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Château DIY (2018) Season 11 Episode 25
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00:01Across France, there are thousands of spectacular chateaux,
00:06often neglected and run down...
00:09Do you want a stick of dynamite?
00:10It would help, but it's less controlled than I am, so...
00:13..in desperate need of loving restoration.
00:17Things have definitely been living up here.
00:19..now being brought back to life by brave new owners...
00:23It is emotional.
00:25Flippin' it is!
00:27..who are turning them into extraordinary homes.
00:30It's actually unbelievable. It's amazing.
00:33..and exciting businesses...
00:37..taking on monumental challenges...
00:40Only, what, a thousand more? Probably.
00:43..with highs...
00:44Victory approaches.
00:47..as well as lows.
00:49It's at times like this, I wish I knew what I was doing.
00:52..but with daring ideas...
00:54I'm going to do something that you can't buy in a shop.
00:57..and hard work...
00:58..comes great joy.
01:00Oh!
01:01That is beautiful!
01:03..as they fulfil their dream...
01:05This is going to be our bedroom.
01:07..as custodians of their very own castle.
01:11It's going to be amazing.
01:16..today.
01:17A big hallway project...
01:21..I don't need to get hurt, Tim.
01:23..requires nerves of steel.
01:25So I'm a little bit worried that it's suddenly all going to go down in one hit.
01:28We don't want it coming down in one go.
01:31..one bride-to-be feels the pressure...
01:33..I think I need to rewrite the wedding vows.
01:36..thou shall not do so much manual work.
01:39..and two new owners...
01:43..face a daring demolition.
01:46Max, be careful, the whole thing is moving.
01:48Yeah!
01:49It's holding!
01:50It's holding, but for how long?
02:00In south-west France, overlooking the river Lotte,
02:05stands the stunning Château de Césarac.
02:10With two wings set around a central courtyard,
02:15this historic castle was once occupied by pirates
02:20but is now home to intrepid DIYers...
02:24..John.
02:26I'm covered in brick.
02:27..and Carmen.
02:29It's fun, isn't it?
02:30It's making it look nice.
02:32..who are slowly bringing the fire-damaged property back to life.
02:38She's very good with the tool.
02:42We are now beginning to feel the reward.
02:45I mean, for the first probably, what, two years
02:48that we were working on this place,
02:49you would look at the whole job together
02:52and you would think, oh, it's such a big job.
02:54And then you just get stuck into the work
02:56and then you forget about it
02:57and then you look at one of the rooms that you've completed
02:59and you think, wow, look what we've done.
03:03And that's our aim, isn't it?
03:04To make every room a wow.
03:07Located 80 miles north of Toulouse,
03:10the couple bought the chateau in 2022 for £175,000.
03:18Last time we saw them,
03:21they created a super-sized wooden pergola
03:24to enjoy their vineyard views.
03:30I'm absolutely thrilled with the result of the deck-ins.
03:34Great to get another project in the bag.
03:35Cheers! Cheers!
03:37Santé!
03:39Today, with John busy and the sun nowhere to be seen,
03:44Carmen's starting another big project,
03:47ready for a very special event.
03:50Today's the day I'm building my own wedding aisle.
03:53Now, how many brides get to build their own wedding aisle?
03:56We're having our wedding celebration in July.
03:59So, we are creating a wedding aisle from the gate
04:02so that John and I can go down and have a ceremony at the end.
04:08They plan to revamp the chateau's neglected 24-metre-long path
04:14and build a patio.
04:16The first step is to build the edging strip,
04:20which means building a trench, putting in some hard core,
04:24then cementing the edging stones on top
04:27and then on the outside we're going to plant a lovely lavender hedge.
04:32So, it's going to look fabulous one day.
04:34When it's not raining, when I'm in my wedding dress
04:37and it's lovely and sunny, it's going to look amazing.
04:42So, all I need to do is start the trench.
04:45It's very hard because under here there's quite a bit of stone
04:49which was left from the path before.
04:52So, this isn't going in very far, unfortunately.
04:56It's really rock hard.
04:57So, I think the first thing to do is to get the grass layer off.
05:02It must be, what, five years since John's cycled into my life
05:06and it's been a crazy adventure ever since.
05:11After a long afternoon flying solo...
05:14Right.
05:16I think that's enough for today.
05:19Carmen is victorious.
05:21Where's the men when you need them?
05:27Next morning, with her groom back on duty...
05:31I'm going for the little bag, John.
05:32The little bag? Yeah.
05:34..they need to fill the trenches with three and a half tonnes of gravel.
05:42Far end? Yeah, let's go for the far end.
