low.
05:24Yeah, keep it low.
05:25Yeah.
05:27Right, flattened.
05:28Bit on his edge.
05:29Hold it there, one second.
05:30Yeah.
05:31I've got it.
05:32Got it?
05:33Right.
05:34Right, flat.
05:35That was hard work and I wasn't actually doing much of the lifting.
05:43Let's just get it right and see the tape measure of it.
05:51It feels like we could not have found anything more beautiful to put in this room.
05:56To put the space.
05:57But also the...
05:58The lights.
05:59The character as well.
06:00Yeah.
06:01It works well.
06:02It's going to see a lot of good times.
06:03It's found a good home.
06:04Yeah.
06:05Good.
06:06Yes.
06:07I'm glad.
06:08They now have a dining table fit for a festive feast.
06:12But there's a long way to go before the room is looking ready for its first party guests.
06:18Deep in the Occitanie region of southern France stands the enchanting 19th century Chateau de Piquin.
06:34Surrounded by six and a half acres with a private lake, inside there are 31 rooms.
06:44It is now home to intellectual property manager Jane and Rory, a plumber and actor.
06:53It's going to be so new and unusual being here for Christmas.
06:57And we'll be piping Christmas music throughout the Chateau until everybody's sick to death of it.
07:04But yeah, it's just so nice.
07:06I love Christmas.
07:07Rory especially.
07:09He brings...
07:10He makes Christmas.
07:11He creates it.
07:12From my armpits.
07:13Basically.
07:14It just comes out.
07:15But no, you need someone to be super enthusiastic, super into it, and you are that person.
07:22Yes, I'm towing the Christmas line for everyone.
07:27Situated an hour and a half from Toulouse, the animal-loving couple bought the Chateau in 2024 for £470,000 and moved in with dogs Bonnie and Bunty.
07:43Good coming.
07:44And their two horses, Penny and Harry.
07:48Good boy.
07:50As this will be their first Christmas here, they're treating themselves to a special gift.
07:56Today, it's all about preparing the stable for a new arrival.
08:02Yes, because we've bought a horse.
08:06Well, I'm super excited because we've never been able to ride together because one of the horses is retired, so I've always had to ride on my own.
08:16Maybe we can go for a nice Christmas Day ride out together.
08:19You never know.
08:20Yes.
08:21That would be amazing.
08:23Not wanting any long faces from Harry or Penny this Christmas, Rory is on a mission.
08:30So it's all a bit backwards and higgledy-piggledy because I've been making this up as I go along, really.
08:36He needs to cordon off a space in the stables before the new horse arrives.
08:43If a horse leans against a fence that isn't strong enough, then that fence is going to collapse.
08:48So I'm just hoping that all of the posts that I've cemented into the ground are strong enough to stop that from happening.
08:55Time will tell.
08:56Leaving Rory to create a sturdy framework, Jane has a festive project to get to grips with.
09:08I'm all in favour of Christmas trees being outside, and here we have one that's pretty well perfect for Christmas.
09:16So I just want to rip out all the weeds that aren't supposed to be there, and then we're going to decorate it.
09:21I'm getting all snuggled up, but that's just the way of things.
09:31Maybe I need to cut it in half.
09:33Oh no, it's coming.
09:35There we go.
09:38The couple have been living the chateau life for less than a year.
09:43It was definitely a risky decision, and I'm not someone who enjoys risk.
09:49It was quite difficult for me psychologically to do something so bold.
09:55945.
09:58It really is exactly what we hoped life would be like when we came out to France.
10:05The mountains are just there for skiing.
10:08When the weather's better, we'll have two horses soon.
10:10We can just go out horse riding.
10:11We've fallen on our feet in terms of friends locally.
10:15I think we've made a really good choice with the location.
10:18The property seems to be living up to all of our expectations.
10:22Everything's gone about as well as we could have wished really.
10:25It's going to be an unusual Christmas because we're not going to be buying each other large gifts because this is it.
10:37That'll fit nicely.
10:46It's quite a substantial stable.
10:48I mean, you could imagine three wise men and a manger and shepherds and all sorts could fit in there.
10:56Last one for now.
10:59That's one big job done.
