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00:01Buying a home abroad is a big step to take.
00:04This is my piece of heaven now.
00:07But imagine taking that to a whole new level.
00:10I'm down! Amazing.
00:13The ghost villages of Europe are crying out for help.
00:17It's just like Battle of the Somme, innit?
00:19And a strong-willed few have answered their calls.
00:23Our whole world, our whole life and belongings are now in Ichaka.
00:27In this series...
00:29There's a real sense of history and you can feel it.
00:32We rediscover the settlement's time left behind.
00:36Like ten people living in the whole of Rabatana now.
00:39Where once it would have been thriving with schools and shops.
00:43And meet the intrepid Brits.
00:45Just trying to get this board in the hole without falling through.
00:49Who are trying to save them.
00:51It is more tricky than you imagine.
00:55But can they turn these crumbling villages?
00:58This is going to be a big crash.
01:02Into beautiful homes.
01:04This is no longer a ruin.
01:06It is now a chateau.
01:08And successful businesses.
01:09One are gorgeous.
01:13Or will it all prove to be...
01:15That was a close shave.
01:16...beyond their grasp.
01:18As it stands at the moment, in two years' time it might collapse.
01:21As they restore the past to build their future.
01:25The village has come back to life and that's exactly what we set out to do.
01:37Today...
01:37Ooh!
01:38Well, you're up.
01:40Quite windy up here.
01:42Kevin and Anna scale new heights in a bid to save their historic French estate.
01:48This is not just DIY.
01:51If it goes wrong it's a horrible expensive mistake.
01:55In Italy...
02:02Lucy and Jerry begin a brand new phase of their Borgo's resurrection.
02:07The dream is to cut the trees down and get the lake back fully functioning.
02:15While experienced saviours Carl and Francesca...
02:18We'll just test the shower.
02:20There's no end on it.
02:24That was a bit silly, isn't it, Carl?
02:27Well, at least you know it works.
02:29Prove there's always something to learn when saving a lost village in Europe.
02:34It's definitely a bigger project than we've ever done.
02:38We haven't bitten off more than we can chew.
02:40It's just we didn't really calculate the timings.
02:53It's just we don't know.
02:54Standing for centuries, the ghost villages of Europe have witnessed,
02:59and even played a part in,
03:00some of the most significant events in world history.
03:04This one is actually got German writing on.
03:09Like Kevin and Anna's rural estate.
03:12La Rosary.
03:14Located in the west of France.
03:17Starting out life in the 17th century as a bustling farm and vineyard,
03:23it was home to a large community.
03:26But during World War II, it became occupied territory by the German military.
03:33One of the reasons that this was commandeered, apart from the fact that it's a grand house, is the railway
03:40line that is adjacent to the silo, which goes all the way back into the nearest town, which is Luden.
03:46And from there, grain would have been railed back to Germany.
03:53Despite its chequered past, since 2020, the couple from Milton Keynes have been determined to give La Rosary fresh purpose
04:01in the 21st century as a holiday destination.
04:09We weren't necessarily looking for an estate of this sort of size.
04:13We wanted somewhere that was big enough for us to have a comfortable home and for us to have holiday
04:18accommodation.
04:19But we're very pleased at the extent of the buildings that we own now.
04:25Alongside running their jeet, the pair have converted the old carriage house into a pub.
04:31And now have the other 11 derelict buildings in their sights.
04:35The really, really major work would be if we converted these barns behind us into further habitable accommodation.
04:44We take on a different level of madness.
04:54It's now mid-August.
04:58Despite recently discovering major roof leaks in their network of barns,
05:02this morning Anna and Kevin are needed at their jeet.
05:07Their birds like to sit on the pergola and do their daily mess.
05:16As their holiday business must be run around their village restorations.
05:21We've got a jeet changeover today.
05:25We had guests leave yesterday who had been here for four or five days.
05:29Yeah.
05:29And we've got another group arriving today.
05:32Yeah, they only booked yesterday as well, so it's a last minute booking.
05:35Yeah, very last minute.
05:37But with expensive roof repairs on the horizon...
05:41Gives it a little bit more curb appeal, I guess.