05:47It's very romantic building a wedding path, isn't it?
05:50The romantic bit will be on the day.
05:52I think there's not very much romance doing a path, but it's good.
05:57I think it'll look OK.
06:06Come on, John, keep up.
06:12We've got to tamp this down a bit, OK?
06:14Do you want to tamp while I...?
06:15Yeah, I'll tamp while you carry on.
06:17I thought you might.
06:19Leave me to do the manual work yet again.
06:22No, no, the tamping's a hard bit.
06:27The gravel needs to be compacted
06:30to provide a solid base to lay the flat edging stones on top.
06:35Why don't you help me fill the trench first?
06:37I'm really happy doing this.
06:43I thought in a marriage it was 50-50,
06:45but I'm doing more than 50% on the manual work right now.
06:49Look at that.
06:50I think I need to rewrite the wedding vows.
06:53Thou shall not do so much manual work.
06:58With 174 edging stones to lay
07:01and the patio still to begin,
07:04John and Carmen are a long way from saying,
07:07I do.
07:13Two and a half hours north,
07:16in the lush countryside near Limoges,
07:18stands the stunning Chateau de la Griere.
07:24Outside, it boasts elegant towers
07:27and a fairytale turret,
07:31while inside are twelve spacious bedrooms
07:37and two grands salons.
07:43Careful!
07:46The proud owners are retired district nurse Sharon
07:50and husband Tim,
07:52a former construction manager.
07:54Dream team!
07:56Who bought it in 2022 for £500,000,
08:01with dreams of a brand new business.
08:04This coming year is going to be a difficult year for us.
08:08A challenging one.
08:10It's going to be very challenging,
08:11because it's the first time
08:12that we're going to be letting the property out to people.
08:16We've got a lot to do before the summer.
08:18We have,
08:19and we've already got a booking.
08:20And we've got our first booking,
08:22so that's terribly exciting
08:23and nerve-wracking at the same time,
08:25but it gives you a goal.
08:27Located three hours north of Toulouse,
08:31Oh my Lord!
08:32Sharon and Tim recently started work
08:35on their third and final guest bedroom,
08:38on the first floor.
08:40You never know what you're going to find, do you?
08:43And last time we saw them,
08:45they faced wallpaper stripping on a chateau scale.
08:50I've been doing this for three hours,
08:52and I haven't even done a quarter of a wall.
08:58Tackled a dated ensuite...
09:00Down behind the back of there.
09:02..and handmade a window seat with a view.
09:06Nice.
09:07I can see you lay there
09:08with your dress on and your glass of rose.
09:12Today, though, the bedroom is on hold
09:15while they start the supersize
09:1813-metre-long hallway outside.
09:22You ready for this?
09:23No.
09:24No, I know you don't like it.
09:25I really don't like it.
09:27Their first job is to plasterboard
09:30over the newly installed electrics.
09:32On the three-metre-high ceiling.
09:36OK.
09:36So just make sure that bit of plasterboard
09:38stays on that piece of wood, yeah?
09:40OK.
09:42I'm going for a cup of tea.
09:53This is chateau life.
09:55Hanging around.
10:00Right.
10:01OK.
10:02Oh, my goodness.
10:05OK.
10:06Can I get down?
10:07Let me get down.
10:08Let me get down.
10:09Let me get down.
10:09You can't get down because I'm on the steps.
10:11Don't get down.
10:12Don't get down.
10:13Don't get down.
10:13Let me get down.
10:14Let me get down.
10:14I hate it.
10:16How many more have we got?
10:1712?
10:1813?
10:20That's turned out pretty good.
10:22Yeah?
10:22Happy with that?
10:22Yeah, happy with that?
10:23I think so.
10:23Yeah?
10:25Good one.
10:26And then we have to get some more from the DIY shop.
10:28We need to get some more.
10:29Yeah, we do indeed.
10:30So that's the last one?
10:30Yeah.
10:31OK.
10:31Good job.
10:35Later, with Tim plasterboard shopping, Sharon faces her scaffold fears again, aiming to patch
10:42the wall at the other end of the hall, where a lower false ceiling once hung.
10:47What I'm attempting to do is cover the area with this. Not smooth. We don't want it smooth.
10:59And then I get my bag and my sponge, and I do a bit of that.
11:10By adding texture to the plaster, she's hoping to match the newly exposed section to the rest of the wall
11:17below.
11:19That's it.
11:20Right.
11:20I'm to move my scaffold in.
11:23It doesn't take very long.
11:26And it is quite enjoyable.
11:34I think I've done a reasonable job.
11:41Given my skill set.
11:48Voila!
11:51It's OK for the minute.