11:05It's absolutely amazing.
11:07Their stable is almost ready to welcome its new guests tomorrow.
11:13But they still want to decorate a 25-foot fir tree, and Christmas is galloping ever closer.
11:19Coming up, can this family create sweet treats in time for Christmas?
11:30I'm a dog.
11:32What could go terribly wrong now and make a massive hole in my chair?
11:36And will it be a nightmare before Christmas for Nicole?
11:40Christmas will be ruined.
11:41Christmas in a chateau provides the ideal opportunity to celebrate on a supersized scale.
11:55Happy Christmas!
11:57Whether it's the party's throne.
12:00Or spectacular decorations to dazzle.
12:05We pulled off an absolute smasher.
12:07I'm so chuffed.
12:08All over France, the festive season is being celebrated.
12:13Three, two, one.
12:16Yay!
12:18That includes Terry and Ashley, who share their chateau life in Normandy with Terry's mother Tracy and nephew Jonathan.
12:26You're getting in the front?
12:37Yeah.
12:39Today, there's a special family Christmas outing planned.
12:42We're off into Wellington today to go and see a chocolate factory.
12:45It's just one of the older amazing things about France, like all the local artisans like this.
12:50It's amazing.
12:52So what are you looking forward to today?
12:55Eating chocolate.
12:57Is that it?
12:58Yeah.
12:59You're not making chocolate?
13:01Well, yeah, making chocolate and then eating it, yeah.
13:03Looks nice.
13:04Bonjour.
13:05Bonjour, ça va?
13:06Et vous-même?
13:07Bonjour.
13:08Bonjour.
13:09Bonjour.
13:10Bonjour.
13:11Bonjour.
13:12Bonjour.
13:13Bonjour.
13:14Bonjour.
13:15They've come to visit Jacqui, a master chocolatier, whose family business has been running for over 100 years.
13:22We've come through.
13:23It's an old 16th century house above us, and it's just absolutely beautiful, like everything in France.
13:31Here, a pitcher of bananas.
13:34There we go.
13:35And we'll go to the chocolate later.
13:37Jonathan is going to be Jacqui's Christmas helper today.
13:42Hi-ho, hi-ho.
13:44So we're putting some Florentine in.
13:47Florentine, ce sont des amandes, de l'orange, du miel.
13:52So it's almonds, orange and honey.
13:58This is the first time I've made Florentine, so...
14:04Just the more attention I've seen him pay to something, a single task in forever.
14:09Yeah.
14:10He's absolutely loving it, so it's really nice to see.
14:12I think we've found what he wants to be when he's older now, so...
14:15No, chatelaine.
14:16He doesn't want to be a chatelaine, he wants to be a chocolatier.
14:18Yeah.
14:19With the Florentine mix in the oven...
14:22Apprentice Jonathan is on ganache duty.
14:29Excusez-moi, je suis en train de dresser les ganaches.
14:32While Jacqui creates the surprise centres for a tray full of truffles.
14:38You can put them in the fridge to, like, harden them.
14:41Harden.
14:42Yeah.
14:43Then he's going to cover it in chocolate.
14:45After 12 minutes in the oven, the Florentines are ready.
14:50Une feuille de papier.
14:51So, I'm on the last one now, so I'll do this one and I'll be done.
15:03To do things like this, it's every kid's dream.
15:05Yeah.
15:06To get the chance to, like, make little chocolate treats like this.
15:11Yeah.
15:12It's fantastic.
15:15A dusting of raw cacao to finish off the truffles.
15:25Yeah, you'll be happy.
15:27I'm a dog.
15:28Danner will be happy.
15:31I think they're brilliant.
15:33They're good, aren't they?
15:34Oh.
15:35Not wanting to leave empty-handed, there's just time to buy a Christmas gift for Nana.
15:42Nana will like us.
15:44Bonjour.
15:45C'est possible pour nous acheter les truffles et les orange chocolat.
15:49Oui, s'il vous plaît.
15:50Merci beaucoup.
15:51Merci.
15:53Bonne journée, au revoir.
15:54Bonne journée, bonne dimanche.
15:55It's just made it feel so much like Christmas.
15:58Yeah.