05:44They need all the bookings they can get.
05:48Anna, we've had a message from the guests.
05:51Right.
05:52They're progressing well, they're going to be with us by four.
05:56Always good to know the guests are going to be on time when you've got a lot to do.
06:00So no pressure then.
06:03Powering through the cleaning, the jeet is ready just in time...
06:08Hello.
06:11Welcome.
06:11Come on in.
06:13...for the arrival of their guests from Belgium.
06:16They still have to decide if they sleep together or they take...
06:20Okay.
06:22Yes.
06:24Decisions.
06:25Yeah, yeah.
06:26Hard decisions.
06:29A nice family that have checked in.
06:31Oh la la.
06:34I think they're going to really enjoy themselves.
06:36Yeah, I think so.
06:37Particularly, they love the pool, didn't they, those two kids?
06:39Yeah.
06:39Yeah.
06:41It doesn't get any easier.
06:43You'd think we'd be seasoned pros by now, but...
06:47It's quite a lot of work.
06:48Yeah.
06:52The following week, there's still no time to relax or enjoy a pint in their new pub.
07:00Today, we're going to start the roof process.
07:04We're going to start on this side because there's less clearing to do.
07:07And what I want to do is start to take some of the tiles off.
07:12This is not just DIY.
07:15This is proper building.
07:18Yeah, this is proper.
07:19Never done it before.
07:19Never done it before.
07:21Not quite sure how to do it.
07:22If it goes wrong, it's a horrible, expensive mistake.
07:34Across in Italy, and also stepping out of their comfort zone,
07:39while battling to save...
07:41the lost farming village of Borgo Monticolae to the east of Rome,
07:47Lucy and Gerry from London...
07:49Mmm.
07:50...have learned to celebrate all the small wins along the way.
07:55Definitely one of the nicest lifestyle additions.
07:59As they guide the Borgo through a tricky transition into its next phase of life.
08:10We're three years into buying the farm.
08:12There's not been a single day I regretted being here.
08:15Which is interesting.
08:17There's been so many days which are like, a real struggle, a real stress.
08:23But the valley is more than anything I could have imagined or wanted.
08:28I mean, it's one of the most peaceful places on the planet.
08:32As they await planning permission to rebuild the Borgo's earthquake-damaged properties,
08:38the pair are focusing on saving other parts of its heritage,
08:41where they can push things forward.
08:46One of the greatest strengths of this place is how many options it offers us.
08:55For me, it's like being driven by the history of what was done here,
09:01at farming level, really drives the choices we make about what we do.
09:05Yeah.
09:07How successful Lucy and Jerry's efforts to revive the settlement's farming roots are
09:13depends greatly on the impact of climate change,
09:16a factor their predecessors knew less about,
09:19meaning monitoring the valley as the water table
09:22has become a regular part of the pair's routine.
09:27Jerry? Yeah?
09:28You know this is an old cow-drinking trough.
09:32And the more they explore, the more parts of the original infrastructure they find.
09:38We know, because we spoke to our neighbour Luciano,
09:42whose dad used to have cows here,
09:44that he said all the way along the river,
09:46my dad built these mini pools to give the cows somewhere to drink.
09:53We've found one or two, but coming down here we've just found another one.
09:58It's really cool that they've survived as well, that they've not been washed away.
10:02However, the same can't be said for where the Borgos Lake once sat.
10:08We're standing in the middle, really, of the old lake.
10:11You can see behind us the banks.
10:15The water wasn't at that level.
10:17The water was basically at the level where our feet are.
10:22And what's happened is because the dam at the moment luckily is still standing,
10:26all of the stuff that gets washed down during flood events
10:31has filled up the old lake with mud and stone and gravel.
10:38Wetlands have been essential in agriculture for thousands of years.
10:44And the lake would have long been a reliable source of water for livestock, irrigation and water storage.
10:51So restoring it should help safeguard the Borgos' future.
10:57The dream is to cut the trees down, dig out a lot of the build-up, the mud, the stone
11:04that's built up behind the dam,
11:07and get the lake back fully functioning.
11:11You want to put trout in it and do some trout fishing, because there used to be trout here.