11:52So, happy days.
11:54This hallway makeover is off the starting blocks.
11:58But with big plans to demolish a wall at one end, the hard work has only just begun.
12:09Still to come, two new Chatelains face the challenge of a lifetime.
12:15Why are you removing the guttering?
12:17Ali.
12:18Oh, my God.
12:19I don't want to look.
12:21While this happily ever after.
12:24You need to lay flat, remember?
12:25Give me a chance, John.
12:26I'm just saying.
12:27Go away.
12:28I can do it.
12:28Seems a long way off.
12:31You're a bit low on this side, which means you've got enough cement in.
12:33Can you chance, John?
12:33No, we haven't got enough cement in if it's low already.
12:35Only chance to do anything.
12:43Tucked away in Burgundy, in eastern France, is the striking Chateau de Chazignol.
12:50This 13th century castle boasts fairytale turrets, 35 dilapidated rooms, and a medieval courtyard.
13:07Outside, the 35-acre estate includes barns, stables, and a 700-year-old chapel.
13:17Since 2024, it's been home to project manager Anna and her engineer husband Max,
13:24who have jumped into married life with both feet.
13:29We got together five years ago now, and we got married two years ago.
13:34And nine months ago, we bought a chateau.
13:38When I met her, she said, I would like to start a project.
13:41I was like, yeah, I mean, everybody has a dream.
13:44We should definitely try to do something.
13:47Now, we're expecting.
13:49We should be three in this chateau.
13:51Crazy situation.
13:53A big change in five years.
13:58Located just over an hour's drive from Lyon,
14:01and only five minutes from Max's family home,
14:04the couple bought the abandoned chateau for £650,000,
14:09with plans to create their own little nest and wedding venue.
14:15But with a top-to-bottom renovation needed, there's a huge amount to do.
14:21Max is definitely more structural in terms of the DIY skills that he has,
14:26and I am much more in terms of the, it sounds very typical,
14:32but the decorating, the landscape planning for the grounds.
14:36Yeah, but you always need both.
14:38I mean, you need some more action to make your vision.
14:42Yeah, that's where we complement each other.
14:45We both have DIY skills, but, yeah, just in slightly different areas.
14:51Determined to bring their sleeping beauty back to life,
14:55today the pair are starting work on the neglected courtyard,
15:00currently a dumping ground.
15:04At the moment, a lot of the stuff which is here,
15:07we had either pulled out from the attics or they had come from the cellars.
15:12I think that it almost looks like a herald shield.
15:15There's quite a lot of little gems that we've found that we can reuse.
15:18It's part of the history.
15:20It's something that is unique.
15:25Yeah, I don't know what it's used for.
15:27Cook.
15:28To cook something in the chimney in the kitchen.
15:32Like a big Marmite or something.
15:34Like a witch potion.
15:36In France they call this cauldron a Marmite.
15:40And when I think of it, I think of Marmite on toast.
15:43I love it.
15:44I don't like it.
15:45You think it's awful.
15:46I think it's completely awful.
15:49OK.
15:51With the clutter cleared, the stubborn ivy is next in the firing line.
15:57We'd already cut it last year,
15:59so that it wouldn't damage the mortar in between when we pull it out.
16:03So, but that is the next issue to tackle.
16:06It's like a proper dream.
16:09And years of abandonment mean ivy isn't the only plant that's taken root.
16:16Why are you removing the guttering?
16:18The whole point of me is to remove that tree.
16:20I'm not going to just let it go for one more year.
16:22It's easy.
16:23It lets me just get it out.
16:25You start out with a small task and it ends up removing a guttering
16:28and pulling a tree out of a wall.
16:30I mean...
16:31Oh, God.
16:33Oh, my God.
16:34I don't want to look.
16:39That's not even the bit that you need to remove.
16:41Yes.
16:42I need to remove this bit in order to get...
16:46Oh, Jesus.
16:49Oh, nice.
16:50Oh, yeah.
16:52See, look.
16:53I've got such a good access.
16:55It's moving out of the wall.
16:57I might maybe try with the...
16:59Later, maybe the chainsaw.
17:03With the tree on hold for now, it's back to the ivy.
17:10They're just so sticky.
17:13Whatever time you think it's going to be, double it.
17:18I'm going to double it again.
17:19Mother Nature is good at creating stuff, but she's very good at destroying them.
17:25Wow, it's really in there, isn't it?
17:36That's looking great.
17:37Not perfect.
17:39No, but it's an amazing start.
17:46The ivy is really attached to the stone.
17:49It's quite difficult to push.
17:50But everything...
17:51It just, it looks so much better now.