15:59Just doing sync like this.
16:00And seeing him, he was in his element.
16:02Genuinely, absolutely.
16:03I think he's found his vocation in life.
16:05He's going to be a chocolatier.
16:06Yeah.
16:07I think you want to be one, don't you?
16:08Yeah.
16:09Yeah.
16:11Terry, Ashley and certainly Jonathan have had a taste of Christmas.
16:17They're ready for the real thing now.
16:23Five hours south at Jane and Rory's, the stables need to be made ready for an extra guest this Christmas.
16:32And eager to add some festive cheer, they've gone searching for decorations.
16:38Thankfully, the previous occupants left a generous supply behind.
16:44The previous owners left all their possessions when we bought the property and that included a vast stock of Christmas decorations, most of which are in the barn.
16:57Oh, yes.
16:58Oh, yes.
16:59We are home to Mr. and Mrs. Bauble.
17:00Oh, they're nice.
17:01Oh, it's stockings to hang up.
17:02Stockings.
17:03Brand new, unused stockings.
17:04How many are there?
17:05Well, there's that one.
17:06And that one.
17:07Oh.
17:08And that one.
17:09And that one.
17:10And that one.
17:11Oh, my gosh.
17:12And you suddenly find boxes and boxes of things you never knew, you never knew, you never knew, you never needed.
17:15Oh.
17:16Look at that.
17:17Oh, my goodness.
17:18That could be quite handy.
17:19Decorating the barn.
17:20Yeah.
17:21And it flat packs.
17:22Meanwhile, outside, there's a 25-foot fir tree that is looking decidedly unmerry.
17:27Oh, my gosh.
17:28Oh, my gosh.
17:29And you suddenly find boxes and boxes of things you never knew, you never knew, you never knew, you never needed.
17:32Oh, look at that.
17:33Oh, my goodness.
17:34That could be quite handy.
17:35Decorating the barn.
17:36Yeah.
17:37And it flat packs.
17:39Meanwhile, outside, there's a 25-foot fir tree that is looking decidedly unmerry.
17:49Unmerry and bright.
17:51I have never in my life tried to decorate a tree this big.
17:56I mean, it's a tree that's about as big as some town centres might have.
18:00So, they would normally decorate them with a cherry picker, I imagine, which I don't have.
18:05I have a stepladder and a long bit of bamboo.
18:08But I'm sure my results will be the same.
18:12Christmas isn't Christmas without first untangling hundreds and hundreds of metres of fairy lights.
18:19Oh, look.
18:21See, I'm untangling them and then there's just the pile that's getting tangled back up again.
18:25Ugh.
18:26Oh, dear.
18:28Six metres of lights untangled.
18:32Now to get them on the tree.
18:34Rory's patented light hanging hook.
18:39To the Christmas tree.
18:44It's almost too hooky.
18:47Whoop.
18:48It's like extreme hook-a-duck at the fairground.
18:58The tricky thing is knowing what they're going to look like when it's dark and whether it's going to look like there's big gaps in the lighting.
19:08Rory has taken on a Yuletide challenge on a chateau-sized scale.
19:15And with further bright ideas for the stables, his work is not over yet.
19:2799 miles away at Chateau des Vieilles Vignes.
19:31Now you can actually hook this up there.
19:33Exciting.
19:34In the dining room, Nick and his stepfather John are determined there will be light this Christmas.
19:43Oh, that's perfect.
19:45While Nicole focuses on the seating arrangements.
19:49I am upholstering one of our dining room chairs, so this is quite critical because it needs to be ready for Christmas.
19:56It's a really nice course here.
19:58I attend it every week and what we do is we take old pieces of furniture that we've found, family heirlooms and things they've found in Brokants and giving them a new lease of life.
20:11I've already attached the fabric on the back and now I'm putting down Hessian.
20:15It is quite nerve-wracking doing this because you don't want the whole chair to fall apart as you have somebody sit down on it, but it's also so much fun.
20:28Back at the Chateau, Nick and John are trying to gauge the right height for Nicole's huge lanterns.
20:39Yeah, I think that's a good boo, so we're sitting down.
20:42I think that's a good height.
