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00:01From the glistening waters of the Med to the mountainous Alps,
00:05all across Europe, brave Brits are chasing new beginnings.
00:09Let's get this show on the road, huh?
00:11I mean, just look at this backdrop here.
00:13Essex was nothing like this.
00:15The stakes are high.
00:17This is definitely a gamble. I put everything in. All my life savings.
00:21We've got a lot riding on this.
00:22Our futures, our children's futures.
00:24We need to make some money.
00:25As they launch B&Bs...
00:27Service.
00:28..and pubs in France...
00:30We're very new at this.
00:31Wow.
00:32Good job the wines, Chi.
00:34..to wellness retreats and holiday parks in Bulgaria.
00:38It's not big enough.
00:39We measured it. I don't understand.
00:41It's a journey into the unknown.
00:44Whoa.
00:45That's cool.
00:46Boo!
00:47But we're joining them for the ride.
00:50As they tee off...
00:52Oh!
00:53..their new lives in the sun.
00:55I just walk around with a smile on my face all the time.
00:58Less like ever!
01:01Today...
01:03..there's a right royal knees up at a chateau in France.
01:06So, everybody, grab your plates and go and eat.
01:09..as its owner pushes forward with new events.
01:12The party tonight has been great.
01:14It's a typical Sharon party. There's no holds barred.
01:16In Tuscany, a couple from London set up a new art venture.
01:20I think it's too windy, but the guests want to try up here first.
01:24But will their clients be blown away by their painting experiences?
01:28The main aim this summer is to grow the business
01:31so things just come organically.
01:33And also looking to expand...
01:35Mmm! Oh, my God!
01:37Really sweet.
01:37..a former soap star turned B&B host
01:40branches out in a bid to boost bookings.
01:43It's a really exciting thing for me
01:45because I kind of want to start building partnerships.
01:57French street markets are often more than just places to shop.
02:01They're living, breathing expressions of French culture,
02:04community and cuisine.
02:07They look different.
02:09Bonjour!
02:10The fig, oui, and un apricot.
02:15And since moving to the Haute Vienne from Lincolnshire...
02:18Merci beaucoup. Au revoir.
02:21..visiting their local market in Panazol
02:24has quickly become part of David and Sharon's weekly routine.
02:28It's lovely to spend a Sunday morning
02:30out at the market and in the sunshine.
02:33It's really lovely.
02:35Yeah.
02:35It's so different to England, isn't it?
02:36It is.
02:37Beautiful morning.
02:41David, who ran a packaging business,
02:43and Sharon, a former air stewardess,
02:46are continuing to live the high life,
02:48having bought a 19th-century chateau
02:51in the north-east of Limoges.
02:53Set within 62 acres of land,
02:56with grand reception rooms and 12 luxury bedrooms,
03:01Chateau Les Villettes has proved to be the perfect spot
03:04to open a chambre d'hôte.
03:06I didn't foresee running a chateau.
03:10Not like Sharon did.
03:11I think she had this dream for years.
03:15But it's working out well.
03:17This season, the pair have been trying to build
03:20on the increasing popularity of the bed and breakfast
03:23and fulfil Sharon's dream of the chateau
03:26and its three separate gites
03:27becoming an events and wedding venue.
03:30I've always liked the hospitality.
03:32I love entertaining.
03:34It's such a happy house,
03:35and to have people around, it's lovely.
03:38You can hear it laughing, no?
03:41Can I be excused?
03:43Yeah.
03:43With their first wedding booked for late this summer,
03:47the lion's share of the work will fall to Sharon
03:49as David continues with his recovery from cancer treatment.
03:54Because we've invested so much money into this, I want to make this work.
03:58But then I also have to try and make everything be okay for him.
04:02Sometimes I feel as though I'm not doing my best for him.
04:06I'm doing more for the chateau.
04:09But I'm sort of investing in everything, I think, and I hope, and I try.
04:17It's late June, and as the heat builds across the region,
04:21it's a special occasion at the chateau.
04:24It's my birthday, and I always like to celebrate in a style.
04:29And we've chosen the Venetian style.
04:31But the weather is absolutely boiling,
04:34and we're going to be wearing big dresses, wigs, and masks.
04:38My birthdays are always big.
04:40I always say, celebrate it like it's your last.
04:43But there'll be a significant absence on Sharon's special day.
04:48Dave isn't going to be here because he had to go to England
04:52to get his teeth done.
04:54So he's going to be missing out on my birthday tonight.
04:58So I did say to him, well, when you come back,
05:00we'll go out for a nice meal.
05:01So that's what we're going to do.