11:14And it would be great also for us for water storage, basically, just help maintain water on the farm.
11:22Well, raise the water table.
11:24Exactly.
11:24And it's just restoring the history of the village.
11:28Having always hoped to reinstate the lake, in August the pair are making a start.
11:36Cutting the trees is the first stage in restoring the lake.
11:43Exciting, we're starting on the lake, finally.
11:46But having been hidden from sight for decades, it's one of the biggest tasks the pair have ever taken on.
11:53Fire!
12:02Coming up...
12:03Put it down, put it down a second.
12:05Karl and Francesca's rescue mission is at risk of freezing.
12:10Every day I come round now, it's getting colder and colder and colder.
12:14While in France...
12:16This is not what I wanted.
12:19Kevin and Anna's roof repairs already require a rethink.
12:23Yeah, it's a right mess up here.
12:25Ooh, worse than I thought, to be honest.
12:37Bringing a ghost settlement back from the brink can sometimes feel like a marathon...
12:43OK.
12:45...where the finish line keeps moving.
12:51I always wanted one of these.
12:54But in Northern Italy, not far from the city of Turin, experienced village saviors Karl and Francesca from West Yorkshire
13:01are continuing on their second lap around the course.
13:06It's definitely a bigger project than we've ever done.
13:10Yes.
13:10And when it is finished, it will be amazing.
13:13Leaning into their knowledge and experience from already saving the former winemaking village of Marais, which is now a thriving
13:20holiday destination, the couple are now attempting to replicate their success...
13:27You'll have some big muscles when you've finished, won't you look?
13:30...at a neighbouring settlement...
13:35...that was also abandoned for decades.
13:43If you're working on it full-time and you've got two or three guys, then it can be done in
13:47six months, eight months.
13:48So when you're doing it all...
13:49When you're doing it all on your own.
13:50We haven't bitten off more than we can chew. It's just we didn't really calculate the timings. That's about all.
13:57It's mid-November.
13:59And after a busy summer at Morais, Karl and Francesca are now spending every day working at Contini.
14:08Go for it.
14:09Piano, piano.
14:11Can you do it with one hand?
14:13Yeah.
14:15The seasons have changed.
14:17So have the working conditions.
14:21Every day I come round now, it's getting colder and colder and colder.
14:26Unfortunately, I can't light this fire because this fire is for central heating.
14:32If there's no water in it, then it could do damage.
14:35And it might not do any damage, but I'm really not prepared to take the risk because these are quite
14:39rare now.
14:41But with temperatures forecast to be below freezing in the coming weeks, Karl and Francesca have an idea.
14:49Put it down. Put it down a second.
14:52To stay warm, they want to install a smaller, temporary wood burner.
14:57Can you lift it on?
14:58Yeah.
15:00When Contini was first built, around 150 years ago, the main farmhouse would have had one large open fire to
15:09cook on.
15:11But to also heat the whole building.
15:14Where have you put the lid slow?
15:15In the rear.
15:16Ah.
15:17The village's heating system was updated over time.
15:21But when it was abandoned in the mid-1980s, it was still fairly rudimentary.
15:27We used to have the fire here.
15:30And the tube would go up.
15:33All the way.
15:34Hanging from the ceiling.
15:36You can see the little bolts and see them.
15:40So now, we'll just have a piece of pipe.
15:46Going into that and then into that.
15:48It's done.
15:50Albeit a temporary solution, the stove will allow Karl and Francesca to keep working as temperatures drop.
16:00Well, what's your press here?
16:02What down there?
16:02Your fire's going.
16:07Good.
16:07Oh, that's hot.
16:09Is it?
16:09Well.
16:10Yeah, good.
16:11Straight away.
16:13The following day, with the village having warmed up, Francesca's getting on with upcycling a second-hand dining table.
16:24While upstairs, Karl's working on the plumbing.
16:27The minute I turn it on cold, water should come out.
16:34When the pair bought Contini, they were still one of the original outdoor toilets.
16:40But having previously demolished it...
16:44Well done!
16:47...getting the new guest on suites up and running...
16:54...is a huge step forward in getting the village ready for 21st century living.
17:01We'll just test the shower.
