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00:00Making a fresh start under blue skies is a dream chased by thousands of Brits.
00:06This is freedom.
00:08Pick your vista, any one you like.
00:10Pursuing bucket list experiences...
00:14Yay!
00:16...and newfound freedoms.
00:18We could walk around butt naked if we wanted to.
00:20While Brexit has made it a battle...
00:22I've applied for two visas. I've been denied two visas.
00:26Many are still giving it a go.
00:28I wanted to know what else life had to offer.
00:31I like the idea of just spending every day together, don't we?
00:34We do!
00:35From launching bike tours in Spain...
00:38This is my office here. I couldn't ask for more.
00:40...to glamping sites in Italy.
00:42Build it and they will come. We hope.
00:46But will it be a smooth ride?
00:50Or their ideas come crashing down?
00:53I'm not alone!
00:55As they begin their new lives in the sun.
00:58Santa.
00:59It's an adventure.
01:00Loving life.
01:02Today...
01:03Welcome to the building site.
01:05An outdoor enthusiast from Lancashire is building her dream life in Bulgaria.
01:10This is my very professional work space.
01:14Will an Alpine hotel provide a warm welcome to guests?
01:18I have one nice, very tight fitting boiler, but one step closer to some hot water in the rooms.
01:24We meet the childhood sweethearts turning their hands to hospitality in France.
01:29The door handle's just fallen off of one of the doors and our guests are due to arrive in probably two minutes.
01:36With an ancient chateau to renovate, are they up to the challenge?
01:40Doing the curve walls is definitely more difficult than just a normal straight walk.
01:45And a creative couple from Scotland are hoping their art classes will attract a following.
01:51Oh, we're going to be interviewed in French now.
01:53Oh, no, no, no.
01:55But will their business be lost in translation?
01:59I've just made a complete wally of myself to a thousand French people.
02:03Tucked away at the foot of Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains, Bansko blends alpine charm with Balkan spirit.
02:22A town where ski slopes meet sun-dappled trails.
02:26It's the ideal setting for those chasing thrills, fresh air and all that nature has to offer.
02:32My favourite thing about living in Bansko is the outdoors, the outdoor lifestyle that you have.
02:38And it's amazing that you've got a mountain on your doorstep.
02:41So whether you want to go hiking or running, mountain biking, you can be outside all year round, which is brilliant.
02:49It's here that Victoria, a yoga teacher and adventurer with big ambitions, fell in love with Bansko's rugged charm.
02:57And inspired to make the leap to live and work here, she hopes to turn a concrete former apartment block into an alpine chalet style hotel.
03:07But for the bargain price of 80,000 euros, the building needs a lot of work before she can turn base camp into her new beginning.
03:15When I saw the shell, it was almost a blank canvas.
03:21It had a roof, but it didn't have any windows, didn't have any doors, no electrics or plumbing.
03:26And it also didn't have any sort of ground floor.
03:30Over the last 18 months, Victoria has undertaken a full external render and completed the internal framework, but she's not ready to open just yet.
03:40She's hoping she can offer nine luxury ensuite bedrooms alongside activity holidays and share her love of the area with guests.
03:49There's so much here, so much nature. It's just, it's a really, really beautiful, beautiful country.
03:58It's February and with major structural work mostly complete, Victoria has managed to carve out some home comforts in the concrete shell.
04:07This is my space, my living space, and it's the bit of the build that is kind of finished that we wanted to get done first, just so I had somewhere I could move into.
04:18On the first floor, three rooms have had extensive renovation and are almost guest ready.
04:24With the rooms, we're trying to make them as high end as we can.
04:29We've done a really good finish on the floor, although it was a bit of a learning process.
04:35I'm just quite excited to see how it's turning out and how it's looking.
04:42While there's considerable promise with the three ensuite rooms, the top floor is very much still a work in progress.
04:50There are five ensuites up here. There's obviously quite a lot of work to do, so this is the bit where we've really got to put the final push on.
05:02This year, she's determined to get all nine rooms ready so she can start to generate an income, so she's roped in a very special visitor to help.
05:11Right. Right. We'll let battle commence. Mm-hmm.
05:15Dad Richard is a frequent presence on site.
05:20It's great to have my dad over at the moment. He's kind of coming and going, but I'm trying to tempt him to spend more time over here.
05:30Obviously, because, you know, it's nice to have him here, but mostly he's a lot better at this than I am.
05:37Today's job is to widen the space used to house the air source heat pump to accommodate a more advanced boiler system.
05:45But it's a case of deja vu for Richard.
05:48I built these walls originally when it had a slightly different design then.
05:52I hate doing something and having to redo it.
05:55It really grieves me, but that's life, isn't it?
05:59While he's undoing all his good work, it's vital that the hotel has a functioning hot water system
06:05when the time comes to open doors to guests.
06:08It's the next day and a landmark moment for Victoria.
