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Chateau DIY Season 11 Episode 1
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00:00Across France, there are thousands of breathtaking chateaux.
00:06Many forgotten and crumbling into disrepair are now being brought back to life by adventurous
00:15new owners.
00:16The plan for here is a swimming pool.
00:18We are, yeah.
00:19They're taking on monumental challenges.
00:23Nice and slowly.
00:24Restoring history while building homes.
00:28Wow.
00:29I think they've outdone Versailles.
00:32And thriving businesses.
00:33Squeeze in much tighter.
00:36There'll be triumphs.
00:37Welcome to the tower, sweet.
00:40Oh, my God.
00:42And setbacks.
00:43I wish you hadn't come up with this sort of thing.
00:46What a nightmare.
00:48But for those who dare.
00:50I love all this.
00:51I absolutely love all this.
00:53The rewards are extraordinary.
00:56Today is a very good day.
00:58Very, very good day.
00:59I'm really happy.
01:00Because this isn't just restoration.
01:02The best thing about having a chateau is being able to gather all the people you love.
01:07It's the chance to become custodians of their very own castles.
01:16Today, a daring DIYer.
01:19You hang that up there.
01:21I'll put this on the top.
01:22If this comes down, I will be furious.
01:25Risks a heavy price.
01:28Oh, I saw that move.
01:30Will a circuit.
01:32Got enough people.
01:33Cut this ceremony short.
01:35Electric is gone.
01:37And two new owners face up to chateau life.
01:42This is the biggest garden I've ever had.
01:52In western France, a stone's throw from the picturesque village of Saint-Pierre-de-Mayer lies the fairy tale Chateau
02:02de la Boutiniere.
02:06With 47 rooms spread across five floors and set in a 52-acre wooded estate.
02:16It's the dream home of interior designer Alison and builder Zion, who snapped it up for 580,000 pounds in
02:282021.
02:30When you come through that gate, you do feel very high.
02:35You think, wow, I live here.
02:36Yeah, really.
02:37It's quiet.
02:38It's peaceful.
02:39It's beautiful.
02:41For me, it's like a playground.
02:43I will never, ever get bored with this chateau.
02:45It's got everything we need.
02:46We're just unfolding all the ideas that we have.
02:50I love living here, and I have to say I never thought we would ever be able to own a
02:54place like this.
02:57Located a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Paris, Alison and Zion have been pouring heart and soul into
03:05the chateau's restoration,
03:07with grand plans to turn it into a luxury wedding venue.
03:14Last time we saw them, they completed a painstaking restoration of the whole rear facade, ready to host their first
03:25ever wedding.
03:30We are so happy to have you in our place and to get you married here.
03:37I mean, it's just perfect, isn't it?
03:40Today, they're preparing to host a 60th anniversary vow renewal in a special space tucked away in one corner of
03:51the chateau.
03:52It's very exciting because it's the first time the chapel has been used potentially in 40 years.
03:58Probably 40 years.
03:58Yeah, 40 years.
03:59And it deserves a good spruce up.
04:02A box for boxes.
04:04It's going to be quite a challenge to get it all ready in time,
04:07but everything's always a challenge and it always has to be done like yesterday.
04:10So, what's new?
04:1420 guests from an American church group are flying in this week for the service and a celebratory lunch.
04:22Probably put my Mrs Brush hat on.
04:25I don't think this chapel can have been cleaned in 40 years.
04:28I'm not really surprised because look how high I can get.
04:31That's about it.
04:32But I'm going to struggle with the rest of it.
04:36Reaching to the heavens of this eight-metre double-height space requires some chateau-scale thinking.
04:43Alison?
04:45Mm?
04:45Would you like some help?
04:47Yeah.
04:49I've got a small extension.
04:51Or how big do you want it?
04:53Seriously?
04:54How big do you want your extension?
04:56That's perfect.
04:57Eh?
05:03This is quite heavy to deal with.
05:07Oh, gosh.
05:09Look at the...
05:09Ooh, that is grim.
05:12Wah!
05:13Ooh, yuck.
05:1440-year-old cobwebs.
05:18Navigating the original 19th-century features isn't easy.
05:23Don't knock any bits off.
05:24Yeah, exactly.
05:26Can't afford to make a mistake.
05:31But at last, Alison and Zion are done and dusted for today.
05:37Looking very good now.