20:44Anyway, we don't have to finish that until the boss comes back.
20:52A second light to match.
20:54It's a nice vertical hole you did there.
20:57It's a first.
20:59But things aren't going quite so smoothly for Nicole.
21:04I've just found out that I have held my staple gun in the wrong angle, which means that the staples came out on the other side.
21:13I just need to get these out now.
21:17How do we get that one out?
21:19It's coming, don't worry.
21:20Oh, good.
21:21Coming to this class is definitely a respite from the heavy-duty DIY that Nick and I are constantly doing.
21:34So this feels like a bit of...
21:37It's a bit of a haven for me.
21:42I'm really hoping she likes how they look, especially the height, because, again, this isn't always the easiest to adjust.
21:49And what could go terribly wrong now is that I cut through the fabric and make a massive hole in my chair.
21:57Christmas will be ruined.
22:00It looks great.
22:02I really, really like that.
22:04So it's flowers from France, colors from Sweden.
22:08Only three more to go after this one.
22:10Really looking forward to having these beautiful chairs around our new dining room table.
22:16And just, yes, enjoying Christmas on beautiful chairs.
22:20Back home, Nicole's vision for the dining room is becoming clearer.
22:28Wow.
22:30What do you think?
22:31This looks phenomenal.
22:33Yeah? Is this what you had in mind?
22:34I am so pleased, yes.
22:36I mean, the whole scheme is just coming together.
22:40It's absolutely beautiful.
22:41And I think, I mean, the color goes so well with the table, doesn't it?
22:45Grand furniture and lanterns have brought the vast dining room to life.
22:51But it still needs to be dressed and sparkling in time for the Christmas party.
22:57Still to come.
23:01Raspberry some mince pie.
23:03Unconventional ingredients cause uncertainty at this chateau.
23:08I'm getting ye of little faith here, Gerald.
23:10No, no, no, Stephanie. I'm just watching in amazement.
23:13Yay!
23:14And it doesn't look like Jane and Rory will manage a silent night any time soon.
23:20Harry is obviously kind of going, oh my God, who's this? Is this new horse a threat?
23:24Amidst the rolling fields of central France lies the magical Chateau de la Lande.
23:39Set in 60 acres and with 50 opulent rooms,
23:44its 16th century splendour struck the right note for former opera singer Stephanie,
23:52who bought the place in 2005 for £600,000.
23:58How's that wine?
23:59Very nice.
24:00Excellent placement of a bauble.
24:03Living the Chateau dream with her are fiancé Philip and the princely Galahad.
24:09Christmas is all about the people that you spend it with.
24:12And I love the fact that we'll wake up in the same house.
24:15We will come running downstairs to see the fire lit and the Christmas tree lit.
24:20It's magical.
24:23Located two hours east of Poitiers,
24:26Stephanie is the queen of Chateau Christmas festivities.
24:31Marie, I think we need you in this.
24:33The three degrees.
24:34And celebrations have included transforming the Chateau Courtyard into a festive fairy tale.
24:44Welcome everybody to our Winter Wonder La Lande.
24:52And last year, delivered a culinary experience with bells on.
24:58Ladies and gentlemen, I present Christmas Dinner Wellington.
25:02This year is one of our most exciting Christmases yet because we've been restoring the chapel of the Chateau.
25:10So we want to invite all of the locals to come and see the work that's been going on.
25:14And we're decorating the chapel so that it feels very Christmassy and festive and putting the nativity scene in there.
25:19With the opening party just days away, Stephanie and Sue Elf Jerry are making traditional treats for the guests.
25:30Have you made mince pies before?
25:32Made them? I've never even tasted them.
25:33Yeah, you've tasted them, okay.
25:37So here we have all of the mixed fruits. We've got sultanas, raisins, currants.
25:42Actually, we've got some cranberry in there as well.
25:44Make it even more Christmassy.
25:46So that is going in first.
25:49But then I thought, what can we do to make it a little bit French?
25:52And we have these amazing raspberries. They're steeped in alcohol. They're really strong.
25:59And that's going to make anything better, isn't it? Surely.
26:02Raspberries and mince pie.
26:04Yep, there we go. Yep, yep.