06:16This bedroom, this is the first guest bedroom that is ready to be dressed, so it's really exciting.
06:23Dad Richard is once again pitching in to help.
06:27You want to take that one and I'll get the other one? Mm-hmm.
06:29All right. And the centrepiece of the room will be a magnificent four-poster bed
06:35that's been in the family for over 30 years.
06:39We've just realised that we made a small error
06:42and put this part of the bed in upside down.
06:44Easy, darling.
06:46With the problem quickly rectified...
06:49Look at that.
06:50..the pièce de résistance is in position.
06:53One four-poster bed, all intact.
06:56Ready for its new life in Bulgaria.
06:58..and the rolling hills of south-west France lies Gascony,
07:09a region famous for Armagnac, sunflowers and a slower pace of life.
07:14Sleepy Bastide towns give way to wide-open spaces, ripe for exploration.
07:20Right, do you want me to go to chickens?
07:22It's here that a growing number of Brits are swapping city commutes
07:27for a more rustic lifestyle and it's easy to see the appeal.
07:31Did you get some eggs?
07:33Yeah.
07:34One.
07:35Fab.
07:36It was this peaceful idyll that drew Adrian and Serena,
07:41childhood sweethearts from London, to move here and start a family.
07:45We were ready for a big change, weren't we?
07:47Yes.
07:48We were thinking about it before.
07:49About a year and we were like, is this it?
07:51Is this it?
07:52So, yeah, and then we started to really think about,
07:54actually, let's make it happen and let's do it.
07:57Yeah.
08:00Events manager Adrian and Serena, who worked in recruitment,
08:04swapped a two-bed terrace in the city for a chateau,
08:08along with four hectares of land,
08:10a two-bedroom cottage and several outbuildings.
08:14Our plan really here is to create, you know, boutique accommodation
08:18where we can combine experiences, kind of retreats or celebrations
08:23or more on the marriage, kind of wedding side of things.
08:26We want to kind of do something a bit more personal, a bit more unique
08:31and that obviously takes a little bit more time.
08:34Yeah.
08:35A bit more money, a bit more thought.
08:36With the chateau in need of extensive renovations,
08:39the couple have been concentrating their efforts
08:42on getting the cottage in their grounds ready for guests
08:45to bring in much-needed money for larger repairs.
08:49And they've set themselves an ambitious schedule.
08:52So the cut-off point for us is really end of May, mid-June latest,
09:00so that we can start to advertise.
09:02And then for the summer season, we'll be open for guests.
09:06So those are our two really tight deadlines
09:10that we're now currently working towards.
09:12That's kind of the strategy.
09:13Yeah.
09:14And then we'll be ready.
09:15It's March, and there's some way to go before the chateau
09:21will be ready to host weddings and events.
09:24But Adrian and Serena have vision.
09:27So this is our breakfast room.
09:29So it's a really lovely space.
09:30We have, like, the beautiful arched windows and the original floor.
09:35It'll be exciting to get some colour rules and start to see the...
09:39Yeah.
09:40..the space furnished, but has amazing views.
09:43Yeah.
09:44..and through to the grand salon.
09:47Had, like, damp coming through.
09:49As you can see, cracks absolutely everywhere.
09:52But it's got the lovely original floor.
09:54The herringbone flooring, yeah.
09:56Which we sanded back.
09:57I think it could look pretty special.
09:59A project of such vast scale, it is a stretch to any budget.
10:04And to generate an income,
10:06the couple are hoping to get their cottage ready for guests.
10:09And it's inching closer to completion.
10:12The final bits of putting things away, putting things on the wall.
10:16Some finishing touches for the living room.
10:19Yeah, it's just lots of little...
10:21Yeah, which just takes a long time because they're all...
10:24Yeah.
10:25..slower than you think.
10:28But time is not on their side.
10:30Determined to take advantage of the lucrative summer season,
10:34in two weeks' time, they have friends arriving from the UK
10:38to test out the facilities.
10:40So it's down to Adrian to take care of first impressions.
10:44Masked everything off and then now I'm going to start painting.
10:49Hopefully I don't get it everywhere.
10:51Probably always two coats,
10:52but I'm hoping I'll get these one...
10:54..at least one coat done today.
10:56While they might be deep in south-west France,
10:59their interiors will reflect their travels across the world.
11:03We purchased this Suzani tapestry from Yubekistan region.
11:10So, see if we can try and get it on the wall.
11:14Outside, Adrian's pleased with his paintwork.
11:17All done. Happy days.
11:20It's been a successful day working through the to-do list.
11:24We've done well today.
11:25I think ticked off quite a few of the jobs that we had planned.
11:29Still got a few more to do.
11:31We need to put up some more pictures,
11:35finish styling the beds and...
11:38I don't know. Is that it?
11:40I've got to do a second coat with the...