05:04Although today's party will be a personal celebration,
05:07with a wedding booked in five weeks' time,
05:10it's an ideal opportunity for Sharon to see how the chateau
05:14and its stunning grounds can cope with a bigger event.
05:18These are the menu cards that I've been making.
05:22We've just got some pictures of masks,
05:24and then I'll put the menu inside.
05:27These are actually going to be on the table
05:30against each person's plate.
05:34This is the piece de resistance.
05:37And it even goes with the colour theme,
05:40because we've chosen purple.
05:42This chair's going out in the garden,
05:44and I'm going to be sitting in the middle.
05:46So this is my seat.
05:49I feel like the Queen.
05:53Sharon's lady-in-waiting this evening
05:55is set to be employee Angie,
05:57whose principal duty is to prepare the party's bread.
06:01What I'm making now is a mini hamburger on a stick.
06:07Letters, tomato, slice of cheese, and a meatball.
06:16And there we go.
06:19As the events arm of the business grows,
06:22having staff she can depend on is crucial for Sharon.
06:25But today, it also means she's got more free time
06:28to get into the party spirit.
06:31It's so hot, isn't it?
06:33With her mum, Jean, and friend Daphne...
06:36So I thought...
06:39..this one.
06:40Beautiful.
06:41..who are among a select group of 18 invited guests this evening.
06:47And this, I thought, for you, Mum.
06:50But this one's got...
06:52..a bustle.
06:53..a bustle on the back.
06:54Well, I've got no bottom, so it'll do.
06:57And for friend Kevin...
06:59There you go.
06:59This is part of it.
07:01..she's assembled the perfect party look.
07:04Oh, do you want your wig?
07:07Oh, yeah.
07:09The wig.
07:10The perfect thing for 38 degrees outside.
07:13Fantastic.
07:15And with temperatures showing no signs of dropping,
07:19are Sharon's guests soon to be too hot under the collar?
07:28Since Brexit, starting a new life in Europe
07:31has become a little more complicated.
07:34There's extra paperwork and rules to consider,
07:37making it a trickier path to navigate.
07:41I'm just going to get some gloves on
07:43and cut us away through the acacia.
07:45But the beauty and opportunities to reconnect with nature
07:49in stunning regions like Piedmont in northern Italy
07:53means that many Brits, including Stephen from London...
07:57Just squeeze through here.
07:59..continue to chase the dream.
08:02This is the best way to see if the well has water in it.
08:09Definitely water in it.
08:12I wanted somewhere that felt like a haven from the world.
08:19Because I was starting to find the world really stressful.
08:23And you can kind of step away from it here
08:27in a way that I don't feel able to in England.
08:32It's about la vita bella,
08:34the want that most Italians have to have a good life.
08:41Stephen spent the past 35 years working as an actor,
08:44including roles in soaps like Hollyoaks and Coronation Street.
08:49But now he's the owner of a two-bed farmhouse
08:52near the town of Asti
08:54that came with its own woodland
08:56and a separate two-storey property
08:58that he's turned into rental accommodation.
09:01All in pursuit of his own vita bella.
09:06We can kind of look down the street of the village here,
09:09but no-one overlooks the land.
09:12So it's very private,
09:15which is why I kind of ultimately would love to host retreats here,
09:20because it really lends itself to that.
09:23Another important aspect of his new life out of the spotlight
09:27is that by moving here,
09:29he also lives closer to his Italian partner.
09:32But until he's got a residency permit,
09:34he's only allowed to be here every 90 days.
09:39My partner and I are going to have a civil partnership wedding,
09:46and that will enable me to apply for a permesso di soggiorno,
09:50the permission to remain.
09:52It's not straightforward.
09:53It takes a lot of hard work.
09:55It takes a lot of tenacity.
09:57I want to be here 12 months of the year.
10:00I'm absolutely determined.
10:03It's now early September
10:05and Stephen's walking his dog, Billy.
10:08It's back to number ones, Billy.
10:10However, his route today
10:11can't be through his own Italian woodland.
10:14Instead, it's along the Rochdale Canal,
10:16as he's currently on one of his three-month trips back to the UK.
10:21The great thing about this area is there's loads of great walks,
10:25and one of my favourites is just by the canal here.
10:29Sometimes just for a quiet walk, the canal's the best.
10:32It also provides a moment for reflection,
10:35as Stephen's been navigating a tricky summer season
10:38for his new Italian business.
10:41After running out of allocated days in the EU,
10:44he couldn't welcome his first guests,
10:47and then the leaks in his accommodation
10:48have forced him to take his rental units offline for bookings.
