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00:01Across France, there are thousands of magnificent chateaux.
00:08Many lie derelict and dilapidated.
00:12I don't know if they've ever had glass then.
00:16But now they're being revived.
00:19Let there be light!
00:20By fearless owners.
00:22I love a bit of manual labour.
00:24Who are transforming these architectural gems
00:29Back into spectacular homes.
00:32That bathtub, oh, I want to get in it now.
00:35And businesses.
00:37Oh, she looks stunning!
00:40Along with the highs.
00:43No draughts, no gaps, and it's double glazed.
00:46And lows.
00:50I think I got away with it.
00:52Every daring deed.
00:54I feel like Whitney.
00:56Takes them a step closer.
00:58You're going through the jungle.
01:01To living the dream.
01:03You're the queen of the castle. You go first.
01:05Cheers!
01:07As keepers of their very own chateau.
01:16Today.
01:17One, two, three, lift.
01:20There's a basin bust up.
01:23No, not on this.
01:24I know, I know.
01:26One new couple don't see eye to eye.
01:29Hopefully, it'll be alright.
01:31Fingers crossed. It's not.
01:33I can feel your eyes rolling.
01:37And for this Chatelaine.
01:39Seems to be holding.
01:41I think it's going to stay.
01:43It all comes tumbling down.
01:45Oh!
01:47Okay, so it wasn't stuck.
01:55Amongst the vineyards of the Charente Maritime region of Western France
02:02is the delightful 19th century La Grande Maison Lapinelle.
02:10Set in four and a half acres, this estate includes an abandoned 22-room manor house,
02:19a courtyard with outbuildings,
02:24and a modern five-bedroom home.
02:28The proud owners are in-flight manager Sarah and former military dog handler Bart,
02:35who bought it for just £335,000 in 2023.
02:42It was the outside spaces that really sold it to me.
02:45We know this renovation is going to take a good seven to ten years easily,
02:50but Bart is the perfect partner to embark on a big mission like this,
02:54because he does as he's told.
02:59Located near the town of Cognac, Sarah and Bart currently live in the smaller home,
03:05while they tackle the huge run-down manoir.
03:10Oh, look at that.
03:11That's a floor joist.
03:13When we saw them last summer, they discovered the floorboards were totally rotten.
03:20This area is completely damp as a result of this concrete walkway,
03:25which is on the other side.
03:28And had to dig up the whole outside path.
03:32Who needs a gym membership when you've got DIY?
03:38This year, they have an even bigger challenge as they plan to host a very special event in the courtyard
03:45for their closest friends.
03:47They wanted a wedding venue, and we said we couldn't think of anywhere better than our home.
03:53We want it to be beautiful and stunning for their big day.
03:57Yes.
03:58So far, they've begun building a pool area, and with a manoir uninhabitable, they plan to create guest accommodation in
04:09a stable and part of their modern house,
04:12which is currently stuck in a 1950s time warp.
04:18Bit of a masterpiece, isn't it, Barty?
04:20Indeed.
04:22Their first task is to clear the dated bathroom.
04:27Whoa!
04:31Coming off like a dream!
04:34Oh, she says.
04:38I think we've got a great big piece about to come off.
04:43Okay!
04:45Sarah, can you grab that tap?
04:47Will she lift up?
04:48Yep!
04:50Well, coming off a lot easier than I thought.
04:52Do you know what? I've probably just jinxed us, haven't I?
04:55Yes!
04:56There we go.
04:58I think this is ready to come off.
05:00There you go.
05:03Think we can go downstairs?
05:05We can give it a try.
05:08Moving the hefty 50-kilo sink needs careful coordination.
05:15I'll go down first.
05:16Ready?
05:17One, two, three, lift.
05:20Come round.
05:21Come round.
05:21That's it.
05:27Just let me know if you need to stop.
05:29Put your foot down.
05:31I can't.
05:32I'm more comfortable.
05:33Okay.
05:36No, not on the...
05:38I know, I know!
05:39Just turn it face down.
05:41Like that.
05:43I don't know what you broke, but...
05:45It's the sink coming.
05:46Put it down, put it down, put it down, put it down.
05:48Leave it.
05:48I am!
05:49I think it's going to be easier for me to go where you are.
05:53So I'm going to come to where you are.
05:55Okay.
05:57Having formulated a plan B...
05:59Go!
06:00Another one.
06:02They just hope it's second time lucky.
06:06Keep going.
06:07We'll get down the step.
06:08Yeah.
06:09Put it on the floor.
06:09Okay.
06:12Ready?
06:12Ready?
06:12Yep.
06:15There we go.
06:18Boom.
06:18Job well done.
06:21With the sink safely out of the way...
06:24Ooh!
06:25Come on.
06:26They're up and running.
06:30Okay.
06:30Ready?
06:31Two...
06:31But with a large vanity unit to shift...
06:34That's going nowhere.
06:36...and a cast iron bath to take out, Bart and Sarah have a lot of heavy lifting ahead.