11:41Second coat with that.
11:42Second coat with the fascia.
11:44That's got to be done.
11:45Yeah.
11:46Just a few things.
11:50In the shadow of the chateau,
11:52can the little cottage rise to the occasion
11:55and attract guests and much-needed cash?
11:58If you've ever dreamed of swapping crowded commutes
12:03for countryside calm
12:05and packed towns for peaceful pastures,
12:08then Normandy might just be the perfect place for you.
12:13It certainly appealed to Kev and his wife Toni,
12:15who were craving a slower pace of life
12:17and perhaps a bit more garden to play with.
12:19It's great just having the space just to go out of the house
12:22and run them around like this.
12:24For that, Normandy delivers in spades.
12:30Come on then, Monty.
12:31There's the good boys. Come and sit down. Come on.
12:33It's so tranquil.
12:35It's fabulous. It's the countryside.
12:42You've got the trees, the different colours.
12:45All you can hear is the birds and that's it.
12:48That's what we like.
12:49And the cockerel.
12:50And my cockerel.
12:51Yeah, we could walk around back naked if we wanted to.
12:56But it wasn't just the peacefulness that drew Kev and Toni to the area.
13:04It was the property prices.
13:07For just €22,000, they bought this three-bedroom house
13:11in the small village of Millie,
13:13which came with a barn, an orchard and an acre of land.
13:18In the UK, you'd be lucky to get a shed in a back garden
13:22for what we paid for this place.
13:23It is kind of ropey, but it's watertight and rustic slash rusty.
13:29Back in Scotland, the couple were bike shop owners,
13:36but to fund their new life in France,
13:39they've decided to pedal in a different direction,
13:42following Kev's passion to paint.
13:45Well, we run an art group.
13:47Kevin's the artist.
13:48Yes, I'm the artist. I help and teach people.
13:51And Tony, he do amazing refreshments and cakes
13:55and there's really the brains behind it all.
13:57To accommodate their classes,
13:59the couple converted the old barn into an art studio.
14:04This is where it all happens.
14:06We have everything here.
14:07We've got our paint brushes.
14:08We've got our acrylics and oil paints, our pallets.
14:11We've got a selection of canvases.
14:13So we've got everything here.
14:16The only thing they don't have enough of is customers.
14:20When you're happy, just go in with your drawing.
14:23While they have a loyal bunch of budding artists
14:25who attend a couple of weekly classes, it's not enough.
14:30To survive, they'll need to grow,
14:32and that means taking their classes on the road.
14:35We've thrown everything into this, really.
14:38The money that we did have, time.
14:41We have basically thrown our whole lives into this.
14:43Cheer up.
14:44Cheer up.
14:45It's late February, and Kev and Tony have been up with the larks.
14:56This is like a workout, isn't it?
14:59Too old for this.
15:01They've travelled 21 miles to the picturesque town of Gouron
15:06to try out a new venture for their art group.
15:09They're expecting ten students today,
15:12and if it goes well, this could become a regular spot.
15:16How are we doing for time?
15:17I don't know. I haven't even looked. I don't.
15:20Making their studio and classes mobile is quite a mission.
15:26Just in case.
15:27Don't go anywhere without the toilet roll.
15:31As the last easel goes up,
15:34the studio is set.
15:36Now they just need the students to show up.
15:39We're trying this in a different place
15:41because we want to increase our business,
15:43increase our client base.
15:45We have to always try and find some new people to do this.
15:49If we can get this on as a weekly gig,
15:52we'll have to see how the day goes.
16:01Coming up, chilly temperatures are a challenge in Bulgaria.
16:06Every time you walk up here,
16:07there was like this horrible cold, freezing gale.
16:10Can Victoria bring the cosy at altitude?
16:13It's going to be quite a hard job for them
16:15to get it all up on the ceiling.
16:17And in France, Adrian and Serena
16:20reach an important milestone.
16:22You can try and do this,
16:23get the lounge chairs out and get to go.
16:25But can the first-time hosts hold their nerve?
16:28Once they're checked in, it will be a huge relief.
16:37Back in Bulgaria, Victoria's Alpine Hotel is busy with builders.
16:47So I have a wood delivery just arrived.
16:52And this is the wood that's going to be used to board out the ceilings on my top floor.
16:58The lounge has got a massive big high ceiling.
17:01And so the entire sort of upstairs lounge will be boarded out.
17:04So it'll be lovely and light.
17:05It'll look really nice.
17:06And that sort of mountain chalet, Alpine feel to it.
17:10It's going to be quite a hard job for them to get it all up on the ceiling.
17:14While the three bedrooms on the first floor are edging closer to completion,
17:19the top floor, which will house an additional five rooms,
17:22is very much a work in progress.
17:26So work has started again up here.
17:29Now I've got the builders back, which is brilliant.
17:31And the first job is getting on with the roof.