05:38I feel really happy we've managed to get these cobwebs down.
05:41I never thought it would make me feel quite so content to get it back to how it should be.
05:47But with less than a week until the vow renewal, there's still new lighting to wire in.
05:53A draughty door to fix and the centrepiece altar to repair.
06:06The dream of owning one of France's thousands of chateaux captures the hearts of many brave renovators.
06:16Tucked away in the Occitanie region of southern France is the historic Chateau de Montespieux.
06:27With parts dating back to the 1200s, it boasts 66 rooms, six towers, and a 37-acre estate.
06:42In 2023, British boat builder Roger and his half-French wife Louisa stumbled across this forgotten castle.
06:52And it was love at first sight.
06:55Never in my dreams or nightmares did I ever think I would end up living in a chateau at all.
07:03It's not the French dream.
07:06The French dream of a new build, they really don't dream of renovating.
07:12But once we saw this chateau, we couldn't get it out of our heads.
07:18It just seemed like a great challenge, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
07:21I know all these things are sort of corny expressions, but that's how it felt.
07:27So, the dream started with this chateau.
07:34Located an hour east of Toulouse, the couple bought this sleeping beauty for £840,000 and hoped to create a
07:43luxury event venue.
07:46We've been quite careful in the past about selecting properties that we feel would be manageable for us,
07:51would be within a scale that we could cope with.
07:54But this one is by far the biggest project we've ever taken on,
07:58and I'm certain it will be the biggest project we will ever take on.
08:01But, you know, there's no reason to think we can't do this one as well.
08:06Well, this property certainly isn't for the faint-hearted.
08:10Welcome to the Chateau of Montespieux.
08:13The enormous castle is spread across three wings set around a central courtyard.
08:20It was home to an aristocratic family until the early 60s,
08:23but when the last of the line passed away, it's been through several hands after that.
08:27It's been at one stage a nightclub, a roller-skating rink, amongst many other things.
08:33The east wing here of the Chateau has been fully renovated and has got electrics and everything like that.
08:41The wing behind me, the south wing and the west wing, however, haven't been lived in probably since the 60s,
08:47which means that the pigeons moved in, there's been some collapse of some of the ceilings and so forth,
08:52some pretty bad leaks in the roof.
08:54Since getting the keys a year and a half ago, they've been staying in the east wing and soaking up
09:02the grandeur.
09:04Welcome to the renovated side of the Chateau.
09:07This was what would have been the music room for the evening's entertainment.
09:10I love this room. I think it looks amazing with its arches, cutting it in half and the tall windows.
09:16Nothing to do here, nothing to touch. It just looks beautiful.
09:21As well as six rooms downstairs, this part has five bedrooms, including a stunning master suite.
09:32This room was one of the things that really drew our attention when we were buying the place.
09:38This has been unchanged for probably 120, 130 years.
09:42I think quite a lot of Chateaus have these sort of ceilings, which then came out of fashion.
09:47So they were painted over, they were covered up.
09:49So this suite is going to be kept as the bridal suite for when we have weddings.
09:54This will be where they spend the wedding night.
09:56Yeah.
09:58But it's in the other two wings where the scale of their project begins to unfold.
10:06This is part of the west wing of the Chateau, which is the part of the Chateau that hasn't been
10:10lived in for some time.
10:12This was the servants' quarters at the time when it had the aristocrats in place.
10:19And this would have been the kitchen.
10:20It's not really in a Liverpool condition at the moment.
10:24This is the side that we're hoping to move into.
10:26We want to move into the west wing, the rooms are more manageable, the ceilings are a bit lower,
10:30and we're going to create another sort of independent house within this wing.
10:36With the whole south wing to transform into guest accommodation first,
10:41this is DIY on the biggest Chateau scale.
10:52Coming up, one Chatelaine is under pressure.
10:57The paste goes off after about an hour.
11:00And that usually is how long it takes.
11:02You only put one piece up.
11:04You can't rush perfection.
11:07While Louisa and Roger play detective.
11:11We've been given this old map and we've seen that there used to be a path from here leading to
11:15the Chateau.
11:15We're hoping to find that old track that was built in the sort of 19th century and reopen it again.
11:27Deep in the countryside of Limousin in central France lies the majestic 19th century Chateau de la Grille.
11:40With two stunning towers and a fairytale turret, it boasts twelve bedrooms and two grand salons.