17:03There's no end on it.
17:09Surely he'd have put an end on it.
17:13That was a bit silly, isn't it, Karl?
17:16It's okay.
17:17Well, at least you know it works.
17:19However, later on, Francesca hears dripping.
17:24I wasn't sure if it was the drainage.
17:29And as experienced village saviours, they know that rescue missions can often be one step forward...
17:38...two steps back.
17:41It's definitely leaking upstairs.
17:53Across in Western France, also keen to get a handle on the leaks at their estate.
17:59Ooh!
18:01Well, you're up.
18:03Quite windy up here.
18:05Yeah.
18:06Kevin's taking to the roof for a closer inspection.
18:10With Anna ready on ground level to clean and restore any original tiles that can be reused.
18:17I think there's more broken than good.
18:20So far, I've taken off about 20 tiles and there's only been two decent ones.
18:27Ooh!
18:29This is not what I wanted.
18:33A lot of these tiles through age have broken, which is why it slips about as much as it does.
18:41And you can see all this moss, when it's wet, it just adds extra weight.
18:47Yeah, it's a right mess up here.
18:49Ooh!
18:50Worse than I thought, to be honest.
18:51This is as it was maybe two, three hundred years ago.
18:56The Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, combined with innovations in kiln technology, allowed for mass production of
19:05uniform and affordable tiles.
19:07Meaning early villages fitted clay ones over the barns, often popular in warm climates to help keep buildings cool.
19:17Kevin now hopes to replicate their installation method, but with some modern extras for longevity.
19:26You'll have two like that, and they will be in mortar so that they can't move.
19:32Then you have a small one over there, like that.
19:38Then you have another one.
19:40So once you've got that base like that, you've got a solid bottom.
19:46And I've bought hooks.
19:48They're aluminium and they won't rust.
19:50The lifespan of these will certainly be as long as we're here.
19:54It's a job which is proving it's got challenges.
19:58It's not going to get any better, it's just going to get worse.
20:00And the more that we leave it, the more longer term damage that we'll have to the actual structure of
20:06the roof, the wood.
20:08We've done about, I don't know, maybe a good metre.
20:14So we'll have done four square metres.
20:17We've only got a hundred and sixteen to do on this side and then a hundred and twenty to do
20:24on the other side.
20:24I think so.
20:26Not only is it going to be a huge undertaking, but with only a few original tiles salvageable at this
20:33stage.
20:34Just leave that soaked for a little bit.
20:36Was that my next bag?
20:38No, these are broken.
20:39Oh, okay.
20:40It also stands to be an expensive one.
20:44I think it's going to be the case of doing a bit at a time.
20:46Yeah.
20:47The roofs are going to be the bane of my life for the next six months or so.
20:55A few days later...
20:56Come on, we'll show you around.
20:58Okay, thank you.
20:59After checking in their latest cheat guests...
21:02The kitchen, obviously.
21:04And there's a utility room here.
21:08Kevin's keen to make the most of the summer weather to crack on with the roof.
21:13That's inside out.
21:17Once he's figured out his new harness...
21:21And loops round.
21:24Ooh!
21:28That ain't right.
21:30End up like the hunchback in Notre Dame.
21:34While early villagers would likely have had little or no safety equipment,
21:39Kevin's taking no chances...
21:43This enables me to move up and down.
21:47But if I were to fall, this locks it.
21:54Especially as the roof repairs have become more complex.
21:58Not only do tiles need replacing, but now so do parts of the wooden framework.
22:05There are a few gaps, so if I see anything that isn't as strong as I would like it to
22:10be...
22:11I want to fix it.
22:13Been a bit of movement through time, I would think.
22:18And they've popped.
22:22This latest discovery means that getting these centuries-old barns watertight before the seasons change...
22:31is going to take even more work than they first thought.
22:39Coming up, things also get tougher for Lucy and Jerry...
22:44as they try to restore the Borgo's ancient lake.
22:48There's a slight risk the tractor will get stuck.
22:52Jerry thinks not, so we'll see.
22:55And with two villagers on their hands, the jobs mount up for Carl and Francesca.
23:00You can see for miles, and I can also see what work I've got to do.