17:36So before the builders came back, this was just all the bare boards
17:42of the underside of the roof.
17:44So all the heat was just going straight out.
17:48With winter temperatures in Bansko regularly below zero,
17:52insulation will be key to keeping guests comfortable.
17:57So when we came up here before, every time you walk up here,
18:00there was like this horrible, cold, freezing gale coming through.
18:04You walk up and you're like, oh, it's so cold.
18:06But now, yeah, it feels much, much warmer.
18:09It feels quite toasty.
18:10So hopefully it's going to help all the heat stay in the house
18:13and just keep all the floors nice and warm.
18:16With Victoria's DIY dad back in the UK,
18:19another pair of hands are helping with the renovations.
18:23You all right there, Mum? Will you be able to get back up?
18:25Yes.
18:26Good job.
18:28Mum Jeanette is putting in a shift on site as well,
18:32working in what will become the hotel, kitchen and restaurant.
18:36One thing that we are looking at, and I think we will do,
18:40is have this open to the public during the day at least.
18:44It's like a cafe, maybe doing small plates,
18:46because there isn't really anywhere in Bansko that does that yet.
18:49And we thought that would be a nice way to use this space.
18:55Many hands make light work, and one bedroom door is guest ready.
19:02One down.
19:04Many to go.
19:06An advantage of having the builders back on site
19:10means that help can be called in on even the simpler tasks.
19:22And with special guests due,
19:24Victoria needs yet more finishing touches to the first floor.
19:28So I'm just asking if Jamal can put a curtain pole up for me.
19:33I've got some friends arriving at the weekend,
19:36so I need an extra bed, an extra bedroom.
19:39So, yeah, she'll have curtains.
19:43Outside, Mum Jeanette has plans to prettify the space
19:46outside Victoria's apartment.
19:51I'm going to make a very small patio area for Victoria,
19:56but first of all, I want to do something with this wall,
20:01this concrete wall, so I'm putting a primer on.
20:04Then hopefully tomorrow I can whitewash it,
20:08and then hopefully make some sort of,
20:13get some pallets and make some shelving,
20:16and have some nice trailing plants.
20:18So when she looks out of a window,
20:20she'll have a prettier view,
20:24rather than just a concrete wall.
20:28While the first floor bedrooms have beautiful views
20:31of the mountain from their balconies,
20:33the space outside the hotel is more wasteland than alpine chic,
20:38and it's at the top of Jeanette's list of priorities.
20:41How are you doing, Mum?
20:43Yep. Yep.
20:44Finishing touches.
20:45I think by the time we've finished this afternoon,
20:47it might just be wine o'clock.
20:49Oh, yeah? You think?
20:50Your favourite time.
20:51Nice glass of wine to celebrate a hard day's work.
20:55Sounds like a good idea.
20:56Yeah.
20:57In France, it's April, and a big day for Adrian and Serena.
21:10They're expecting their first test guests at their two-bedroom cottage,
21:14and if all goes well,
21:16they could soon begin advertising to the public.
21:19They're friends of ours from the UK,
21:21so hopefully they're going to have really positive feedback,
21:24but we're going to use it as an opportunity to,
21:26yeah, trial everything, test everything,
21:28make sure everything works.
21:29Hoping nothing goes wrong and everything works perfectly.
21:32I'm excited.
21:33Yeah, really excited.
21:34I'm sure there'll be problems, but...
21:35There's a lot riding on the stay,
21:37as it's the first time they'll get a glimpse
21:39of whether their business might work.
21:42So I just need to get all of the linen on,
21:46make the bed,
21:48and then do a last-minute check
21:50and make sure that I have everything,
21:53and probably a last-minute hoover
21:54to make sure there's no...
21:56Yeah, bugs or anything.
22:00Even though they're expecting friends,
22:02there are no half-measures going into making sure
22:05the accommodation is up to scratch.
22:08Well, I'm just very conscious that also people are coming
22:11to stay with us, and it's their time off,
22:13and time is very precious,
22:15so I want it to be a really nice experience for them.
22:17Once they're checked in, it will be a huge relief.
22:20While Serena is making good progress inside...
22:26There, I'm pretty happy with that.
22:28With temperatures getting milder,
22:30Adrian's tackling the pool
22:32in case guests want to brave a dip.
22:34Here we've got a salt pool,
22:36so once it gets above 15 degrees,
22:40you have to put the salt in,
22:41otherwise it goes all green,
22:42which you can see around the edges,
22:44it's starting to show.
22:46So now we're warm enough,
22:49we can put this in.
22:51We just put this in and then turn on the salt machine,
22:53and then you don't have to use as much chlorine.
22:55Their friends from the UK have visited before,
22:59when the property was mid-renovation,
23:01and Adrian's looking forward to showing
23:03how much the place has improved.