11:53It's now home to Oxfordshire couple Sharon, a retired district nurse...
11:58Yes!
11:59..and Tim, a former construction manager,
12:02who snapped it up in 2022 for £500,000.
12:08When we first walked into the property, I came in here and in this dining room, very much...
12:13Yeah, just here in this spot.
12:15It's getting me again now!
12:16I know, yeah.
12:21You had an emotional response and you thought,
12:24this is the one I want to buy.
12:25It felt that there was a need from the place for us to be here.
12:29To have a couple of English people come and bring it back to life.
12:32Yeah, I think it was.
12:36Located three hours north of Toulouse, since moving in,
12:40Sharon and Tim have thrown themselves into the renovation.
12:44If I let it go, can you catch it?
12:47Careful!
12:49Last year they took the plunge...
12:52..with a new swimming pool and pool house.
12:56Is this the life?
12:58I think so.
12:59..as well as finishing an opulent bedroom for family and friends.
13:05Eight rooms done.
13:06Fourteen to go.
13:07Fourteen to go.
13:09Your favourite.
13:10Right.
13:13This year, the heat is on to get ready for paying guests.
13:18We've got the first floor upside down.
13:21We need to finish that first floor.
13:23We've got bathrooms to go in, we've got bedrooms to complete,
13:27we've got the hallway to complete, which brings pressure.
13:30Yeah, it does.
13:34Hoping to open this summer...
13:36OK.
13:37Right.
13:38Ready to go.
13:39..today, they're pressing on with a room they're calling the Tower Suite,
13:43due to its unique turret bathroom.
13:47Oh, look at that.
13:49How tight is that?
13:51..they've already started to decorate the bedroom and en suite
13:54with Sharon's statement wallpaper.
13:58OK, I'm ready when you are.
14:00You ready?
14:00No.
14:01Just by asking me doesn't make me go any faster.
14:06OK, let's see them.
14:08You can't rush perfection.
14:10It's all in the detail, isn't it?
14:13The only thing is you have to be careful,
14:15because the paste goes off after about an hour.
14:17And that usually is how long it takes, Sharon,
14:20to put one piece up.
14:22Don't be mean.
14:28See, when I moved to France,
14:31I had this vision that I'd sweep down the staircase
14:36with a glass of rosé in my hand.
14:39That has yet to happen.
14:41You happy with that lining up now and that one?
14:43Are you happy with it?
14:44Yeah, that is lined up.
14:47Let's put the old laser level up and see how great it is.
14:49Oh, for goodness sake.
14:52Actually, that is on the money.
14:54Absolutely on the money.
14:55Pardon?
14:56I said it's nearly there on the money.
14:58Did you say it's on the money?
15:01Very good.
15:01That is right on it, look.
15:07So, at the moment, all you can see is this,
15:09what some might say, ghastly wallpaper.
15:12But I'm hoping when the room is put together,
15:16it will just be a backdrop,
15:18but I wanted to follow through what I'd done in the tower
15:21with the flowers in there.
15:23If I think of a tower,
15:25I think of ivy growing on the outside of a tower,
15:28but I've brought it inside and had the flowers growing on the inside.
15:32It is bold, but I think...
15:35I'm hoping it will work.
15:40Sharon's vision is beginning to blossom,
15:43but there's a lot to do before anyone can lie back and smell the roses.
15:56A couple of hours north, Alison and Zion are hard at work sprucing up their chapel
16:02before guests fly in from America for a surprise vow renewal in just two days.
16:09We still have to put up the lights,
16:12we have to sort out the furniture,
16:16I need to do some flowers around the altar,
16:17and we need to prepare the dining room,
16:19so I'm getting a little nervous.
16:23Hosting these special events is what interior designer Alison
16:27has been dreaming of for years.
16:30I love doing these sorts of things.
16:32We've been collecting all these different candlesticks
16:35from the various brocants we've been to.
16:39And there's something so lovely about having an excuse to use them.
16:45Meanwhile...
16:46This is so hard.
16:48Zion is battling to fit another of Alison's brocante finds.
16:54How are you supposed to meet any connectors?
16:56There's no room for this and I don't want to dig inside the wood.
16:59Do you want a different type of fitting then?
17:01If you go something that be a bit...
17:03Let me go and have another look because I've got lots.
17:07OK, I'll clear the other one.