23:17In central Italy, it's the end of August.
23:20And Lucy and Jerry are taking steps to restore the Borgo's old lake
23:24by removing trees that have invaded the lake bed.
23:29Willows are very fast-growing, and they're blocking up the exit of the dam.
23:36And the problem is that whenever there's a heavy rain,
23:39the water runs round the side of the dam, digs into the field,
23:43and undermines the foundation of the dam.
23:45If we let that carry on, then the dam is going to basically fall over,
23:50and it would obviously be a complete ecological disaster if we let the dam fall down.
23:54Having secured permission to fell the hazardous willows,
24:00Lucy and Jerry have called back skilled forester Carlo and his brother, Filippo.
24:11Willow trees are renowned for their fragility and their unpredictability as well.
24:20They tend to explode if there's too much tension and you go cut through it.
24:25You just release it too quickly, and it's quite dangerous.
24:33They're the biggest willows we've definitely worked on since we started.
24:38As the brothers carefully cut...
24:46Jerry's on piling duty.
24:50But recent unseasonal weather threatens to hold him up.
24:56There's a slight risk the tractor will get stuck,
25:00because the idea was if we did it in August, the lake bed would be dry,
25:04there wouldn't be that much water.
25:06Unfortunately, it rained two days ago, which kind of makes things a bit difficult.
25:10It's not too muddy, but I'm slightly worried the tractor's going to get stuck in the mud.
25:16Jerry thinks not, so we'll see.
25:20Having had a few tractor near misses since becoming village owners...
25:27Today, Jerry's taking a slow and steady approach in the mud,
25:31but also to avoid getting stuck on tree stumps.
25:37I'm just worried, but you need to...
25:38I know, I'm going to.
25:42That's why I stopped the cut.
25:44Okay.
25:47Got it.
25:47Got it.
25:49But tree by tree...
25:56More of the old lake comes back into view.
26:01Whoa!
26:04The only fly in the ointment coming towards the end of the day.
26:11Oh, my God. Look how close they are to Carlo.
26:14The hornets are buzzing around Carlo's head.
26:19It was going too well, and then this tree came down,
26:24which is a really big one, really heavy one,
26:26and it had a hornet's nest in it, so they all flew out.
26:30And then...
26:31So we moved on to try to take down the next big tree,
26:36and that's also got a hornet's nest in it.
26:39For everyone's safety, they decide to down tools for the day.
26:44But what's been achieved so far is no mean feat.
26:48We have gone from a little wood of willows
26:53to basically now having a lake bed.
26:57I would say today is the biggest visual transformation
27:00achieved in a day.
27:02Oh, my God, 100%. Yeah.
27:04Maybe.
27:05Next summer, we will be stocking the lake with trout.
27:12Next summer?
27:13That...
27:14You think we'll get the lake...
27:15To be fair, maybe we will get the lake...
27:17We'll definitely get the lake done before the house is built.
27:21100%.
27:21Yeah, definitely.
27:22Which was not really on our, like...
27:24That wasn't our to-do list order,
27:26but it goes to show if bureaucracy's involved,
27:28everything takes twice as long, so...
27:31While planning permission to rebuild the farmhouse
27:34remains up in the air,
27:36hitting major milestones like this with the old lake
27:39moves Lucy and Gerry a huge step forward.
27:43We've done really well.
27:45It's a good day's work, definitely.
27:58Over 300 miles north in Piedmont,
28:01Karl and Francesco are also on the cusp of a breakthrough.
28:06Yeah, I think it's stopping.
28:09Having now located the source of the water,
28:12dripping into their new guest rooms.
28:15Yeah, it's come out of the cold water pipe.
28:19It's what...
28:21Residual water was left in the cold water pipe.
28:23Right, OK.
28:25I don't have leaks.
28:27Right, I'm done now.
28:28Good.
28:29So, yeah, I'm happy.
28:30While there's still the decorative finishes to do,
28:34having reconfigured the building's entire layout,
28:37getting the bathrooms plumbed in
28:39is a significant milestone to reach,
28:42as they slowly bring Contini back to life.
28:47Right, so we know that that's all OK.
28:50Yeah.