10:53Oh, God!
10:55And now he's been dealt another blow,
10:58as he's parted ways with his Italian fiancé.
11:03It's kind of difficult having a long-distance relationship,
11:06and then there have been the extra pressures for me of,
11:10you know, my residential status
11:13and getting my business up and running and all of that.
11:17It's meant that we just didn't get to see enough of each other.
11:21It meant it wasn't really survivable.
11:23We're still friends, but that hasn't been easy.
11:27The following month, to his relief,
11:30Stephen and Billy have been able to return to Italy
11:33to their beloved farmhouse in the woods.
11:36This is Billy's bed.
11:39And despite the setbacks,
11:41Stephen's determined to look ahead to the future.
11:47Right.
11:49Get a bit of admin done.
11:52Including doing some research into his options
11:55to secure Italian residency.
12:00It's really tricky for the business, honestly.
12:03My vision was to be really hands-on
12:07and a kind of personal service,
12:10which I can't do if I'm not here.
12:14But along with his visa enquiries,
12:17Stephen also needs to get his accommodation
12:19back open for bookings again.
12:22The main problem of damp is on this wall behind the bed.
12:27The cluster's completely blown, even though it's dry now.
12:31It's blown out, so that needs to be fixed.
12:34While the peak holiday season may be over,
12:37the region remains popular with visitors year-round.
12:40So the pressure's on to try to capitalise on it.
12:43The end of the day.
12:46The end of the day.
12:48Coming up, we meet a couple who swapped the big smoke
12:51for the Tuscan hills.
12:53You get to a stage in life where you want to do something,
12:56and in London it was just you were doing the same thing
12:58every day, day in, day out.
13:00And as the party prep continues...
13:03Under the marquee outside, it's absolutely boiling hot.
13:07It's not just Sharon sweating.
13:10Oh, look at the candy melting!
13:12Gosh! That is unbelievable!
13:24Tuscany in central Italy isn't just a beautiful corner of Europe
13:28that invites you to slow down.
13:30Its diverse landscapes encourage you to see the world differently.
13:34This looks very pretty all year round.
13:38Something husband and wife Tara and Branton...
13:41Come on.
13:42...now try to soak up as much as possible,
13:45since deciding to relocate here from London.
13:49The area is called La Serra, and it's just a view of the rolling hills,
13:54which is just one of the reasons we moved here,
13:57so that we can look at that every day.
14:00It was the medieval village of Petreli that truly captured their hearts.
14:07It's just the charm of the place.
14:10It's just the silence, the countryside.
14:14When you're coming from London, it's completely different.
14:20You get to a stage in life where you want a project,
14:22you want to do something, and in London it was just
14:25you were doing the same thing every day, day in, day out.
14:28Coming here and looking around and seeing what you could have.
14:34It's so much more important than just that daily drudge.
14:38Branton, who worked as a lighting designer,
14:41and Tara, who has a background in family law,
14:44now live in a €400,000 hilltop villa
14:47on the outskirts of the village with their dog, Gracie.
14:50This is as tough as it gets for her.
14:53With four bedrooms, a swimming pool, outdoor kitchen,
14:56and five and a half acres of land with olive groves,
15:00it's the perfect rural retreat.
15:03And boasting a view that feels lifted from a Renaissance painting,
15:07it inspired the pair to set up a new artistic endeavour.
15:12Petchley Paint and Palette is a business that we set up here
15:17where people can come, they can paint, they can colour, they can draw.
15:23We've got three 60-degree views, which is quite unusual.
15:27We provide them with all the materials to be able to just relax,
15:34wind down and be in the moment, which is, you know, what a lot of people fail to do.
15:41And at the same time, we'll taste some local wines of the local vineyards in the area,
15:46we'll have some Tuscan snacks and just have fun.
15:51Last season, Tara and Branton tested out their crafty idea,
15:55but so far haven't made any money from the venture.
15:59So this year, they need to find out if it could become a viable business.
16:04The main aim this summer is to grow the business so things just come organically.
16:09We don't have to work hard to get people to come and experience what we know is a wonderful experience,
16:18but until people actually get here, it's convincing them that they will have a lovely time,
16:23they will relax, they will enjoy what we're trying to put in front of them.
16:30It's now mid-April and Tara and Branton have one of their first bookings of the season.
16:36Their guests today having chosen their venue to celebrate a special occasion.
16:41Today, we have got eight...
16:44Hens. Hens, eight Italian hens.
16:47All Italian-speaking, we have one who speaks English.
16:50My Italian is okay, Branton's Italian is beginning.