26:05Oh, well. Sorry, I'm getting ye of little faith here, Gerald.
26:08No, no, no, Stephanie, I'm just washing in amazement. The ingredients are great.
26:12And then suet, which I had to bring from England because you really can't get that here at all.
26:16I love the smell of the orange zest with all the spices.
26:22Well, Christmas, I always remember Christmas, we always got an apple and a tangerine.
26:28And at the bottom of the bed in a sock.
26:31Did you get presents as well as that or was it, Justin?
26:33No, that was it.
26:40Gerald, you found your calling.
26:42Apple anger.
26:46Christmas fury.
26:48Be careful of the fingers.
26:53And now we just need brandy.
26:56Now, how much brandy are you going to put in?
26:58No idea. Literally have no idea.
27:01Do you think? One for Christmas, one.
27:03One for Father Christmas in there as well.
27:05One for Father Christmas, yeah.
27:06OK, I think that was quite a bit.
27:08Ooh, but it smells so good.
27:10Look at those little raspberries. I've never had a raspberry in a mince pie.
27:15Well, my nose is going to be like that tomorrow.
27:18Stephanie's sweet treats have been lovingly laced with flavours of Christmas.
27:24But with a chapel still to decorate, there's plenty more festive spirit needed before the job's done.
27:30Three hours to the south, at Nick and Nicole's. It's the day before their champagne Christmas party.
27:44And Nick has a festive challenge on his hands.
27:47I don't know how I've got roped into this. This is definitely Nicole's area of expertise.
27:53Um, sanding down before she varnishes to kind of get it looking slightly less tatty.
28:00I think it's probably closing in on a hundred years old or something.
28:08Nicole found the sleigh in a brocante.
28:11And it brought memories of childhood Christmases flooding back.
28:15Yeah, so that's definitely taking off that top layer of old.
28:19So it should be right to the varnishing in a bit.
28:27Hi!
28:29Aha! The mistletoe.
28:30Yeah.
28:31Nice. It looks really nice.
28:32I know. In the centre of it is just cranberry berries.
28:35Yeah, lots of berries.
28:37Oh, nice.
28:39Oh, that makes a huge difference.
28:40Because I was almost worried like, oh, we shouldn't do it.
28:42But oh, yeah.
28:43Yeah, and then once it's going to be varnished.
28:45Really well done. It's looking great.
28:47So I'm going to go upstairs and hang the mistletoe.
28:50Cool. Okay. Well, I'll just crack on.
28:51Brilliant. Good luck.
28:52See you in a bit.
28:53See ya.
28:58This was my first ever mistletoe picking experience.
29:02And we don't have them in Sweden.
29:04So for me, it was like a kid at Christmas seeing these.
29:08I was like, oh, my goodness, they're everywhere.
29:10They're huge.
29:11And I mean, they're perfect size for our Chateau because they're big and wonderful.
29:16If we like it, brilliant in there for now.
29:19And then I'll see.
29:21Okay.
29:24They're just so beautiful.
29:26I'm really pleased with that.
29:28And then I'll let Nicole go on and do some varnishing.
29:32Armed with more greenery from the garden.
29:36Brilliant.
29:37The rose of bay leaves add a festive touch.
29:41We haven't been able to fill out around the windows.
29:45And it just doesn't look really nice.
29:47So I'm trying to hide the imperfections just for Christmas.
29:53Oh, I'm very happy with that. That's nice.
29:55With an expected 14 guests tomorrow, Nick starts prepping some festive nibbles while Nicole whips the little sleigh into shape.
30:10I really wonder how old it is.
30:13How are you getting on over there?
30:14Yeah, I'm almost done.
30:17I can't remember a winter when we didn't go sleighing.
30:22It was just, it's just a part of, I think, most Swedish children's childhoods.
30:27And I won't know what to experience that as well.
30:30Well, I am done varnishing it. I'm really happy with that.
30:35Looks good.
30:36And now it just needs to dry.
30:41It's almost the end of the day and help has arrived.
30:46Welcome. Hello.
30:48So good to see you.
30:50In the shape of Nicole's best friend Caroline, husband Thierry and son William.
30:56Come on up.