17:10Luckily, the chateau basement is a literal Aladdin's cave.
17:16Welcome to my brocante room.
17:23It's almost overflowing.
17:26With 47 rooms to restore, Alison has been stockpiling second-hand treasures.
17:34I always try to buy pairs of lights
17:37because you can guarantee you're going to need two.
17:39So they're all different styles.
17:43No, I don't think that's going to be good.
17:48Wow, that's very grand.
17:50Look at that one.
17:53Now, Zion just has to pray it's second time lucky.
17:58Let's hope this will fit inside.
18:00There.
18:03Go on.
18:04Let's see if I can hear bang.
18:09Oh!
18:11That's brilliant.
18:14It's another job off the list.
18:17And while Zion tackles a draughty door,
18:22Alison's going for gold at the altar.
18:25This chapel was commissioned by Madame Proa,
18:29who was the lady who built our chateau.
18:32Built in 1872, and the chapel we think was installed,
18:36started in 1890 and finished in 1893.
18:41And the priest who came to consecrate it,
18:44because in those days Roman Catholic priests
18:47were still being persecuted,
18:48he said, the only reason I can come here
18:50is because La Boutonniere is surrounded by trees
18:53and nobody knows I'm here.
18:54It's a really lovely story.
18:57You've got this secret chapel.
18:59So it's really quite special.
19:04After years of neglect,
19:06the chapel is getting a new lease of life.
19:10It's cleaned, it's dusted, got new lights.
19:15Alison gave it a bit of a facelift, if you like, inside.
19:18And now it really looks really pretty.
19:20We're very proud of it.
19:22It's lovely.
19:23With just one day left before their guests arrive,
19:27Alison and Zion are hoping there are no unholy surprises.
19:40Down in the Occitanie region,
19:44new owners, Louisa and Roger,
19:46are at the start of their renovation project.
19:52And they have grand plans
19:54for one of their chateau's most show-stopping features.
19:58We are in the Logia.
20:00This is a balcony that was created in the late 1800s, we believe.
20:04It's probably the space which needs the most work.
20:08But it really is a little bit of a heart-flutter area.
20:12The columns, you know, the vaulted openings here
20:15are just beautiful and quite fairy-taly.
20:20We've been given planning permission to do
20:22is to replace all of this other wall with glass
20:25and to make the whole area into a sort of salon-dining room
20:28that we can use in summer and winter.
20:33They're planning to use most of the chateau's three wings
20:37as guest accommodation.
20:39But there's an enormous amount of work to do first.
20:43This is one of many rooms which need an overhaul.
20:47On this wing alone, west wing,
20:49we've got another four rooms in similar condition
20:52which need everything done to them,
20:56you know, new electrics, et cetera, done to them.
20:59And then on the south wing, of course,
21:00all the top rooms are in similar condition, aren't they,
21:03where the ceilings have come down.
21:04I think we've accepted that this project is a never-ending project.
21:09There will always be something to do.
21:10And to be honest, that suits us...
21:12that suits us well enough.
21:14It's nice to think that you'll always be busy.
21:18It's not just the building that needs their attention, though.
21:24Today they're heading outside
21:26to tackle a job in their 37-acre estate.
21:32With the responsibility of ownership of the chateau
21:35comes the maintenance of the park and the trees.
21:37We've been given this old map and we've seen
21:39that there used to be a path from here leading to the chateau.
21:42It's been clearly not used for a long time
21:44because it's very overgrown.
21:45We might have to be a little bit creative,
21:47but we're hoping to find that old track
21:49that was built in the sort of 19th century
21:51and reopen it again.
21:54The path once passed through two wooded areas,
21:58both now massively overgrown.
22:01So it's down here.
22:03OK, down...
22:04This one.
22:05That one goes, Rog.
22:06That one.
22:07And that, for now...
22:09It's definitely from here, though.
22:10I can see it.
22:11It goes that way.
22:12That's the way we're going to go.
22:16We might need the chainsaw on this lob eventually.
22:21This is gardening, but on a chateau scale.
22:26Gardening really isn't my thing.
22:28I mean, even houseplants I struggle with.
22:31This is the biggest garden I've ever had.
22:38We had a really little garden.
22:40It really was just a bit of lawn.
22:42All you had to do was mow the lawn twice a week and that was it.
22:46No, no.
22:47This is, um...
22:48This has got trees.
22:54We're nearly there.