16:55The weather's not looking too good.
16:56We do have a plan B, but the guests don't want the plan B,
17:01so at the minute, we're planning to set up outside
17:04and hopefully, fingers crossed, it doesn't rain.
17:08If something happens, you've just got to adapt to it and make the best of it and laugh.
17:12That usually helps.
17:14With the hen party due to arrive in an hour's time and no rain yet,
17:19the pair need to set up the terrace.
17:22We have got cups, we have the canvases, the line-drawn canvases.
17:29We usually have a table set up with all the paints looking out over Petchley,
17:33but because there's eight girls, it's more fun them looking at each other and having fun that way.
17:38So, we're doing it a little bit differently this time.
17:43But after a little motorised assistance,
17:48to carry all of their art supplies to the terrace,
17:53Mother Nature is letting her presence be known.
17:56I think it's too windy, but the guests want to try up here first.
18:02I think I'm just not going to give people a choice in future.
18:06The customer's always right.
18:07I know, until they're wrong.
18:10Until they meet you.
18:18Back in France, it's now just two hours until Sharon's birthday party begins,
18:23and with the help of friend Kevin, she's making the final adjustments to the marquee,
18:29where she hopes to set up the buffet for her guests.
18:33I can't stand the feeling.
18:34No, don't worry.
18:35But the heat wave has left areas of the grounds impenetrable.
18:40We're just trying to hold it down to the ground,
18:43stop it going in the wind, but the ground is so hard,
18:47and I can't hammer it, and Kev can't use his hand because he's got a bad hand.
18:53No, forward.
18:54Towards me? Yes.
18:56Yeah, that's good.
18:59Sharon's hosting her first wedding in just over a month,
19:03and it's likely the temperatures will be just as high.
19:06Fit for a queen.
19:08So her party today will serve as a recce for the big day,
19:12and a chance to see how a larger event can run at the chateau.
19:17But already it's calling for some improvisation.
19:22It's so hot outside.
19:25We're having the food inside, but people will just come and help themselves,
19:31because under the marquee outside, it's absolutely boiling hot.
19:37Even inside, keeping their banquet of party food chilled is easier said than done.
19:43Oh, look at the camembert melting, and we're inside.
19:46It is so hot.
19:49Oh, my word.
19:50What's that?
19:51The camembert cheese is literally melting inside.
19:55You're joking. Look at it!
19:57Gosh!
19:58That is unbelievable.
20:00And it's not just the cheese which is sweating.
20:03I've been looking at the temperature gauge,
20:06only because I'm thinking of the clothes that we're all wearing,
20:10and it doesn't drop until about 10 o'clock,
20:14and I think that's to about 35 degrees.
20:16And we're all wearing Baroque dresses.
20:20So you can imagine how warm it's going to be for us.
20:25Even the dogs are just laying around, not moving about at all.
20:29Hiya, Betsy.
20:33With the catering challenges left to Angie,
20:36and local teenager Jawad employed to help with the serving today...
20:40We're just training him up to help us with food and guest arrivals.
20:46Sharon's hoping her party will also be good practice
20:49for the small team of staff she's building
20:51to help her host future events.
20:55I'm just about to get ready now,
20:57but I'm going to give Dave a call before the party starts.
21:01Even though husband David is missing out...
21:04Hello. Hello.
21:06Hi, are you okay?
21:07Yeah, fine.
21:09..and the couple are foregoing an income tonight,
21:11having closed the chateau for the private party,
21:14it's a chance for Sharon to let her hair down.
21:18Hope you have a good night. Don't drink too much.
21:20No, I won't.
21:23Oh, no, you always say that.
21:25It's my night of relaxation.
21:28Send my best for everybody.
21:29Okay, I'll speak to you later.
21:32I'm going to miss him tonight, it's not going to be the same,
21:34he's always been here for my birthdays.
21:36So, yeah.
21:37But anyway, we'll still have fun.
21:42Half an hour later, Sharon's friends have begun to arrive
21:45and head off upstairs to use the chateau's facilities
21:48to get changed into their costumes.
21:52Meanwhile, in the kitchen, pressure's building for Angie.
21:56With this kind of work for scootries,
21:59it's very detailed orientated,
22:02so you run out of time very quickly.
22:05But with the guests soon emerging in their glad rags,
22:09can Sharon's small workforce dish up a spread fit for a queen?
22:13I'm a little bit stressed because we're getting to that point
22:16where it's almost time for service
22:19and we have to put, like, the final touches on everything.
22:23You know, that's when catering gets stressful
22:25and you're running maybe a little bit behind time,
22:29because of the heat, of course.