23:05We're going to try and do this,
23:06get the lounge chairs out,
23:08the soft seating,
23:10and then make sure Serena's okay with everything.
23:14And good to go.
23:18Serena, though, doesn't have quite as good a grip on the to-do list.
23:24The door handle's just fallen off of one of the doors,
23:27and guests are due to arrive in probably two minutes,
23:31so...
23:33Quick bit of DIY to try and fix it,
23:36otherwise that's going to be a bit of a nightmare.
23:39It's down to Adrian to administer a quick fix.
23:44Prices averted, yeah.
23:46All good?
23:48They've got a handle on things in the nick of time.
23:52Hi!
23:54How's it going?
23:56As their guests, Chris, Gemma and daughter Lila,
24:00have arrived from London.
24:02Oh, how are you? How are you? How are you?
24:04How's your trip? Yeah, good.
24:06And after a long journey,
24:08they can settle into the finished cottage.
24:11Come in, come in.
24:12I'm going to show you where you're staying.
24:15I'm going to show you where you're staying.
24:17And the cottage is impressing
24:19before they've even set foot over the threshold.
24:21Oh, my goodness.
24:25Whoa!
24:27So nice!
24:29It's time for the grand tour.
24:31This is your room.
24:32Oh!
24:33Yeah.
24:34And you can have a bath.
24:35I'll be at a lovely time.
24:37Would you like to see your room?
24:38Should we go and have a little look like that?
24:39You've got a special little bed.
24:41And it's not just Mum and Dad who've been won over.
24:44Wow!
24:45A bunny rabbit.
24:46That was from Otis.
24:47Do you want to cuddle it?
24:49Oh!
24:51It's a milestone moment for Adrian and Serena
24:56that deserves to be celebrated.
24:58Woo!
24:59Cheers!
25:00Cheers!
25:01Cheers!
25:02Cheers!
25:03Cheers!
25:04Cheers!
25:05Cheers!
25:06Cheers!
25:07And as they toast their achievements, their first test guests are impressed.
25:12It looks incredible.
25:13It's been done really nice.
25:15The colours are beautiful.
25:16The flow's nice.
25:17The furniture, the design works really nice.
25:20I especially love the kitchen.
25:21Like, it's amazing.
25:22The decor's gorgeous.
25:23Yeah, I can't wait for a week here.
25:25It's going to be amazing.
25:26Look forward to getting in that bath.
25:27Yeah.
25:29While their guests can look forward to some R&R, Adrian and Serena are already planning for
25:35their next steps.
25:36Paying guests.
25:37Getting ready for our first paying guests, yeah.
25:40Yeah, we've got to get the website live.
25:42And then, we're back over there.
25:45Yeah.
25:46So, some big stuff over there to finish.
25:47Yeah, it's also quite nice knowing that in the next few weeks we'll be back in there
25:51finishing off what we originally came here to do, which is nice.
25:55Yeah.
26:01Coming up...
26:02Hello there.
26:03Hello.
26:04Kevin Tony's art class hits the road.
26:06We've had a couple of drop-outs.
26:08Things crop up.
26:09People get nervous.
26:11But the sums don't paint a pretty picture.
26:14We need at least six to make it viable.
26:17Victoria's learning to expect the unexpected.
26:20It's been a bit hectic this morning.
26:22We're just waiting to see if this boiler is going to fit in the space that we have.
26:27But what will her guests make of the big reveal?
26:30There's a bike, yeah.
26:31And I needed somewhere to park my bike, so, you know.
26:33In Northern France at Kevin Tony's first art group in Gouron, while friend and student
26:51Mary has arrived to help, they're still waiting for the other aspiring artists to arrive.
27:01And unfortunately, they've already received a couple of cancellations.
27:05Things crop up.
27:07People get nervous.
27:08We're a luxury.
27:09We provide a luxury.
27:11And if the money situation gets tight, we're often the first thing to go.
27:17Their class prices are incredibly competitive.
27:20But to make a profit today, they need at least six students to show up.
27:25The cost of the classes is 22 euros.
27:28And that includes everything.
27:30Today, because we're working above a cafe, people have to buy their own coffee.
27:34But when they come to us, they get everything.
27:36They get machine coffee.
27:37They get cakes.
27:38They get all the materials.
27:40Absolutely everything.
27:41They just come in their clothes.
27:42They get a lot for their 22 euros.
27:44Hello there.
27:45Hello.
27:46Thankfully, by mid-morning, their mobile studio has begun to fill up.
27:51We've got three ladies that are coming up.
27:53Okay.
27:54Coming up with Terry and their friends.
27:56And within minutes, most of the empty easels are occupied, and the class can begin.
28:03Okay, everybody.
28:05Welcome to the Millie Art Group.
28:07Thank you for coming here at Goran today for our first ever Goran Group.
28:13Hopefully not our last one.
28:15So we're going to do some very, very simple expressive stuff.