30:57Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
30:59The family were last here over a year ago.
31:04Before work had started on the kitchen and dining room.
31:08Oh, wow.
31:10How did you come up with all of this?
31:12We planned this years ago, so we knew exactly what we wanted.
31:15I think it's very you.
31:17Like, it's really your colors, your style, and it's very French.
31:22And a bit of Sweden.
31:24A little bit of Sweden.
31:25Yeah.
31:26Christmas stars.
31:27The stars.
31:28Hanging crookedly.
31:29Yeah.
31:30No, but I think it's amazing, because it felt like, last time I was here, I was wondering, when is it, what is this?
31:37And yeah, now it feels like it's really getting somewhere.
31:41Yeah.
31:42Yeah, it's been a lot of hard work, almost a bit too much.
31:45At times.
31:46And it's so nice that you were here.
31:48To celebrate with us.
31:49This is the best.
31:50This is literally the best.
31:51This is the best Christmas wish.
31:52Their first guests have arrived, and they have started to set the scene.
31:58But there's still a chateau to blitz with baubles before tomorrow's party.
32:03In southern France, at Chateau de Piquon, Jane and Rory's Christmas present to themselves has arrived.
32:17Neighbour and local breeder, Carina, is here with Dizzy.
32:21Hey, Dizzy.
32:22Hey, Dizzy.
32:23It's time to meet his new friends, Penny and Harry.
32:27Come.
32:29Oh, Harry.
32:30Oh, Harry.
32:31Oh, dear.
32:33I might just go and get them a little treat.
32:37Yep.
32:38Oh.
32:39He tried kissing her too quickly.
32:42Not on the first date.
32:44Harry is obviously kind of going, oh, my God, who's this?
32:47Is this new horse a threat?
32:50Penny seems to be quite chill.
32:51She's like, oh, okay.
32:52This could be quite nice.
32:56Do you want a carrot, Dizzy?
32:58Would you like a carrot, Harry?
32:59Come on.
33:01Everyone's relaxed a little bit.
33:04I seem to be, uh, I seem to be getting the hang of it.
33:09For Rory, it is if all his Christmases have come at once.
33:13It's so lovely and exciting to see them in the stable together.
33:17And knowing that we can just come down, feed the horses.
33:20Oh, should we go out riding today?
33:21Oh, why not?
33:22Delightful.
33:26It feels wonderful to have Dizzy here.
33:29And, uh, yeah.
33:30And the thought of the two of us riding out together is...
33:34It will be a dream come true.
33:39With Dizzy making himself at home,
33:42Santa's elf, Rory, wants to make things feel a little more merry.
33:47So I thought perhaps the horses should have a Christmas stocking each
33:50into which perhaps Rudolph will leave them a carrot each.
33:55With many decorations left by the previous owners,
33:58they both want to brighten up the stables.
34:01Yeah, just a little finishing flourish.
34:04Something a little bit sparkly.
34:06I thought these would make, uh,
34:08make a nice little Christmassy decoration.
34:11With a bow, perhaps.
34:12Nice big Christmassy bow.
34:14Where would you like the skis of wonder?
34:20Oh, yes, the skis of wonder.
34:23Brilliant.
34:25Yeah.
34:26There.
34:27That would work.
34:28Christmas appears bright within this lowly stable.
34:32And Dizzy's arrival calls for a celebration.
34:35Obviously, we're going to need some fizz, some, you know, something,
34:39maybe some nibbles.
34:41Yeah.
34:42But, um, yeah, no, I think we're ready.
34:44As night falls, twinkling lights guide the way to the stables
34:56for a spur-of-the-moment soirée with their new neighbours.
35:01Shall we open the fizz?
35:02Absolutely.
35:07Joyeux Noël.
35:08Joyeux Noël.
35:09Joyeux Noël.
35:11Oh, merci.
35:14Jane and Rory have a new horse, new friends,
35:18and lights to celebrate their first Chateau Christmas.
35:23The future is already beginning to look bright.
35:27Still to come.
35:33Nicole will secretly come by and just move everything back
35:36to how she would like it.
35:38Will Nick and Nicole's dining room be party-ready in time?
35:43This is what I'm worried about.