22:55You can actually see the whole path heading across.
22:58We must be in the right place.
23:00In fact, I can see a shape here.
23:02Like a...
23:03Like the carts?
23:04The carts were going in it.
23:05Roger decides to bring out the big guns.
23:08I'm holding on.
23:09Ready?
23:09Yeah.
23:16Yes.
23:17Yes.
23:18There we go.
23:19There we go.
23:20It's open.
23:21Time to collect the tools and tackle on the next one, Rog.
23:25It's a good start, but with a second much larger copse still to deal with,
23:31there's a long afternoon ahead.
23:40Still to come...
23:42It's going to be tricky.
23:43Oh, no.
23:44Tim is at the end of his tether.
23:47You can only work with what you've got unless you want to knock the tower down.
23:51You're not going to do that, are you?
23:54And Louisa's in the firing line.
23:57Aim for where I am right here.
23:59I'm going to come directly right through to where you are.
24:03You watch out for me, Roger.
24:05I'm here.
24:05But just move when I get there.
24:14In Western France, with just 24 hours before Alison and Zion's chapel hosts its first service in over 30 years,
24:24there's a last-minute job to tackle.
24:30I have just noticed on the chapel altar there's a gap which used to have an altar stone in it.
24:36We have a piece of marble found in the garden that's exactly the same colour as the altar,
24:42so I would really like him to cut a slab that can go in this little hole.
24:47To fill the space where the holy stone would once have sat, builder Zion needs to make do and mend.
24:55Well, I'm going to cut it and then this missing bit here, I'm going to patch it up.
25:01Let's hope it's not going to crack while I'm cutting it because it sounds like it's very weak.
25:15Yeah, it seems to be all right.
25:19Try to find a piece that might match.
25:23You know, that's the amazing thing about Zion.
25:26I ask him to cut something.
25:28You know, I'm thinking, oh, well, we'll just sort of bodge it a bit.
25:30And he makes it really, really lovely.
25:33So I'm very lucky.
25:34He knows exactly what he's doing on all sorts of things.
25:36OK, need cleaning now.
25:43This piece of marble was in a shed for goodness knows how many years,
25:47so repurposing it is a really nice thing to do.
25:49It's our contribution to the history of the chateau.
25:53Right, here we go.
26:00Ta-da!
26:03Perfect.
26:07All right, I'll see you later.
26:08I'm going to get the chairs.
26:09Yeah, 25 chairs?
26:1125, no problem.
26:17We only need 20, but we'll put 25.
26:23No shirking on the job.
26:25I'm just trying, you know.
26:27You know, if you want to have a satisfied client,
26:30you must try the things before you let them try.
26:35It's taken a lot of hard work,
26:38but with guests due to arrive first thing tomorrow,
26:42the chapel is almost ready to welcome them.
26:45We're on the final straight,
26:47and it's all coming together.
26:55Bright and early the next morning,
26:58it's all hands on deck.
27:00Always last-minute things, you know?
27:03To make the chateau spick and span.
27:06Everything polished to within an inch of its life.
27:12The madness reigns.
27:18Just a week ago, Alison and Zion's chapel
27:21was an unloved dumping ground,
27:24crammed full of stored items and furniture,
27:28covered with decades of dust and dirt.
27:36Now, it has been transformed into a beautifully warm,
27:41serene, soulful space,
27:43where stunning architectural details shine
27:47under the newly-wired lights,
27:50and the repaired altar stands proud.
27:54We changed everything upside down, you know,
27:56painting, cleaning, organising, wiring, candles, you name it.
28:02Who would have thought that pile of stuff
28:04could be evaporated into a church?
28:08Yeah. As it should be.
28:11Right on time, the American church group arrive.
28:16Oh, Father Simon!
28:18Hiya! How are you?
28:19Nice to see you again.
28:20Lovely to see you.
28:21Yes, very well, thank you.
28:23Welcome to La Boutiniere.
28:24Come in, don't hesitate.
28:27This is absolutely gorgeous.
28:29Look at this place.
28:30Come in here, let's mingle.
28:31While Alison entertains the guests in the salon,
28:35Zion shows the priests through.
28:38It's a beautiful chapel
28:40and beautiful French stained glass,
28:44late 19th century, I think.
28:46It's really nice.
28:49With the chapel finally brought back to life after decades,
28:53that is absolutely beautiful.