17:54We know it's not a huge transformation as yet, but we feel like it's a good step along the way.
18:00The courtyard restoration is underway.
18:03But with so much of the chateau needing their attention, the rest of this revamp will have to wait.
18:16200 miles west, in the Haute-Vienne département, Sharon and Tim's hallway walls and ceiling are plasterboarded and patched.
18:27Now facing a mountain of decorating, they've called in reinforcements.
18:33So, I would like you to paint all of this, all the way down, and paint all the ceiling, if
18:39that's okay.
18:40Yeah, I didn't know it was going to be this big a job, but I will do my best.
18:43Thank you, as it is a long hallway, isn't it?
18:45It is, yeah.
18:46No slacking?
18:47No, no slacking at all.
18:48Not with you.
18:54Today, I've got my glorious, lovely sister Cheryl helping painting.
18:58She's come all the way from Spain to give us a hand, because all this hallway and landing needs to
19:04be done.
19:05And it frees Tim and myself up by Cheryl coming.
19:09So, yeah, we're super lucky she's here.
19:12While Cheryl starts at one end of the huge hallway, at the other, Sharon and Tim want to demolish a
19:23partition wall, which opens onto a staircase.
19:26Can you just steady the door?
19:28You ready?
19:30Up.
19:30And we're going to get off.
19:31Ooh!
19:32Starting with removing the solid doors.
19:36Three heavy.
19:37Are you sure you can manage it?
19:40Very heavy.
19:40Got it?
19:45That looks better already, look, with a bit of sunshine.
19:47Yeah, I know, doesn't it?
19:47It's dark area.
19:48And you've got two sets of windows, three sets of windows there, bringing in some nice light, so I think
19:53it will look lovely. Open it all up.
19:54If we get the whole partition out, it's going to be a major improvement.
20:00Ooh!
20:01Careful.
20:06So, we're going to start taking the partition down.
20:08We're starting from the top.
20:10No idea how this is going to come down.
20:12Don't know how it's been put together in the first place.
20:15And everything's a bit more tricky when you're at height, when you're not, like, feet are on the ground.
20:19So, I think it will be a case of, as we go along, we'll adapt.
20:29Have you got it?
20:30Ah!
20:31No, no, no, my finger's gone!
20:32I'm not doing it!
20:32It's gone!
20:33Oh!
20:34Oh!
20:35You're pulling it out with your other hand!
20:37Yes!
20:38Oh, my Lord!
20:42All right, now go back.
20:43Right, hang on then.
20:44All right, I'm now loose.
20:45Take it down onto the scaffold.
20:47Oh, right, yeah, yeah.
20:48So, go your way a bit.
20:49Watch, there's a screw on the nail on the end here.
20:52OK.
20:53The old wall has been skimmed with a layer of plaster, making it much heavier to deal with.
21:01This partition is proving to be a little bit more difficult than we thought.
21:04They boarded it, and then they've crept over the top of it, and the framework holding it up isn't particularly
21:11solid.
21:12So, I'm a little bit worried that it's suddenly all going to go down in one hit.
21:15We don't want it coming down in one go.
21:16Yeah, that's all right.
21:18Working on a staircase adds to the challenge.
21:22Go, Steve.
21:23I thought it would be really straightforward, but obviously it's not.
21:27You're going to hold it all in place?
21:29Yeah.
21:30OK.
21:31I don't want you to get hurt, Tim.
21:33We've got a lot to do.
21:35With the removal of their partition wall still hanging in the balance...
21:42This hallway revamp is turning into a marathon makeover.
21:56Two hours south near Bergerac, John and Carmen are renovating their chateau's neglected front path...
22:07Nearly there.
22:07..which they want to use as the aisle for their upcoming wedding.
22:13Will you take me as your DIY?
22:16Wife.
22:17I will take you as a DIY.
22:19I thought you might.
22:19I'll do some DIY.
22:20Because I do all the manual labour around here.
22:22Good.
22:25Having finished the gravel base on both sides, next they need to lay stones on top.
22:32I've got the heavy end here.
22:33No, you haven't.
22:33They're both the same.
22:35Carmen is going to be doing some bricklaying, which is quite exciting.
22:39Oh, it's got wheels.
22:40Oh, this looks like it's going to take forever to do.
22:43Yeah, we'll throw this together in no time.
22:46You could have bought a ready-assembled one, John.
22:49That's how it came, I'm afraid.
22:50This could get a little bit messy.
22:52It always gets messy.
22:53I'll end up with cement all over me.
22:55You will, but hey.
22:57As long as we get the aisle done, it doesn't matter, does it?
22:59You can always have a bath.
23:00Yes.