35:45I'm getting a listen in Christmas.
35:47And can Stephanie perfect an age-old tradition?
35:51You might not be learning how to make mince pies
35:53because I don't know what I'm doing.
35:54Stephanie, you know it's rock and roll.
35:56Well, the proof will be in the eating.
36:05In central France, at Chateau de la Lande...
36:09Here we go, Gerald.
36:10It is pastry time in the kitchen.
36:13..all is merry and bright,
36:15with Stephanie and Gerald making mince pies
36:17for the chapel open day.
36:20And I made the pastry with bits of orange zest in it,
36:23so hopefully that'll make it even more delicious.
36:27Would you say this mince pie is more fruity than meaty?
36:31Er, yes I would, Gerald, because we don't put meat in mince pies
36:35and haven't done so since Elizabethan times.
36:37Then why do they call it mince pie if there's no mince in it?
36:40Because...
36:41They used to have mince.
36:42They used to have mince.
36:43And I guess people realise that the favourite bit in it
36:45was the sugar and the spices and the fruits,
36:48and they stopped bothering with the meat.
36:49You know, not only am I learning how to cook mince pies,
36:53I'm getting a lesson in Christmas and the history.
36:56To be fair, Gerald, you might not be learning how to make mince pies
36:58because I don't know what I'm doing.
37:00Stephanie, this is it. I'm watching you.
37:02Do you know that's rock and roll?
37:04Well, the proof will be in the eating.
37:08All wrapped up with cooking duties,
37:11Stephanie has asked florist Marie
37:13to help make some festive decorations for the chapel party.
37:18I've come out here today to forage some Christmas greenery
37:23for our events garland
37:26and then I'm doing a Christmas wreath.
37:34This is exactly what we want.
37:36This is a classic winter green.
37:38It's fir and it's got two double sides of colour,
37:41which I adore as a florist.
37:43And it's just giving that contrast to the Christmas garlands.
37:49It's really pretty. I love this.
37:53Heading back to her studio,
37:55Marie starts creating.
37:59All right, so I've got this string up now
38:01so that I can make the garland easily.
38:04So I'm going to make little bouquets in my hand
38:07and we're going to put them around the string.
38:10There we are.
38:11And we take our wire
38:12and we pull the wire around the bouquet
38:16about two or three rounds around the greenery.
38:22It smells so good.
38:23Once you start rubbing the greenery,
38:26all the scent of the greenery comes out
38:29and it really starts smelling like Christmas.
38:36Heavenly festive fragrances are wafting from the kitchen too.
38:41Stephanie.
38:42Don't say it.
38:43Don't say it.
38:44Don't say it, Gerald.
38:45What's that I can smell?
38:46Don't say it.
38:47Team spirit.
38:48Every time.
38:49Every time without fail.
38:51Or do you think it's just the brandy?
38:53I think it's brandy, oranges and spices.
38:57And I'm just going to brush them with some egg so they go golden.
39:02That's the reason.
39:03That's the reason.
39:04And then we're going to discover
39:06whether mince pies should have had alcoholic raspberries in all along.
39:09I'm putting them in, Gerald.
39:11With the first batch in the oven,
39:17Marie has cooked up a magical garland.
39:21We're all done with making the garland,
39:24but I have a special surprise element.
39:29We have lights to brighten up the chapel.
39:34Yeah, hopefully they'll like it.
39:44Look at these, Gerald.
39:46And they still smell delicious.
39:48There we go, Gerald.
39:50They came out.
39:51It is a miracle.
39:52Thanks.
39:53A Christmas miracle.
39:54I do think we need to try them, don't you?
39:58My first moon's pie for this Christmas.
40:01Mmm.
40:02Merry Christmas.
40:03Merry Christmas and cheers, Sous Chef.
40:05Sous Elf.
40:06They're delicious.
40:07You can taste every ingredient in there.
40:10Oh, I love them.
40:12And the pastry.
40:14Well, Stephanie, we've got a business here.
40:17Next year the money's going to be rolling in.
40:20This time next year.
40:24It's a Christmas recipe for success,
40:27but with many more batches of mince pies to make
40:30and the chapel to decorate,
40:32Stephanie's still got her work cut out.