22:37Coming up, Stephen plans a call to arms
22:40to get his accommodation back open for bookings.
22:43Me and the volunteers are going to clear all this vegetation away
22:47that will then guide the water onto the street
22:51rather than it soaking into my walls.
22:54And Tara and Branton's painting party
22:56also feels the wrath of Mother Nature.
22:59Girls have decided to call it a day.
23:02Let's just put it down to experience.
23:12In the shadows of the Italian Alps,
23:16undeterred by recent setbacks,
23:18Stephen's planning how he'll get his new holiday rental business
23:21back up and running.
23:24Bring it. Here. Now.
23:27But to do so, he needs to fix the root cause of the damp
23:30to stop it reoccurring.
23:34When it rains, all the rain flows down this steep slope
23:39and it soaks into the soil and gets in amongst all the vegetation
23:44and it doesn't go away, it just sits there
23:47until it sinks into the wall
23:50and ends up as mould on the inside of the wall.
23:53To help him redirect the water,
23:56Stephen plans to recruit some volunteers to work alongside him
24:00in exchange for free bed and board in his farmhouse.
24:05Me and the volunteers in the next week
24:07are going to clear all this vegetation away.
24:10Then we're going to lay a plastic sheet down
24:13and some gravel on top of that.
24:16So that hopefully that will then, because of the gradient,
24:19that will then guide the water onto the street
24:23rather than it soaking into the soil
24:25and then soaking into my walls.
24:29Fortunately, the upstairs unit, which hasn't been affected by the damp,
24:33can be reopened for bookings.
24:36And as he searches for further inspiration
24:39to boost his fledgling business and lift his spirits,
24:43Stephen's come up with a new idea.
24:46Hi, Stephen. Hi.
24:48Welcome.
24:51Today he's travelled to meet Clara,
24:54whose family have been producing wine in the region for over five decades,
24:59hoping to form a working relationship between his guest accommodation
25:02and their nine-hectare vineyard.
25:06It's a really exciting thing for me because I kind of want to start building partnerships.
25:11So we're going to have a bit of a tour of the vineyards
25:16and then we're going to kind of go through the winemaking process
25:20and end up tasting some wine.
25:22Yay!
25:23Not only is today a treat for Stephen,
25:26but he hopes that by being able to recommend local attractions
25:30and authentic Italian experiences...
25:32Look at the landscape.
25:34I know. It's absolutely beautiful.
25:36It could help attract bookings and provide a more personal service
25:41if he has to continue managing his business remotely
25:44while his visa issues persist.
25:48We can try together.
25:50Yeah.
25:50The grape harvest is finished, but this is what is left.
25:54Mm.
25:55Very sweet.
25:56Oh, my God. Really sweet.
25:57Yeah.
25:59The hills of the Vigliano and Monte Grosso d'Asti
26:03provide the perfect soil for the Barbera grape,
26:07which Clara's family carefully cultivate
26:10to produce a full-bodied red wine.
26:13I think it's fascinating.
26:14And what I love about what Clara's doing is it's so full of love,
26:19the love of the family, love of the land,
26:22love of the wine, the grapes, the growing, the nature.
26:25It's really inspiring.
26:27It gives me a route in on behalf of my guests
26:32to the local area and the local agro-tourism around here.
26:37Next on the tour, Clara shows Stephen inside their winemaking facility.
26:43Let's go in.
26:44Wow.
26:45Wow.
26:46And after a hands-on look at the production process...
26:49This is the cask.
26:50You see?
26:51It's where?
26:52..they head next door for a tasting.
26:55Allora, Barbera d'Asti, 2024.
26:58OK.
26:59We start with this amount and then we comment them together.
27:03OK.
27:05Beautiful.
27:06So, cheers, first of all.
27:08Cheers.
27:09The fruits of Clara's family's labour paired with local Parmesan cheese.
27:15OK.
27:16You can bite a little Parmigiano Reggiano and then you drink.
27:24Just the combination of the cheese and the wine together is incredible.
27:28Like, they're both delicious on their own but together it's like another level.
27:38After a turbulent start for his new business this summer,
27:42Today has provided plenty of inspiration and hope for Stephen
27:46as he continues to chase his Italian dream.
27:51It's a joy to be here.
27:53With the things that I love, you know, the people and the food and the landscape
27:59and the traditions and this absolutely delicious wine.
28:04Cheers.
28:13200 miles away in Tuscany, Tara and Branton are also trying to get their new lives in Italy
28:19on firmer footings.
28:22Now I'll have to go back down and see what it looks like from the bottom.