23:02Cement mixing, laying stones, it's all new to me.
23:06So it's quite a big thing, really, to trust me to do it.
23:10It's actually the lead-up to the chateau.
23:12It is the sort of one big sort of, like, statement path to the house.
23:16So it's got to be right.
23:18No pressure, Carmen.
23:19No.
23:20So, see because there's water.
23:22Let's stop it sticking.
23:24Mmm.
23:25How much water do you put in?
23:26Well, just enough to get it going.
23:28Carmen is a keen baker, but this is a different kind of recipe.
23:33The drum is rolling.
23:37Oh, nice.
23:39That's pretty cool, isn't it?
23:40Yes.
23:41Let's get some sand and cement in there.
23:46How many is four of these?
23:48Two, eight.
23:49Eight, yeah?
23:53So how wet does it need to be, John?
23:56Is it like mixing a cake?
23:57Yeah, it's like mixing a cake.
23:59Is that right?
24:00Yeah.
24:01Yeah.
24:02Mixing done.
24:03Okay, so let's try and lay it out.
24:05Yeah.
24:06It's time for a lesson in stone laying.
24:09Happy with that?
24:09Oh, this is great.
24:10I like it.
24:12Don't hit too hard.
24:14My turn.
24:15And just obviously make sure the tile is level that way.
24:18As best you can.
24:18Okay, will you watch me for a bit?
24:20Yeah, I'll watch you.
24:20You're doing it okay.
24:27You've got too much cement in there, haven't you?
24:29You've never knocked that down that far.
24:30Oh, too much cement?
24:32Yeah.
24:32There's a trick to that.
24:33Look.
24:33Okay.
24:34Let me show you.
24:36Move it sideways.
24:37Oh, I see.
24:38But in future, don't put so much cement in.
24:40Now you're going to just tap it down now.
24:46She's a bricklayer.
24:48That's it.
24:48Swizz it around a bit.
24:49Swizzle it a bit.
24:50Like that?
24:51That's it.
24:52Push it out the sides, effectively.
24:53That's what you're doing, isn't it?
24:58But being John's apprentice isn't always easy.
25:02Need to lay flat, remember?
25:03No, no.
25:04Give me a chance, John.
25:05I'm just saying.
25:06Go away.
25:07I can do it.
25:09You're a bit low on this side, which means you're not cementing.
25:12Don't give me a chance, John.
25:12No, you're not cementing if it's low already.
25:13You don't give me a chance to do anything.
25:16With tension brewing on sight.
25:18You're not going to get her down.
25:20There's a long day ahead.
25:22She's done like three metres so far.
25:24Only 47 metres to go.
25:28And with a whole patio to lay at the other end.
25:32Wow.
25:32I tell you what, from a distance, it looks fantastic.
25:34From a distance?
25:35Don't be so cheating.
25:36Me too.
25:37This happy couple are still far from wedding ready.
25:47Coming up.
25:48Guys, the wall is kind of moving.
25:51Max dices with danger.
25:53Just watch as the giant hole opens up in our barn.
25:56And there's a fountain, faux pas.
26:00Oh, it's breaking.
26:01It's breaking.
26:02It's breaking.
26:10Near Limoges in southwest France, Tim is taking a less than delicate approach to removing the
26:21partition wall at the end of their first floor hallway.
26:27Look at that.
26:28Look how much light that is.
26:30Bonjour.
26:30Bonjour.
26:32What a difference.
26:33It's great.
26:34You can't wait to get this bit down.
26:40Look at that.
26:43Yeah, I like it.
26:43Pleasing that?
26:44Yeah.
26:45OK.
26:46Makes such a difference, yeah.
26:48Because it was always a bit oppressive and dark and so it's great to have it back to its original
26:52design.
26:54Good job.
27:02We've got the big bits down which is good news so what I want to take now out is the
27:06door frames.
27:07This one here and that one there which will expose the stud work for the whole thing and then we'll
27:13start taking it down from above.
27:17They need the hall ready before their first guest bookings this summer and their new B&B business begins.
27:25Realistically I think we've still got 18 months to two years to get this chateau where we want it so
27:32that lounging around on a terrace is a long way off yet but we will snatch moments where we will
27:38enjoy the weather, enjoy the parkland and enjoy the chateau.
27:41Oh, crikey.
27:44Voila.
27:45That's heavy.
27:51What do you think?
27:52I really like it.
27:54I think it's super smart.
27:56Opens it all up doesn't it?
27:57Makes it much lighter.
27:59Good job.
28:03At the other end of the 13-metre corridor Sharon's sister Cheryl has been making progress with the painting.