28:51But as experienced village saviours,
28:54they know that's only half the battle,
28:56as keeping a village alive after its rebirth
28:59is a continued effort.
29:08And the following day,
29:11further water issues have called them back
29:13to their other village, Moray.
29:15I've got two leaks on the roof.
29:19One of them I think I've found,
29:20so silicone at the ready.
29:23That's that one.
29:25Winter-proofing Moray is a top priority,
29:28as the pair are planning to take a break
29:30from their rescue mission
29:31for a few months after Christmas.
29:35Yes!
29:38On top of the world.
29:41You can see for miles.
29:43See all the different villages over there.
29:48And I can also see what work I've got to do.
29:52Which includes preparing the village's
29:54extensive grounds before they depart.
29:59Obviously, Casemaray is shut down,
30:00and we need to cover some of the plants
30:02to try and save them for the following year.
30:04So if it gets too cold,
30:06the frost or anything,
30:08so we just try and protect them a little bit.
30:11So I'm going to put this over the lemon tree,
30:14and I'm no gardener.
30:17While Francesca protects their fruit trees...
30:20It feels warm in there already.
30:23Karl's got his feet back on the ground
30:25and is tending to their vineyard.
30:29I've started and I've done ten.
30:32Check that one out.
30:35So 990 to go.
30:38Pruning the ancient Shiraz vines is a big job.
30:42Hello, Bree.
30:43You've come to join us.
30:45Have you got your ball?
30:46But as the village's history lies deep in wine production
30:50that began over a century ago,
30:53the couple are determined
30:54Marais will stay connected to its roots.
30:58There used to be a vineyard,
31:01which was quite well known,
31:02but we bought the house 20 years ago nearly,
31:07and this hadn't been lived in since the 50s.
31:11So the vineyard's just died.
31:13So I'm going to keep that one.
31:17I've made it a lot worse for myself
31:19because when we had a big hail storm in July,
31:24I just left it.
31:26Whereas if we hadn't had the hail storm,
31:29I would have been in pruning, cutting back
31:31and letting the grapes grow.
31:33There's now even more motivation, though,
31:36for Karl to keep the vines in good shape,
31:38as next summer,
31:40Marais set to host its first wedding.
31:43It's for a family member, so...
31:46We've been thinking about putting
31:48bits of ideas down on paper,
31:50and by June this will all be really nice and green
31:53and it'll look really nice,
31:54it'll have grapes on it,
31:56albeit they'll be small and young.
31:58And then they're going to do photographs
32:00in the bandstand.
32:01I'm looking forward to doing it,
32:03pretty much so.
32:05If it goes well,
32:06it could pave the way for more village events.
32:10But it's a lot to take on
32:12alongside their work at Contini,
32:14which they want to push forward with
32:16before downing tools at Christmas.
32:20I want bathroom one finished,
32:24tiled, decorated,
32:25fully functional,
32:27even with hot water in it.
32:29We'll do it, we'll do it.
32:30We've got three weeks, yeah.
32:32If we can do it before we get away,
32:35that would be good.
32:36I'm sure we will get it done.
32:37I'm confident we will.
32:39Definitely.
32:42We'll do it.
32:43We'll do it.
32:48Coming up,
32:49Anna's also working to a deadline
32:51to rescue another corner of La Rosarie.
32:55I really need to get it done
32:56because if we were to get a booking,
32:58obviously it can't be kind of like half-stripped.
33:01And can Carl and Francesca work through their to-do list in time?
33:07Did you not read the instructions?
33:08There weren't no instructions on it,
33:10because she said,
33:11it's simple.
33:12Oh!
33:26In Western France,
33:28it's now early September.
33:33Using tiles he and Anna have been able to salvage so far,
33:37Kevin's battling on.
33:40Oh!
33:42To try and save the estate's barn roofs.
33:46It is slow,
33:47but I'd rather do it properly
33:50and get everything hooked in.
33:54The challenge I've now noticed
33:56is that we've got two different types of tile.
34:00Some are wider than the others.
34:02What I think I need to do
34:03is space out the bottom ones a little bit further.
34:07But we're learning as we go along.