28:56I'm so thrilled.
28:58Alison and Zion just have to pray
29:00that the 60th wedding anniversary celebrations
29:03go without a hitch.
29:13100 miles away in Limousin, at Sharon and Tim's,
29:17the race is on to get the chateau guest ready for the summer.
29:22So the key is, I think, plenty of paste.
29:27And their tower suite, with its curved bathroom walls,
29:31is giving Tim particular grief.
29:34This room has been, well, with rotten floors,
29:37vermin up in the ceiling when we took it down.
29:39It's been a labour of love in here for sure,
29:42but we're getting there now and it will be worth it when it's done.
29:47So I've only pasted halfway down,
29:50because I think if we can get that bit done here first...
29:54Wallpapering the cylindrical turret
29:56is a particularly chateau-esque challenge.
30:00It's going to be tricky.
30:01Oh, no.
30:02But we've done lots of wallpapering.
30:06Probably a reason why people don't wallpaper towers.
30:09You've got to go around the bend.
30:11Drive you around the bend.
30:13Good on the matches.
30:14Yeah, but it needs to be butted up a bit more.
30:18I mean, the great thing about having real patterned wallpapers,
30:21you can't see very much.
30:26I might just stick the laser on it
30:28and just see what happens.
30:31See how far it is out, that wall?
30:34Holy moly.
30:35Oh, my word.
30:42That's the problem we can see is that
30:44because the room isn't a perfect cylinder.
30:46Cylinder.
30:46Cylinder.
30:47Well, the diameter at the bottom...
30:49Is narrower.
30:50Is narrower.
30:51So it's more cone-shaped.
30:52Yeah.
30:53So that's what we're up against.
30:56We haven't got massive amount of creases or anything,
30:58which is good.
31:00But you can only work with what you've got.
31:01Unless you want to knock the tower down,
31:04you're not going to do that, are you?
31:06The trouble is I could fiddle about with this all day long.
31:14With Tim locked away in the tower
31:16and time of the essence to get the suite finished,
31:20Sharon cracks on with some curtains she's upcycling.
31:24OK.
31:26All 18 feet of them.
31:29It's quite thick because it's on the edge of the curtain,
31:32so it's double, so I'm going through, like, two layers.
31:36Every year till Christmas.
31:39In my nursing career,
31:41never put stitches in but took them out.
31:44I think three knots is what a surgeon uses.
31:47That's my first bit done,
31:49and I've got to go all the way up there.
31:51So this is like the M1,
31:53and I haven't got on it yet.
31:54I'm still on an A road.
31:55That's an awful lot.
31:57I think I will definitely ring my friend and say,
32:00can I borrow her sewing machine?
32:07Tim's battle of the bathroom is almost over,
32:11but with a whole boudoir to furnish,
32:13their fairytale tower suite
32:16is still a long way from its happy ever after.
32:26200 miles south at Chateau de Montespieux,
32:30Louisa and Roger are tackling a super-sized gardening job.
32:35Can you see any sign of which bit to go through?
32:37I think it's got to be this bit.
32:39Well, it's between those two trees, Roger.
32:40It's got to be, right?
32:41The path is arriving there, so it's got to be here.
32:45They need to clear a second overgrown section
32:48of one of the estate's original 19th-century paths.
32:53What we're trying to get through are the brambles
32:55that lead us through this copse
32:57and onto the south terrace of the Chateau.
32:59What I'm going to try is to put the bucket of the tractor in
33:02and try and rip them out as much as I can.
33:04That may or may not work,
33:05but eventually I'll have to get the brush-cutting machine in again
33:09to clear the way through.
33:11OK, Rog, aim for where I am right here.
33:15And Louisa's trying to guide me as I come forward
33:17to make sure that I avoid the worst of the big trees
33:20and the big brambles.
33:27You want to come here?
33:34We're through!
33:35First park done.
33:37Next, they can start clearing the path through the copse.
33:41We're coming right through here, Roger.
33:43This is the way.
33:45It might be easier to come with a tractor from this end in.
33:48I'm not going to.
33:48No, I'll come from this side, I think.
33:50This is what he hates,
33:51is when I try and give him direction
33:52on where to use his big tools.
33:55Because we've only got one chainsaw.
33:57I want it here!
33:59I'm going to come directly right through to where you are.
34:02You watch out for me, Roger!