28:12Do you want me to give you a hand?
28:13That would be great if you could because have you seen the length of the corridor?
28:16It's not getting any shorter.
28:25It really boosts our morale when we have family and friends come and help, you know, because we do flag.
28:32It does get difficult. It does get monotonous. And you actually could be sat in the sun but you've decided
28:38to come and spend two weeks in the hallway so...
28:41Well, hopefully it's not going to be a full two weeks in this hallway.
28:44Well, you're not getting out until you've finished it so...
28:47You need to get it sorted.
28:49It just gives us another job that we can tick off before our guests come because it's a two-week
28:54job, this. And I've only got six weeks.
28:59It's looking brighter and cleaner. There's still a little bit more to do but she's made great progress.
29:05The hallway is markably improved. We've taken the partition down, Cheryl being here and painting it. It's come up with
29:12a nice light colour. The light is coming through into the hallway and it's fresh.
29:19The project has taken a huge leap forward. But with decorating to finish and the whole space to dress and
29:27style, there's a way to go yet.
29:35Four hours drive east in Burgundy. Having cleared the overgrown courtyard, Anna and Max are moving on to a space
29:45they hope to one day use for weddings.
29:48There's a huge amount of work to do in the chateau. We're trying to do a multitude of jobs at
29:54the same time.
29:55Today, we are going to be demolishing the mezzanine in our barn. The mezzanine is rather rickety and it needs
30:02to come down.
30:03Well, we'll try to do it gently or maybe not. I don't know how it's going to go.
30:06What could go wrong?
30:09I will see if it's going badly. I can tell you to run off and hurry.
30:19Max's dad, Laurent, is here to help with the demolition.
30:25So, just mainly these bits to take out first.
30:28As work begins, pregnant Anna is keeping well out of the way.
30:35I'm here on a cheerleading basis.
30:37I'm ashamed to say it, when it comes to the heavy lifting, it's usually the boys.
30:41And I'm there on the sidelines usually dictating what I would like.
30:49Max, be careful, the whole thing is moving.
30:52Yeah, it's holding.
30:54It's holding, but for how long?
31:02I'm going to get the chainsaw.
31:12As the saying goes, please don't try this at home.
31:26With the help of a prop, Max decides to attack the floor from below.
31:35Now we just have to pull off and hopefully it will fall down.
31:47Wow.
31:48OK.
31:49That's down.
31:51You're so happy with that.
31:52Done.
31:54Done.
31:54And voilà!
31:56Anna can't breathe easily just yet, though, as they still need to remove the heavy beam.
32:03Guys, the wall is kind of moving.
32:06I mean, the stone's not moving, but the plaster is.
32:20Laurent says it's normal and it's fine.
32:24And I've said, OK, I will say nothing.
32:26I'll just watch as the giant hole opens up in our barn.
32:32Max and dad Laurent must find a way to remove the beam without causing more damage to the
32:38brickwork all themselves.
32:49Five hours away in the Lott Valley.
32:52That looks superb.
32:54John and Carmen are renovating their chateau's front path.
32:58High five.
32:59Which they hope to use as the aisle when they say, I do, this summer.
33:05One step closer to the wedding day.
33:06That said, it all looms up very, very quickly.
33:08I know, but I'm going to glide down the aisle now, John.
33:11Glide.
33:11Glide, like swans on the water.
33:17Having finished laying all 50 metres of stone edges...
33:21That's a beautiful day again, isn't it?
33:22Lovely day, yeah.
33:24Today, they're starting on the area at the end of the path, where the ceremony itself will take place.
33:32We have a fountain at the moment, which is right smack bang in the middle of where we want to
33:38put our patio.
33:39Oh, this is loose, John, so we could actually lift that over there.
33:42So that's got to come out, and then we're putting in a nice round patio.
33:47It's going to be too heavy, isn't it?
33:49I don't know. We'll try and get it out.
33:51I don't think we can lift it that high. It's heavy.
33:53The fountain is part of the chateau's heritage.
33:57Oh!
33:58And keeping it in one piece is a top priority.
34:02Here we are.
34:03To put it this side, it'd be easier to get rid of in the tractor.
34:06This is the old plumbing. Who knows what's beneath here and how it all fits together.
34:11Oh, gosh.
34:12I think we're going to have to give it a bit of brute force and get through it, don't you
34:17think?
34:18Maybe if we wiggle it.
34:19We'll wiggle it.
34:20Oh, there we are. It's wiggling.
34:22It's in one piece.
34:23There we are. It wiggles.
34:25Oh!
34:25Let's just try and just lay it back. Just literally, let's just try and lay it back.