28:18It's this sort of thing.
28:20Vases, flowers, quite simple.
28:23After a warm welcome and brief introduction.
28:28Just create sort of a round bottom.
28:32Kev provides a quick painting demo.
28:34I'm just going to create the shape of the flowers I want.
28:37Maybe overhanging a little bit.
28:39If Tony comes around with some sienna paints, and then if you want to draw with your paint, a vase on the paper, and then we can start to paint it together.
28:48Pretty straightforward, yeah?
28:50Wielding their brushes, the class get creative.
28:53Huh.
28:54That's great.
28:55You've got the round base.
28:56You've got a nice shape.
28:57Nice stripe on there.
28:59And under Kev's gentle guidance...
29:01It's not a mistake.
29:02It's a happy accident.
29:04Soon enough, the nerves are settling, and Kev's class is already drawing in glowing reviews.
29:10Kev's given me lots of hints and tips to bring it to life.
29:13Good for you.
29:14And the cake is good as well.
29:15Good for you.
29:16It's a picture-perfect start, but if this class is going to become a regular gig, they'll need more than compliments.
29:27They'll need return customers.
29:29Four people want to come back.
29:31One's undecided, and then there's a couple that couldn't make it today, which might want to come the next time.
29:39We need at least six to make it viable, and I think we'll get six the next time.
29:47The class went down a treat, but if this little French venture's going to stick, Kev and Tony are going to need to get creative to keep the paint and the pennies flowing this year.
30:04Back in Bulgaria, the jobs list is never-ending.
30:08And with friends due to stay tomorrow, Victoria has a big problem with one of her guest beds.
30:15This bed has come out of storage, and we've realised that the slats that came with it are not quite big enough for the bed.
30:25So if anyone rolls over on the mattress, they might have a nasty shock.
30:31So I'm going to use some wood that we have in the house, and I'm going to saw those down to the right size, and hopefully the mattress will be a bit more secure.
30:42Mum Jeanette is giving up her sumptuous four-poster and downsizing temporarily, hopefully with a firm foundation to rest her head.
30:52This is my very professional workspace.
30:57As she's hoping to open in nine months for the next winter season, Victoria isn't shying away from jobs big or small.
31:05It's a moment of truth.
31:08Oh, look at that.
31:10It's all right.
31:11She's not going to go anywhere.
31:12Oh, look at that.
31:13Working her way through the to-do list and making the most of the good weather, Mum Jeanette is cracking on with the patio area outside Victoria's apartment.
31:26Is that looking different already?
31:28That's all right.
31:29Oh, yeah. That looks a bit brighter, doesn't it?
31:31Yeah, stand back there.
31:32It's the next day, and with her friends arriving in a few hours, a surprise delivery has already derailed Victoria's plans.
31:45It's been a bit hectic this morning.
31:47My boiler and new water and air source heat pump have just arrived.
31:52So we're just waiting to see if this big, huge boiler is going to fit in the space that we have.
32:00Having already moved a wall to widen the space to accommodate the larger boiler, it looks like head height might be more of an issue.
32:08But after a bit of wrangling, the boiler just makes it into its new home.
32:15It's in. It's amazing. I'm so happy.
32:18That's quite a big relief.
32:20I have one nice, very tight-fitting boiler in place now.
32:24So, yeah, one step closer to some hot water in the rooms.
32:28After weeks of hard work and preparation, Victoria can finally open her doors to friends Aisha and Lauren, who've flown over from the UK.
32:39Come in. Welcome.
32:42And even though the grand tour doesn't start with the most appealing aspect of the hotel, they're still impressed.
32:49Yeah, welcome to the building side.
32:52Hi.
32:53Does it look like the photos?
32:54Very nice.
32:55It does. It's quite spacious, actually.
32:57It gets better.
32:58The finished rooms on the first floor are getting a great reception, particularly the show-stopping four-poster suite.
33:05Oh, my God. I love it.
33:08And you can see...
33:09And that's the balcony I've seen on your Instagram.
33:11If you go out, you can see the mountain from...
33:12If you look up, you can...
33:13Oh, wow!
33:14Having started the tour with the biggest and best, the double room on the floor below doesn't quite have the same glamour.
33:23With a bike?
33:24There's a bike, yeah.
33:25It's not private.
33:26There's a toilet roll holder is the bike.
33:28Why not?
33:29It's very creative.
33:30I mean, yeah, that's it.
33:31I needed somewhere to park my bike, so, you know.
33:36The build has already made a big impression.
33:39Honestly, coming here and seeing all this, I'm blown away.
33:43And I just, you know, I just feel very proud of her.
33:46I don't think I realised quite how big the property was, but that's the sort of person Victoria is.
33:52So, I've got no doubts at all.
33:54She goes for it, doesn't she?
33:56It'll be a successful project and business for her, which is brilliant.