34:04I'm here!
34:04But just move when I get there.
34:06Oh!
34:16Ah!
34:16Ah!
34:17Dear, oh dear.
34:18Oh, I stalled it!
34:23The other side of the woods is nearly in sight.
34:28But the brambles are fighting back.
34:31Ah, not quite.
34:38That's some really thick brambles.
34:43Ta-da!
34:44We're through!
34:45Here we go.
34:46We're straight through to the chateau, look.
34:47Oh, look at that, Rog.
34:49All open, brambles done.
34:51There's still a bit of a tidy up to do.
34:52Yeah, but that'll make a lovely summer walk.
34:54Well done.
34:55Yeah.
34:56Yeah, well done you.
34:57I love it.
34:59That was a good idea.
35:01It's been a hard afternoon's work,
35:04but this plucky pair are determined
35:06to bring their new home back to life.
35:10We've had a great day today.
35:12I've thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the new growth
35:15that we've hacked through to find the path.
35:18It was easier than I thought.
35:20Yeah.
35:21The tools did the job today, didn't they?
35:22Thank goodness.
35:23But no, it's good fun.
35:26You really feel the history of the place.
35:28People have walked through these paths before.
35:30The pride they must have felt
35:31when they first planted those trees.
35:33You know, the vision that they had.
35:35And being able to now enjoy that hundreds of years afterwards.
35:40I mean, we're talking about 150 years later on,
35:43being able to, yes, following those footsteps.
35:45And you do feel the weight of history there.
35:48I can't wait to have guests staying here
35:52and using the grounds.
35:54No, it's going to be nice.
35:55With 66 rooms, there's a mountain of DIY ahead
36:00before they can throw open their doors to guests.
36:04So, this chateau journey has only just begun.
36:12Still to come, it's holy orders for Alison and Zion.
36:17Are you ready to renew your pledge of love?
36:19This is what the chateau's for.
36:21It's for sharing.
36:23Lovely, enjoyable day.
36:24While Sharon isn't feeling the love for Tim's daring DIY.
36:30See, if I could put something heavy on this side,
36:31then we can move to the...
36:32Oh, yeah, let's put some heavy on
36:33and let the whole thing fall down.
36:43In central France at Chateau de la Grière,
36:46everything is coming up roses
36:48as Sharon and Tim have finally finished
36:52wallpapering the tower suite.
36:55So, if you take this one... Yep.
36:58..and now Sharon has more statement decor to add.
37:02I think when you put a bed crown over a bed,
37:04it adds grandeur, it adds opulence,
37:08and it adds something special.
37:09So, that's why I want to put it definitely
37:11in the master bedroom.
37:13The bed crown for me is about
37:14how do I get it up there and keep it up there?
37:16Because there's going to be an awful lot of weight on this.
37:22This is what the bed crown is going to carry.
37:25OK.
37:25So, you still think it's going to carry it all?
37:29Yes.
37:29Yes.
37:31OK, follow me.
38:00Are we going?
38:02Yeah.
38:02So, let's see.
38:03OK.
38:04So, that's going to be the...
38:06Backdrop.
38:06The backdrop, yes.
38:09That just leaves the heavier drapes to try out.
38:12We could prop them or we could hang it over the top.
38:15A sticker, where's our dumbbell gone?
38:17You are asking for trouble.
38:19That will fall down.
38:19Put a dumbbell on there.
38:20So, I think you hang that up there.
38:22I'll put this on the top.
38:23We hold that up.
38:25If this comes down, I will be furious.
38:29Seriously, Tim.
38:30I'm not mucking about here.
38:32If that comes down, you will have to deal with it.
38:38So, is that sort of the feeling you're trying to...
38:40Yeah, absolutely.
38:41...achieve?
38:45What?
38:46What's the matter?
38:48You going to do it?
38:49Yeah.
38:51Oh, I saw that move.
38:57OK, come down, come down.
38:58You're happy with...
38:59Is that in the right place?
39:00Yes, that's fine.
39:01That's fine.
39:01I can move it about.
39:02No.
39:03See, if I could put something heavy on this side,
39:05then we can move to the...
39:06Oh, yeah, let's put something heavy on
39:07and let the whole thing fall down.
39:09I'll put a box of tiles up there.
39:11Good Lord.
39:13Perfect.
39:14OK, right.
39:15Take those up first.
39:17And that's...