34:29The pipes will bend, but we'll get it through places.
34:31A little over that side, yeah?
34:32Yeah, okay.
34:32One, two, three.
34:32One, two, three.
34:34It'll be heavy, so be very careful.
34:38Okay.
34:38Oh, it is in two pieces. We can lift it off.
34:40Well, no, you won't because of the pipes. Just lay down because it's heavy.
34:43Got it?
34:44Oh, it's breaking. It's breaking. It's breaking. It's standing back up.
34:49Okay.
34:50Well, obviously, the frost has got to it. Look at that.
34:52Shall we just lay it down?
34:53Well, it looks like it. We've done the damage now.
34:55We've done the damage. Okay, so down we go.
34:56Okay. Mind your feet.
34:59Okay?
35:00Yeah.
35:02Okay.
35:04With the fountain down, now there's just the small job of moving it.
35:10Right, okay.
35:11What are we going to do?
35:12We'll separate the two.
35:13Oh, I don't want to break it.
35:14Oh, no.
35:15Maybe.
35:16Okay.
35:18Right.
35:20Okay, okay.
35:21Ready?
35:25That's it.
35:26Just lay it over.
35:28The fountain itself is broken, but we're going to keep it together as much as we can.
35:31It will find a new home at some point, won't it?
35:33Yeah, I do want to keep it. It's part of the chateau.
35:35Okay.
35:35What are we going to do? Like this?
35:37Roll it, roll it, roll it, roll it.
35:38So we will relocate it somewhere else at some point.
35:42Sit on it.
35:43Sit on it.
35:44He wants me to sit on it.
35:49We have plenty of space so we can repurpose it and put it anywhere, can't we, where we fancy a
35:54fountain.
35:54We've certainly got the space for it.
36:00The ceremony area is finally clear, but with a patio to lay and a metal pergola still to build, John
36:09and Carmen's wedding bells aren't ringing just yet.
36:18Coming up, Anna's still on edge.
36:22I'm less confident with the drill in the wall than I was before this project started.
36:28And is Sharon's chateau dream all it's cracked up to be?
36:32One of the joys of having a chateau that was fully furnished is it's all here, but on the downside,
36:38it's not quite what I visualise.
36:48In Burgundy in eastern France, Max and Dad Laurent are trying to remove a giant oak beam without demolishing their
36:59barn wall.
37:00OK, so now they're going to just drill the wall instead.
37:05I'm less confident with the drill in the wall than I was before this project started.
37:13It's getting lowered.
37:15I think it's just going to pull out now.
37:22Eventually, the beam is out and the wall remains standing.
37:29I'm going to now inspect how big this hole is and hope that the wall doesn't fall down.
37:36Wow, it actually went quite deep, but not all the way through.
37:40But now, there's a second one to tackle.
37:44The wall is not in good shape on this side.
37:46Yes.
37:47I'm going to split in half so we get...
37:50This bit is holding to not pull everything down at once.
37:54The wall's in worse shape than I honestly thought it was.
37:58You can clearly see it looks like it's departed almost from the other wall.
38:02Look, this wall, they don't even attach it to this one.
38:06It's just against it, so it doesn't hold anything.
38:12Max decides to put some space between himself and a potential avalanche of bricks.
38:19C'est bon?
38:24Job well done. It's not finished yet.
38:26They've got the second half of it to go.
38:34In a house like this, chainsaw is your best friend.
38:44I think it looks great, don't you?
38:46Yeah, I think it looks much higher.
38:48Yeah.
38:49But no, I'm not very scared about the crack in the wall.
38:52Yeah, it's an extra problem we didn't really foresee.
38:57I mean, it's probably half of the wall, which is like that.
38:59I don't think the other half is that bad.
39:01I haven't checked on the other side, but...
39:03The roof is still nice and structurally fine.
39:06Do you feel like going and getting cleaned up?
39:09For a drink?
39:09I'm very dusty.
39:11Yes.
39:12And you're definitely very dusty.
39:16OK, let's have a drink.
39:23Now that everything's down, it's kind of revealed a few more cracks in the building than we maybe thought.
39:28But they'll just be the next projects that we have to sort out.
39:33And now that this part's done, I can really imagine the rest of the bar being finished.
39:38You can do the vision of it and I will have to follow that.
39:42Yes.
39:42I'm the vision, you're the action.
39:47It's been a successful day, but their dreams of turning this crumbling castle into a luxury wedding venue are still
39:56a long way off.
40:04Four hours away, at Chateau de la Grière, it's been nearly two months since Sharon and Tim started work on
40:12their giant first floor hallway.