34:00With five rooms and a kitchen and restaurant still to complete,
34:04Victoria will need all her vision and determination to keep the project moving.
34:14Coming up...
34:15Not so fast.
34:17Adrian and Serena have hired in heavy machinery.
34:20You want to drive?
34:21But their plans could be on shaky ground.
34:24There's a slow puncture on the hire vehicle, so we could be in trouble, but we'll see.
34:30And Kevin Tony's art classes...
34:32One, two, one, two.
34:34..need to draw in a crowd.
34:36If that wasn't stressy, I don't know what is.
34:38Can they turn brush strokes into a healthy bottom line?
34:42Every sale's a bonus, so, on that basis, we're doing better than expected.
34:46In France, after successfully hosting their first test guests at their two-bedroom cottage, Adrian and Serena have turned their attention to their chateau, a grand building demanding curb appeal in spades.
35:08Today, we are doing the top stone on this bottom terrace, so we've got now, we'll have, like, a double terrace.
35:16So we thought having a two-tier terrace would be really nice for when we eventually started doing weddings.
35:21So today is the top stone, we put it out, we've got to get it as level as we can, then we compact it, and then it will create, like, a nice, solid surface.
35:30With such a large area to cover, it's definitely a two-man job.
35:34Yep, so I'm raking, flattening, erm, and just trying to make it all smooth for when the next lorry load arrives, or van load.
35:42Erm, so, yeah, it's going to be a tiring day. I think we're going to be blimmin' knackered by the end of the day, but, yeah.
35:51They're taking the stone from a local quarry ten minutes down the road and have hired a pick-up truck to help with the heavy lifting and spreading.
35:59Yeah, you got it, you're good. Keep going, go.
36:03But it's a tricky new skill to master.
36:06Not so fast. Yeah. Not so, yeah.
36:10Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going.
36:15Yeah.
36:16With the day not short of challenges, they're also watching the clock.
36:21We've got, erm, the pick-up for one day, but obviously we're in France, so we lose two hours at lunch, so the aim of the game is to get as much of the stone down,
36:30and then we will basically compact it over lunch, and then if we need to get more, we can then go and do some after.
36:36So, yeah, up against it.
36:38Adrian's making multiple trips to and from the quarry to reload, but just as they're getting into rhythm, there's a bump in the road.
36:47So there's a slow puncture on the hire vehicle. They can't, erm, exchange it, so we could be in trouble, but we'll see. Hopefully we'll get away with it.
36:57The only option is to lighten the load, but time isn't on their side.
37:02We can put more in the lorry, but obviously we've got a flat tyre, so...
37:06That's not a help.
37:07It looks all right at the moment.
37:09Yeah, but you're not putting as much, erm, stone in, right?
37:13Yeah.
37:15You either risk it or not. I don't know.
37:17I'm going to risk it.
37:18After several more loads...
37:20You want to drive?
37:23...painstaking raking and levelling with the heavy-duty compactor, they finally have a finished terrace.
37:30I think it looks good.
37:31Yeah.
37:32Considering we don't have a digger or anything, doing it by hand.
37:35Need to have a party now.
37:37I need terrace.
37:40It's the following week, and there's certainly been no time to celebrate,
37:44and Adrian and Serena are feeling the weight of the chateau's sizeable to-do list.
37:50We came with sort of tinted glasses on...
37:52Naivety.
37:53...and naivety.
37:54Lick of paint, cut the grass, open up.
37:57We'd hoped we would have had this all decorated by about a month ago.
38:01With their two-bed cottage now open for guests,
38:04the couple are hoping that they might be able to offer a couple of rooms in the chateau
38:09before the summer season is out.
38:11So, today, they're tackling the breakfast room.
38:14I'll roll right this way, and then Serena will follow and do all of the cutting in.
38:18So, you like doing the big walls, and I prefer to do, like, all the touching in and the little...
38:23So, that makes a good team, I think.
38:25Artistic streak.
38:27With a hallway, two bedrooms, and the turret bathroom all in need of decorating...
38:33Not what you need to be doing in 30-degree heat.
38:38The chateau's romantic architecture is no fairytale when it comes to the paintwork.
38:44Because you've got to go sideways, which is a bit of a pain.
38:47Doing the curve walls is definitely more difficult than just a normal straight wall.
38:53But it's part of the character of the building, which is good.
38:57Even with scaffolding, Serena's struggling with the high ceilings.
39:01There's one little bit that I can't reach.
39:03But nothing can dent their enthusiasm, despite being behind schedule.
39:09We were optimistic.
39:10Story of our lives.
39:12And I'm absolutely boiling.
39:16With the start of summer season snapping at their heels, can they brush off the pressure before time runs out?
39:25Over 300 miles north, there's painting of a more creative kind on the agenda for Kev and Tony.
39:37Today, they're on a marketing mission.