28:26But as they set up for one of their first painting events of the season,
28:30Mother Nature isn't on their side.
28:32Did your ladders blow over or were they already blown over?
28:36It's been blown over.
28:38Soon to arrive at their hilltop villa will be eight guests celebrating a hen party.
28:44Maybe we use the brown paper next time.
28:46Maybe we do it before half an hour countdown.
28:52It's not half an hour, don't say that.
28:55Just scatter the paints around the table, I think.
28:58Because some colours are more popular than others.
29:00And then this table is kind of ready.
29:03With minutes to spare, everything is finally in place.
29:07Thank you, Gracie.
29:09Come on.
29:12Just as bride-to-be Linda arrives with her hens who have travelled from Pulia to celebrate.
29:17Tutto bene con i cani, si?
29:20Ok. Ciao. Buongiorno.
29:24With the prosecco poured...
29:26A questa giornata fantastica insieme.
29:31There you go.
29:32That was a salutation.
29:35The painting party can begin.
29:38Ok, follow me.
29:41For €90 per head, Tara and Branton provide all of the art materials the group will need to create their
29:48own paintings.
29:49Take an apron and a seat and we'll get you started.
29:53A steady supply of drinks.
29:55Plus today, as the Tuscan sunshine is hiding, a little extra heat.
30:01It's a bit of insurance.
30:02Keep the girls warm so we don't have to take everything down.
30:06If you get cold...
30:07Hi!
30:08There's that.
30:18Tara and Branton head back to the villa to prepare the food with help from friend Jason.
30:25What does it need?
30:26Maybe just a bit more salt and pepper.
30:28Do you think so? It's got garlic in it.
30:31Their own olive oil, produced from their groves, also a staple item in their party spread.
30:37For a bench like this, yeah, it's perfect.
30:39Absolutely perfect.
30:40And it does taste nice.
30:41It tastes like a peppery one, this one.
30:42So it catches on the back of the throat, which is nice.
30:48Outside, after just an hour of painting...
30:51The group are well on their way to creating their masterpieces.
30:59But as the chilly weather persists...
31:03They take a break indoors to warm up and refuel.
31:12And ultimately choose to stay put for the rest of the three-hour painting experience.
31:20Girls have decided to call it a day up here anyway.
31:24The wind's picked up.
31:26April showers, let's just say in April.
31:28Yeah.
31:29So it's learning.
31:30You're always learning.
31:30And let's just put it down to experience.
31:32With the dining room turned into an impromptu artist's studio...
31:38Fortunately, the change of location doesn't seem to have hampered the group's creativity.
31:44Who is a professional?
31:47Who?
31:48Who?
31:49Who?
31:49No.
31:50No?
31:51No?
31:52No.
31:53Wow.
31:55The afternoon has provided their guests with the perfect opportunity to spend time together, ahead of bride-to-be Linda's
32:03big day.
32:03Fromage!
32:06Fromage!
32:08Fromage!
32:08Fromage!
32:10Fromage!
32:11This was an amazing experience, didn't it?
32:14Amazing.
32:15Thank you so much.
32:16Fromage!
32:16Fromage!
32:17Fromage!
32:18Fromage!
32:19Fromage!
32:25Fromage!
32:29Fromage!
32:31Thank you!
32:32I hope you enjoyed it.
32:33Good luck with your wedding!
32:35Thank you!
32:35Bye!
32:36Bye!
32:37Bye!
32:39But to really know if their venture can become a viable business, they need to build on this
32:44successful booking.
32:46I don't think you can think about it financially until such time as it gets rolling.
32:51I think everything now is just experience, experience, experience until such time as, you know, we get a good flow
33:00of inquiries.
33:02We need to do some more social media promoting and get ourselves on a few of the online platforms and
33:10hopefully that's when it will start rolling.
33:17Coming up...
33:18I've got it as long.
33:19Sharon Chateau gets a glow up.
33:22Swing it this way.
33:24That's it.
33:25Are you alright?
33:26And Branton hits the shops.
33:28Prosciutto!
33:29Prosciutto!
33:30To give their next painting guests a full flavour of Italy.
33:3515 euros and the taste is beautiful.
33:48In central France, it's the end of June, and with all of Sharon's guests now assembled and in costume...
33:55It's like March Simpson.
33:58...her masquerade birthday party gets underway and it's time to see how the Chateau will perform for a larger event.
34:11Usually playing the part of the Chateau's host...
34:13Are these the cocktails?
34:15Would you like one?
34:15Yes.
34:17It's Sharon who's the guest of honour today.