34:09By the time I get to the end,
34:11it'll be perfect and I'll start again.
34:13Not, I can assure you.
34:16Not only is it a steep learning curve...
34:19I'll mortar these in
34:21and then I have to put the ridge tiles back on.
34:25But the autumnal weather isn't helping much.
34:31It doesn't affect the consistency of the mortar at all.
34:34The challenge I've got with the rain
34:39is that it makes the surface everywhere
34:44just a little bit more slippy.
34:48Becoming dangerous to continue.
34:51Much to Kevin's frustration...
34:53Oh!
34:54..he's forced to down tools and take shelter.
34:58It's raining,
34:59which has stopped us a bit earlier than we wanted to,
35:03but it's just not safe.
35:05It's slippery.
35:07There's no point.
35:08A good old cup of tea, though, I deserve that.
35:14However, four weeks later,
35:16after being exposed to the elements,
35:19the roof has leaked again, badly.
35:23It's just getting worse.
35:25And this year we have had the wettest year that we've known since we've been here.
35:34And then typically the October through to December is the wettest, dampest period anyway.
35:40So it's certainly been a freak year in terms of the weather.
35:48And potentially making things even worse...
35:54..is that Kevin suspects the chimney flashing is also faulty.
36:00Yeah, that's good.
36:02And to assess it requires scaling new heights.
36:09You can see it trickling down all the way down there.
36:12Less so here.
36:15But as all our village saviours know, when one problem arises, often another soon follows.
36:25Otherwise it seems to be sprayed back into my eyes.
36:30Inside the estate's holiday jeet...
36:32Some of these bits come off quite easily.
36:36..some urgent maintenance is required.
36:40The wallpaper in here is looking a bit tired.
36:42Gaps appear between the drops over time.
36:47And it's been up for four and a half years now.
36:51I really need to get it done, because if we were to get a booking,
36:54obviously it can't be kind of like half-stripped, half-not-stripped and not re-wallpapered.
37:00So, yeah, it's quite time-sensitive.
37:06I'm told Kevin yet, but what I'm thinking about doing in here is panelling to about this height.
37:12And then wallpaper on top.
37:15The popularity of oak panelling rose during the Renaissance movement.
37:20Spreading from Italy through Western Europe.
37:23And would have likely been a decorative choice for the estate's earliest owner.
37:28The quality of the oak used, often depending on the social status of the household.
37:36Using oak, though, across Kevin and Anna's estate, could prove costly.
37:42Are we going to have traditional oak panelling for our manoir?
37:46No, we're going to have MTF, 15 euros a pack from the DIY shop.
37:51She's such a cheapskate, she really is.
37:56But staying on budget is crucial while the roof repairs rumble on.
38:02Err, so...
38:03You're still alive.
38:04I'm still alive.
38:08Err...
38:09I can't actually see a problem with the flashing.
38:12No.
38:13Err, I'm clearing out all the moss.
38:16Yeah.
38:16Err, I think the problem could be a bit higher up with the tiles.
38:23Who knows?
38:24Who knows?
38:25Yeah.
38:27Jobs have a tendency to get a little bit bigger as you go along.
38:33And with two huge projects on the go, and just themselves to tackle them,
38:39Kevin and Anna are facing their busiest period as village owners.
38:54Back in Northern Italy, Carl and Francesca are also under pressure.
39:01Right, silicone.
39:03I'm sure I've got one open somewhere.
39:06With just three weeks to go until they depart for their winter break,
39:10they're trying to complete their to-do list at Contini.
39:14But tensions are mounting.
39:19Francesca's all we want to get figured out.
39:20We'll paint it, we'll spray it, we'll do it gold, we'll do it...
39:24We've got loads of building work to do yet, darling.
39:27You can't be dressing it up to undress...
39:29Look, you're dressing it up already and it's like...
39:31I'm not dressing it up. I was moving those out the other room.
39:35Go away.
39:36To allow them to throw themselves into hosting their first wedding at Moray next year,
39:42Carl's keen to stay focused on getting the master ensuite fully plumbed in before they leave.
39:50But you'll need Francesca's help.
39:53Don't scratch it.
39:54Did you not read the instructions?