39:19It's about there, yeah.
39:21Can I let go?
39:23Yeah.
39:23Wow.
39:24OK, hang on.
39:25So, it just softens everything.
39:27There's too much going on with this.
39:28Yeah.
39:28In my opinion.
39:30But then I know nothing.
39:30So, then my...
39:31So, this is what I'm going to do.
39:33I'm going to have that in the background.
39:34I'm going to have two of those.
39:35So, then I'm going to put these up at the window.
39:39It's good, though.
39:39I think it's going to look nice, don't you?
39:41I like it.
39:41I like the colour.
39:44It was a good exercise,
39:46because I've got it in my head,
39:48but I needed to see it in real time.
39:50So, I've now seen it in real time.
39:51So, we use what we've got in here.
39:53Upcycling, recycling, just using everything.
39:55My biggest thing now is to see if I can pull the whole room together.
40:00Their princess-style bed hangs in the balance,
40:04and with a room still to furnish and dress for guests,
40:09there's a long way to go before this suite has its fairy tale ending.
40:20Further north, in Alison and Zion's chapel,
40:24mass is about to begin.
40:27But first, Father Scott has a surprise for church member Mary,
40:33courtesy of husband Leo.
40:36This guy here emailed me about a month or more ago,
40:41asking, while they were in France,
40:45could we do something to celebrate
40:47him being 60 years married to this little girl here?
40:52So, after the mass, I'm going to give you an anniversary blessing.
40:57Got enough people?
41:00Electric is gone.
41:03It's terrible timing, but Zion's made a dash for the trip switch.
41:09Done. Isn't that amazing?
41:12Exactly, boom, electric is gone.
41:18Upstairs, the congregation are unaware.
41:26The Chateau Mass is a magical moment for everyone.
41:31And for couple, Leo and Mary,
41:34it's something they will cherish forever.
41:39What joy and peace must fill your hearts this day,
41:42as you stand before Christ after 60 years together?
41:46Mary Helen, are you ready to renew your pledge of love
41:49and be faithful to Leo, your husband?
41:52Your second.
41:54With this ring...
41:55With this ring...
41:56I once more...
41:57I once more...
41:58Seal my heart to yours.
41:59Seal my heart to yours.
42:00I've been promised my lifelong fidelity.
42:02I've been promised my lifelong fidelity.
42:04I've been promised my lifelong fidelity.
42:05You may now kiss the bride.
42:14It was wonderful.
42:16Simply wonderful.
42:18And such a beautiful place to have it done.
42:20And you actually felt God's presence at times,
42:22so that made it special.
42:24I have to honestly say I came close to flooding tears.
42:30The chapel was incredible.
42:32I've never experienced the feeling of warmth like I did in such a small enclosure in a private home.
42:40I just found it breathtaking.
42:42To be married in front of something like that is very special.
42:46To be remarried in something like that is...
42:49Beyond thought.
42:51Plates here, help yourselves.
42:54Ceremony complete, the guests enjoy a light lunch.
42:58Where Alison and Zion are keen to make everyone at home.
43:03It's like having one big family come in to visit.
43:07You know?
43:07And, uh...
43:09It feels...
43:10It feels like, you know, this is what it's all about.
43:13You should be here.
43:15Nobody can see you.
43:17All the tall guys hide behind Father Mark.
43:19This is what the Chateau is for.
43:21It's for sharing.
43:23It's for having big crowds.
43:24To see our chapel used like that today was fabulous.
43:28This is how we want to operate.
43:30Beautiful house.
43:31Lovely, enjoyable day.
43:33And hopefully really relaxed.
43:37You're waking the neighbours.
43:41The chapel's first use in over 30 years has been a huge success.
43:47And Alison and Zion are hoping it's just the beginning.
43:59Next time, one family take on an elaborate project.
44:04This is going to take a long time.
44:07This pair face a dicey renovation job.
44:11And a pot.
44:14Are you pulling?
44:15Yes.
44:16And tempers flare between Tim and Sharon.
44:20Are you sure it goes?
44:21Because there's a lot of colour.
44:23I think it's stunning.
44:24If it was me, this would be painted magnolia.
44:46Do you want to non-fellow shack?
44:48impossible.
44:52How could we do that today?
44:52If it was the corner, can you see from a PS4 story?
44:53Well, thanks for having fun.
44:55Well, thanks.
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