34:20Oh, she's here!
34:22Oh!
34:24Oh!
34:25Oh!
34:26Welcome everybody.
34:27Thank you for coming.
34:28And you all look absolutely fabulous.
34:32You've made such an effort.
34:34I hope you have a great time.
34:35After serenading their birthday queen...
34:38Happy birthday dear Sharon!
34:41Happy birthday to you!
34:44Hip, hip!
34:45Hooray!
34:47Thank you!
34:48Thank you!
34:49Cheers!
34:52The group gathers to take some pictures.
34:55OK, photos, photo shoot.
34:58Which Sharon can use in future publicity for Chateau events, but also to remember this special occasion shared with friends
35:05and family.
35:06One, two, three.
35:09Including Angie, who's delivered an impressive party spread.
35:14It's been a long day.
35:16It's been a great day though.
35:18I've had such a good time cooking for everybody and making everything beautiful.
35:23Angie, would you like to come over here?
35:26I would like everybody to go and eat in a few minutes, but also I would like to thank Angie
35:31here for doing all the food.
35:33She's done an excellent job.
35:35Superb.
35:36You are much welcome, Sharon.
35:38Happy birthday.
35:40So everybody, grab your plates and go and eat.
35:45While the evening's festivities might not have been a money spinner, Sharon's stunning Chateau has passed the test, proving to
35:53be a perfect events venue.
35:55It's been lovely.
35:56It's been great.
35:58It's been lovely.
35:58Such fun.
35:58It's been such fun.
35:59The party tonight has been great.
36:01It's a typical Sharon party.
36:02There's no holds barred.
36:04I can't wear my wig.
36:05I'm sorry.
36:05Too hot.
36:06The costume party's been a right royal success and a rare night off for Sharon.
36:12I'm 21 again.
36:15But as the Chateau's biggest paid event to date is fast approaching, the hard work is about to begin.
36:26The following month, with the wedding now just a week away, everyone's pitching in.
36:33Can we put it down a minute?
36:37Have a weekling.
36:40David's back from the UK and Angie's even brought her two sons, Owen and Dylan, to help out.
36:46The big marquee is coming next week.
36:48We still don't know what day, but this is here just in case the caterers need it.
36:56Sharon's not geared up for feeding big numbers just yet.
36:59So outside caterers have been booked to handle the wedding breakfast for the 120 guests.
37:06But if they're to win more business, it's crucial that Sharon and David make a good first impression.
37:12It's very important for me that everything's looking good because I want other people to see it and think,
37:20oh yes, I would like to get married here.
37:23So along with David's efforts tending to the lawns, Sharon's keen to fit a new statement piece in the Grand
37:30Salon,
37:31which will be used to welcome wedding guests.
37:34And Angie and friend Steve are helping with its installation.
37:39How heavy is it?
37:40Very.
37:43Jeez Louise.
37:44OK.
37:45Yeah, it is, but it's definitely excess to 25 kilos is this.
37:50I could love that.
37:51It's a lot.
37:53Suspending something of this size with so many delicate parts is a complicated process.
38:06I need to get it under here.
38:11Swing it this way.
38:12That's it.
38:14You all right?
38:16With the chandelier safely on the top level of the scaffold, there's one final move to make.
38:22Come on.
38:24Right, fools and horses moment.
38:27Is it on?
38:29That's on.
38:30After a team effort, Sharon's pièce de résistance is finally in position.
38:36Do you want a drum roll, please?
38:39Oh, yes.
38:41They're no Del Boy and Rodney, but if all goes to plan, next week's wedding could be Sharon and David's
38:48first step to making their millions.
38:56Back in the Tuscan village of Peccelli, it's now mid-June and Branton's been dispatched to the local shops.
39:05Salami.
39:06To collect some fresh food supplies.
39:10Prosciutto.
39:12Prosciutto.
39:12Prosciutto.
39:14And mortadello.
39:15As today they're preparing to host another painting experience at their villa.
39:20And 15.
39:21And grazie.
39:22Grazie.
39:23Ciao.
39:25Ciao.
39:27Coming into the village is important to mix with the local community.
39:3115 euros.
39:32And you've got stuff in London which has cost you four times that.
39:36And the taste is beautiful.
39:39His next stop, the local cheese shop.
39:43Four farms, please.
39:47Piecante.
39:48And rosemary.
39:49Rosemary and salvia.
39:51This here.
39:52Cipolla.
39:53Cipollina.
39:54And this here.
39:56Also...
39:57Aglio e patello.
39:58Yes.
39:58Perfect, thank you.
40:00Perfect.