39:56There weren't no instructions on it, cos she said.
39:59It's simple.
40:02Well, yeah, but you feed it through.
40:04You just sit here and watch the expert.
40:06I'll just sit here and watch the expert, but I'm telling you what to do.
40:10Yeah.
40:11Does she get it wrong?
40:13I love it.
40:16I'm just sat watching the master at work.
40:19No, darling.
40:23This morning's task is to try and fit a freestanding tap
40:27for the traditional claw-footed bath.
40:31But adding modern convenience to an ancient shell...
40:38..isn't so easy.
40:40This is really tricky.
40:42When you're in bath, normally, to the right it's cold, to the left it's hot.
40:53I hate standing around doing nothing, and to me this is standing around doing nothing.
40:58But after some adjustments...
41:02..it's time to test it out.
41:04Right.
41:05Pull it out, see if it comes on.
41:12Yes, it comes on.
41:13That was a bit of a hard job, wasn't it, darling?
41:16I didn't put a spirit level on it.
41:17No, I wouldn't.
41:21It's the next day.
41:23Let's see what we've got.
41:25The couple are now installing a new water heater.
41:28Cipressi, you got a minute?
41:31Yes, darling.
41:32To provide a constant supply of hot water to their guest bedrooms.
41:37Which will be a far cry from Contini's early days,
41:40when villagers would have lightly washed once a week in tin baths.
41:45Filled using buckets of water that had to be heated on the stove.
41:52Ready?
41:53Yep.
41:55Top first.
41:56Oh, top first.
41:57OK.
41:59Now, though, as holidaymakers expect more,
42:02Carl and Francesca must bring the building up to today's standards.
42:07That's it. We're done.
42:11But with one job complete, when saving a village,
42:14the to-do list is never-ending.
42:18I'm going to have to cut them all the same size.
42:21So, later on, they're hoping to finish the upcycling
42:24of a second-hand dining table.
42:30Repurposing some floorboards for its table top.
42:35Does it stick pretty quickly?
42:37Yeah, it's cold rapid.
42:40Rapido!
42:43Once Contini's fortunes are fully revived,
42:47the table will sit centre stage in the guest dining room.
42:50That's lined with original terracotta bricks.
42:55Terracotta's architectural roots stretching back thousands of years
42:59due to its fire-resistant properties.
43:03But it was during the Italian Baroque period
43:06that it began being used more dramatically
43:08in grandiose columns and facades.
43:14I don't think you've got this one right.
43:17That's upside down.
43:19Why did I do that?
43:21Being distracted.
43:23Oh, was it my fault?
43:25No.
43:25No.
43:25It was my fault.
43:27No.
43:28No.
43:29It's normal.
43:30I'll make a groove.
43:34Karl and Francesca have worked tirelessly to breathe as much new life into Contini as they can,
43:40before heading off on their winter break to recharge their village saviour batteries ahead of next year,
43:47which is set to challenge them in brand new ways.
43:53When we get back...
43:54When we get back at the back end of March.
43:55We actually won't be doing much work here at all.
43:58I'll be doing maybe two or three weeks and then we're concentrating up there
44:00because we've got a wedding in June.
44:01Yeah.
44:02So we have to get the gardens right.
44:04We've got all the vineyard to do before we go.
44:06We've still got our work cut out for us.
44:08Do you press it?
44:09No, because you're going to do it. Go on.
44:11What are we going to do?
44:13No, stop.
44:14No.
44:22Next time.
44:23Oh, my word.
44:25All this has blown off.
44:27Now, Rosaray is hit by a storm.
44:29Oh, you can see the damage on the slates up there.
44:34Lucy and Jerry's building plans finally move forward.
44:37That robot is so cool.
44:40It's like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with pipes.
44:43Overhouses, yeah.
44:44Of things getting shot along.
44:45And while love is in the air at Moray...
44:50..disaster hits Contini.
44:52Oh! Come out!
44:54Come out! Come out! Come out! Come out!
45:13Let's go!
45:13Let's go.
45:25Annferry slumpets, not to be the whole city ofria.
45:26Guys, we're gonna make these little lamps.
45:26Because I'll see you next time.
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