39:39The pair have set up stall at a village event in Saint-Jean, showing off Kev's artwork.
39:45And they're also hoping to charm a few locals into joining their group.
39:50We've got a small selection of what I've done, what we could get in the car, what might be of interest.
39:56It's not necessary to sell, just what might be of interest to people.
39:59So if we get one or two people to come to the art group, if we get a couple of commissions, then it's a successful day.
40:05If we sell a painting, it's a bonus.
40:10And whilst Kev's the pitcher of calm, Tony is feeling the pressure of setting up somewhere new.
40:19You never know what to bring, do you? We haven't got enough tables, we haven't got enough easels.
40:24You know, it's like, good job we can have a car.
40:28As the streets begin to fill, there's just one problem.
40:32They haven't drawn in any browsers yet.
40:35And Kev's starting to wonder if their pitch might not be ideal for purveyors of art.
40:41Well, we seem to be sandwiched between old boilers and wood burners.
40:47Wood burners?
40:48Old boilers and...
40:50Homemade wine by the look of it, which I'm going to check out in a minute.
40:54And candy floss.
40:55But I'm sure we'll have one or two customers by the end of the day.
41:06Thankfully, Kev's paintings start to pique the interest of passers-by.
41:11And one browser...
41:16Brilliant.
41:17Thank you very much, thank you.
41:18I'll get you some change.
41:19...turns into a buyer.
41:21Thank you. Enjoy.
41:24It was really nice to make a sale there.
41:29What was surprising was it was one of my sort of more abstract-y ones,
41:33as opposed to one of my more classically painted ones,
41:36which I've only just started doing abstract.
41:38Financially, of course, it was great.
41:40A few extra euros in the coffers, and it's very encouraging.
41:44And he's barely had time to put the change away before he seals another deal.
41:49How much?
41:5135. 35 euros, if you like that.
41:5335?
41:54Yeah, 35.
41:55Yeah.
41:56Brilliant.
41:57All right.
41:58There we are.
42:01Every sale's a bonus, so on that basis we're doing better than expected.
42:06So I'm looking forward to a productive afternoon.
42:11But after a strong start, the sales begin to falter.
42:15So when Kev's approached by the organiser for an interview...
42:19Vous allez parler dedans, vous allez parler doucement.
42:21Doucement, oui.
42:22OK.
42:23Je suis là.
42:24OK.
42:25Oh, we're going to be interviewed in French now.
42:27Oh, non, non, non.
42:31Working on the premise there's no such thing as bad publicity.
42:34He says yes.
42:36Oh, my disaster.
42:38Even though he's not quite fluent in French.
42:43Well, my dear friends, I'm in the company of Kevin, an English friend.
42:49United Kingdom.
42:50Yeah, it's me.
42:51It's powerful.
42:52We're proposing, we're proposing...
42:55OK.
42:56We're proposing.
42:57One, two, one, two.
42:59No.
43:12The tableau, the animals, the visage, the birds,
43:18when you want.
43:20Where you want, when you want.
43:24OK?
43:25Yes.
43:26OK.
43:27Thank you, Kevin.
43:28De rien.
43:29Because he told us his delicious British accent.
43:35If that wasn't stressy, I don't know what is.
43:39I've just made a complete wally of myself
43:42to a thousand French people.
43:45Despite a sterling effort from Kev,
43:48there are no more sales and no more budding artists
43:51signed up this time.
43:53But they've boosted their bank balance
43:55and hopefully raised their profile too,
43:58which crucially might help them to secure
44:00some new business this coming summer.
44:03It's been a blast.
44:04It has. It's been a fun day.
44:06Very good.
44:07Yeah.
44:08We haven't managed to recruit anybody, unfortunately,
44:11which is the main aim.
44:13But we took some money, got a suntan, I think.
44:16So, yeah, it's been pretty good all round.
44:22Next time...
44:23I've got 20 doors to sand and stain, so...
44:28As Victoria prepares to open,
44:30will everything run smoothly at the hotel?
44:33Ideally, hoping none of the guests get splinters.
44:36Adrian and Serena are under pressure at the chateau.
44:40I don't know what the time is,
44:41but we've still got quite a lot of things to do.
44:43Still got the pressure. Pressure's on.
44:45And things don't add up for Tony and Kev.
44:47Nine easels.
44:48There shouldn't be. There should be 12.
44:50As they look for brand new ways
44:52to make their art business pay.
44:54Excuse me while I go and panic.
44:56Kevin?
44:57Oh, God.
44:58OK.
44:59I love you.
45:00Not even
45:02possibly BUT...
45:04I PHONE VERS пол
45:09The big challenge,
45:11for me,
45:12you transition off.
45:13You see...
45:14it, it is good...
45:16The queue,
45:17Blackburn is in a different way.
45:18It isn't unusual.
45:19Whatever it makes,
45:21it is not true.
45:23JAN ASICON
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