40:39Nearly 200 miles south at Nick and Nicole's,
40:43it's the day of their Christmas champagne party.
40:46We have a lot on the agenda today.
40:49Caroline and I are going to be decorating the mantelpiece.
40:52I feel like we're on track, on target.
40:54Although this little guy might derail things,
40:56you just don't know.
40:57Hopefully we'll make it in time.
40:59Yeah.
41:00For all the guests arriving.
41:01First of all, a test drive for Noah.
41:04Oh, you can just imagine yourself getting pulled along by some reindeer.
41:11How cool would that be?
41:12Wow, look at you.
41:13Are you in the sleigh?
41:14All we need now is a reindeer.
41:15Yeah.
41:16The two dads have been entrusted with decorating the tree.
41:21So I can feel free to hang up the ball wherever I want to.
41:22Please.
41:23Yes.
41:24Very nice.
41:25You are in charge.
41:26I'm sure what we'll do is we'll basically just put everything on there and then Nicole
41:39will secretly come by and just move everything back to how she would like it.
41:43Especially if you hang it up like that.
41:45Yeah, that's terrible.
41:46I know.
41:47No problem.
41:49So Caroline and I are now decorating the mantelpiece.
41:52That's our job.
41:53This is what I'm worried about.
41:58For me, it's just, it's incredibly special having Caroline and her family here because,
42:06yeah, we've, we practically grew up together.
42:09So just having our families come together is so special.
42:14So, so special.
42:16It's like a lost nutcracker in the woods.
42:21The tree is dressed to impress and Nicole adds the essentials to Santa's little sleigh.
42:31I do usually just use Christmas, like beautiful Christmas bags because I find that whenever
42:39I give them away, they are reused the next year by somebody else.
42:43So it's a much, to me, it's a much more environmentally friendly way to wrap because these bags live
42:48on for years and years and years.
42:50It's time for her upholstery piece de resistance to take pride of place at the head of the table.
43:00Oh, wow.
43:01Great work.
43:02Looks amazing.
43:03I'm really pleased.
43:04I'm really, really pleased.
43:05Much better than the original.
43:06Perfect.
43:07Yeah.
43:08Finally, it's party time and the guests arrive.
43:15Hello.
43:16Good.
43:17How are you?
43:18Good.
43:19You look lovely.
43:20You look so nice and sparkly.
43:22Well, come on in and let me introduce you.
43:25They're all people who really matter to us and who, you know, we're really pleased to
43:36spend some time with and celebrate with.
43:38It's the best feeling.
43:39It's such a nice feeling to have people here with us.
43:43I think it's amazing.
43:44It's incredible what they've done, especially when you walk into this room, you see it decorated
43:49like this.
43:50It's absolutely gorgeous.
43:52Nick and Nicole have transformed what was an empty bare dining room into a warm inviting
44:02space to host family and friends this Christmas.
44:06An impressive bespoke oak table forms the centerpiece with Nicole's upholstered chairs
44:13and ornate lanterns overhead.
44:16I think we pulled it off, didn't we?
44:18Yeah.
44:19No, I'm really pleased.
44:20The food we made.
44:21Even stuff that we were doing for the first time actually seemed to pan out.
44:23Yeah.
44:24But no, this was really nice.
44:25I'm so happy.
44:26So pleased.
44:27Yeah, I can't wait to do it again.
44:28And I think we did a really good job making the place to a Christmassy.
44:30You did.
44:31Oh, and there's a mistletoe.
44:33Thanks so much for coming.
44:35I'm good.
44:36Hi, everyone.
44:37What are you doing?
44:38Well, here's my love to do.
44:39Nick and Nicole's wish has come true.
44:40They have a finished dining room to enjoy as a family with their friends.
44:44And just in time for Christmas, let the festivities begin.
44:54stephanie's party plans go awry there's looking as though we'll probably have a vat of mulled
45:02cider and a hundred mince pies to eat by ourselves one couple diy their decorations there we go
45:09there's woody the snowman and this pair challenge themselves to upcycle secret gifts it doesn't have
45:17many legs at the moment so that's not very good
45:47you
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