40:01It's just so rural.
40:02This is Italian life.
40:04You know, it's not something I expected to find when I came here.
40:07They're very welcoming and, you know, the cheese is beautiful.
40:11With everything ticked off his shopping list...
40:14Grazie mille.
40:15Ciao.
40:15Ciao.
40:16Branton heads back to the villa as Tara needs his help to set up today's painting session.
40:24So I just plunk it all on the table and then Branton decides to make it look pretty.
40:28Branton has a design background.
40:30If people are stuck to start or they want a bit of advice, then they go to him.
40:35So he's the creative one.
40:36He's the arty one.
40:38The pair have begun advertising their painting experiences through social media
40:43and are trying to build partnerships with booking platforms.
40:47But while they wait for their marketing push to pay off...
40:50Right.
40:52So I think we're almost ready.
40:55They're grabbing every opportunity they can to fine tune their format.
41:00So today we have my middle son, his girlfriend, my eldest daughter and two of her uni friends.
41:10I've got my mum here too.
41:12She's another VIP guest.
41:14We're hoping that they can experience a bit of what other people pay to experience.
41:19Less profitable, but more profitable for the soul, I would say.
41:24I can't believe how smoothly it's going today because it's family, not strangers.
41:31Their feedback will also be important as they develop their new business.
41:37Tara's daughter, Georgia, who's here with her own daughter, has high expectations.
41:42I've come here with my friends, so hopefully we can reunite, reminisce and do some painting.
41:48I'm hoping that I can have fun, just some relaxing good vibes and good wine.
41:53Tara and Branton aim to cater for all artistic abilities, giving guests a choice of a blank canvas or one
42:01with some extra guidance.
42:04Who wanted to do the line drawings?
42:07No, you wanted to do a line drawings?
42:09Pre-drawn.
42:09Pre-drawn?
42:10Yeah, that would be it.
42:11The choice is yours.
42:12As the group pick up their paint brushes...
42:15Everybody set up okay?
42:17Yeah.
42:18..it doesn't take long for their creative juices to flow.
42:22No, I can see mine.
42:22Oh, you blended wrong.
42:24What the hell was that?
42:25They don't know what it is.
42:26You've seen nothing.
42:27I've done you've seen mine.
42:30It's really relaxing.
42:31More relaxing than I anticipated that it would be.
42:35You've just got to trust the process, that's the best thing about it.
42:38Despite being the most unskilled painter that has ever graced a paintbrush on a canvas.
42:45Despite today not being a paid event, Tara and Branton want everyone to get the full flavour of their painting
42:51experiences.
42:53So soon it's time to swap palette for plate.
42:57Guys, do you want to finish up so we can start the tasting?
43:00Yes.
43:01Just help yourselves.
43:02So Branton's going to tell you about the cheeses.
43:05This is a rosemary, because it's got the longer flecks in.
43:08And the bottom two is a picante, so it's like a spicy one.
43:12And the bottom one is a spicy one.
43:13That's really good.
43:14Well, that one is a spicy one.
43:16They're very particular about their food and drink here.
43:18It's their passion.
43:20After eating, today's gallery of artwork is assembled.
43:25Branton, you could judge them.
43:26As Tara and Branton trial a new idea to hand out a prize for the best painting.
43:33This one is my favourite.
43:35Oh!
43:35So this one comes first.
43:38So the prize is...
43:41More wine.
43:42More wine?
43:44And it's not just Georgia celebrating success.
43:47There are top marks for the hosts, too.
43:50It was really good.
43:51Yeah.
43:51Not what I expected, but yeah.
43:53It was good fun.
43:53Good food.
43:54Good laughs.
43:55It was nice to be with my friends.
43:56The painting was good.
43:57I think I got a lot more into it.
43:58I'm proud and I'm very happy.
44:01Look at me!
44:02Oh my, that's beautiful!
44:04But to really know if their new venture can become a profitable business, Tara and Branton
44:10will need to pull in more paying guests before the summer's out.
44:18Next time, love is in the air, but can Sharon deliver a wedding to remember?
44:25I do go a bit over top sometimes.
44:28Stephen plots out the next phase of his new life in Italy.
44:31It's heavier than it looks.
44:33But can he afford his grand plans?
44:37This, ultimately, is where I want the pool to be.
44:40I need to do quite a bit of saving up before then.
44:44I need to make some money.
44:45And as the summer draws to a close, can Tara and Branton balance their books?
44:51We're just trying to make it pay for itself, really, by trying to bring a bit of money
44:55in.
44:55To be continued...
45:19To be continued...
45:24To be continued...
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