40:15We've painted all the walls, we've lifted up the ceiling, we've done all the electrics, but the walls are really
40:21bare now and they're large walls, so...
40:23We're going to Sharonise it, are we?
40:24We're going to Sharonise it, that's what we're going to do today.
40:29With two friends due round later for a first look, there's little time to waste.
40:38They plan to dress the hallway with recycled Chateau treasures.
40:43You think so?
40:44Yes, yes, yes.
40:45You sure?
40:46Yep.
40:48One of the joys of having a Chateau that was fully furnished is it's all here, but on the downside
40:54it's not quite what I visualise, but I think it'll work, it'll work with what I've got.
41:00If you start with the mirror, because that's the focal point.
41:03OK.
41:04And then we'll select some pictures to go either side, yeah.
41:07OK.
41:13I do like these.
41:15I feel they've probably got a story.
41:16Shall we put the tapestry up?
41:17Yep.
41:18Where about that?
41:20Hey, do you want a spear?
41:21That's all right, like that.
41:22Like that?
41:25The final say is never me.
41:28It's always going to be Sharon, because this is what Sharon's good at.
41:31I have a vision.
41:32Sharon has a vision.
41:33I have no vision.
41:35Mine's all hidden.
41:37All my hard work is hidden.
41:39But Sharon makes all these decisions, and I trust her to make the right decisions.
41:43Are you happy with that?
41:45Yeah, I like it.
41:46It's nice to have it back on the wall.
41:49I'm super pleased with the brightness of it, the lightness of it, the cleanness of it, and we put our
41:55stamp on it, so I'm super happy.
41:57And I think with those tables, the tapestries, it's very chateau-like, so that's lovely.
42:03Yeah, it is.
42:03It's restored.
42:04It was uninspiring before, and now it's inspiring.
42:08And just in time for the grand unveiling, to friends Clare and Helen.
42:15Hi.
42:16Come on in.
42:17How are you?
42:19Hi.
42:19All good?
42:20All good?
42:20All good?
42:22The super-sized hallway, connecting their new guest rooms, has been a labour of love.
42:30Once a bland and dark set of corridors, it's now a bright, airy, and welcoming space.
42:42The lowered ceiling has been raised to its original height, creating a grand chateau feel.
42:50The walls freshly painted, and adorned with recycled artworks and tapestry treasures.
42:58And by removing the partition wall, the whole corridor is now flooded with natural light.
43:07Wow, look at this.
43:10Wow.
43:11Fingers in improvement.
43:12Oh, gosh, yes.
43:14So it's like, how many metres?
43:1613?
43:1613 metres long.
43:1713 metres.
43:18A lot of paint, a lot of wall, and the ceiling.
43:22It took days and days.
43:24Sharon and I raised it all up and just brought it back to sort of somewhere near its original height,
43:29which, it's made it a proper hallway.
43:32Yes.
43:33Which is good.
43:34Helen, do you remember when you last came, and you stayed in that room, and the partition
43:38was there, from that ceiling down to the doors, the two dark doors?
43:42Yeah, I mean, taking that down was a great idea, because it's just brought in all this
43:46natural light, hasn't it?
43:48It's just amazing.
43:49And you've made it more to fit in with the chateau.
43:52Yeah, definitely.
43:53How it should be.
43:54Yes.
43:54Yeah.
43:55It's still homely.
43:56Yeah.
43:57Yes, it is.
43:57Yeah, you're right.
43:59I was super pleased with their reaction.
44:01You could tell that they liked it.
44:02They did, and to come back and see it now, and see it lightened up and refreshed, and
44:08chateau style, big and bold, was good.
44:11Yeah.
44:12Taking the wall down was something we hesitated a little bit about, wasn't it?
44:17By taking that down and being brave, has worked in our advantage.
44:22I think you're right.
44:23I think definitely the right decision.
44:25I'm super pleased with how it's come out, and the transformation of it, and how light
44:28it makes everything look up there now.
44:31It's been worthwhile.
44:32Yeah, it has.
44:32It has.
44:34Sharon and Tim have a hallway fit to welcome guests, but with the final ensuite bedroom still
44:41a building site, and opening day approaching, there's no time to rest.
44:52Next time.
44:53Oh, gosh!
44:56John and Carmen come unstuck.
44:58Oh!
44:59It was going well up until this point.
45:01A spa renovation goes rogue.
45:04Should really use a welding torch on it, but I haven't got one at the moment.
45:07So we've got to improvise for kitchen utensils.
45:10And the pressure's on for this pair.
45:12If I get this wrong, well, I don't really know how I fix it.
45:32That's right.
45:43You're going to sleep on it.
45:45bless you 228 years ago.
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