06:50In every corner of France, plucky renovators are working hard to bring historic chateaux of all shapes and sizes back
07:00to life.
07:01In the popular Charente Departement sits the stunning 16th century Chateau des Fouilloux.
07:12This turreted beauty boasts 10 spacious bedrooms, outbuildings with a gite and is surrounded by 24 acres.
07:27Owned by the same family for 150 years, it sat empty for decades, until Londoners Sophie and Ray snapped it
07:37up in 2021.
07:39The best bit is getting the key, opening the door and just taking a breath, thinking, oh, God, this is
07:45ours.
07:46That was fantastic.
07:47It's not your normal keys, it's those...
07:49It was a massive great iron key.
07:53It had been abandoned for 40 years and nothing had been done.
07:56And we took about 10 minutes to go, oh, this is great.
08:00And then went straight into, right, let's get the bin bags out.
08:05Sitting two hours east of La Rochelle, the couple bought the chateau for £188,000.
08:14Having spent the first few years rewiring, fitting a new roof and renovating the ground floor, now they're moving up.
08:24We do need to create the bare minimum, which is at least five bedrooms for guests, for the income to
08:34support the place.
08:35Yeah.
08:36The first floor needs a lot more doing, the second floor's not even being touched.
08:41Going to fit a holiday in somewhere.
08:43Nah.
08:45Living in France is a holiday, Ray, repeat after me, living in France is all a holiday.
08:49Yes.
08:52The first guest room on their list is the newly painted pink room.
08:59They have furniture, curtains and lighting to sort, but there's a big job to tackle first.
09:06We're just having a little bit of a hoo-ha about the floor.
09:10Yeah.
09:11Because the ground floor is all dark, wooden floors, and upstairs the floorboards are all lighter, but the landing is
09:18a mixture of light and dark.
09:20Patchy.
09:21So I thought we needed to keep dark to keep the flow.
09:23You're chief of design, but, yeah, we'll agree on it, hopefully.
09:28Okay.
09:28Alright?
09:29And then when it goes wrong, you can say...
09:32It's my, your fault.
09:33Yeah.
09:34We both take collective responsibility.
09:38Yeah, okay.
09:42Are you ready for this?
09:44The pink room.
09:49So they are all different colours coming into here.
09:53Yeah.
09:53And then it's suddenly nice.
09:55I know, it's a lovely floor, don't get me wrong, but for me it's about keeping the colour.
10:01Hopefully it'll be alright.
10:03Fingers crossed.
10:04It's not.
10:05It's my fault, yeah?
10:08Yeah.
10:11Right, here we go.
10:15I'm not offended.
10:16I'm already happy with it.
10:17I'm not offended.
10:19It looks great.
10:20I can see it already.
10:22Now I know I was right, and you know, I love saying that.
10:27I can feel your eyes rolling when I say that.
10:31I know we were right.
10:32Oh, I think it's lovely.
10:36Floor transformation underway, Sophie decides to delegate.
10:41Okay, I'm off to do my curtains then.
10:43Bye.
10:44See ya.
10:44You'll have it done by the time I come back, yeah?
10:46See ya.
10:47Yeah, see you tomorrow.
10:50The dark brown floor has got the big green light, but the pink bedroom is still a long way from
10:58being open for business.
11:05Coming up.
11:06I'm confused and perplexed by what I have found.
11:09One owner faces a deep dive.
11:12I think I'm going to have to make a big hole.
11:16While Bart has the bathroom blues.
11:20It doesn't want to move.
11:21It's at times like this I wish I knew what I was doing.
11:30In the lush countryside of the Occitanie region in southwest France lies the 19th century Chateau de Picon.
11:42With six and a half acres, several outbuildings, and 31 rooms.
11:51It was bought in 2024 by Suffolk couple Jane and Rory, who moved in with their four-legged herd.
12:01Good girl, good girl.
12:04The pets are our family really now.
12:07They had to come.
12:08We needed the land for the horses.
12:10We had a minimum of acreage that we wanted.
12:13And we also wanted, ideally, somewhere with a venue.
12:17The overall chateau itself, everything about it was interesting and fascinating.
12:21And we just desperately wanted it.
12:24And now we have it.
12:28Located an hour and a half from Toulouse, the couple bought the property for £470,000 and hoped to pay
12:37their way with a holiday rentals and events business.
12:43The last time we saw them, they'd begun renovating a suite in the chateau's attached two-storey gite.
12:52And Rory came up with an ingenious plan.
12:56Yes, it's a beautiful pretend wood.
12:59To fix the damaged staircase.
13:02Wonderful.
13:03I'm quite pleased with how that looks.
13:07With a bedroom, dressing room and bathroom to tackle before opening to guests this summer, it's a massive undertaking.
13:18Today we'll mostly be working up the scaffolding, I think.
13:23I've got to take down the old mini chandelier in the dressing room and fix the ceiling rose up and
13:30then attach the new chandelier.
13:32Jane's going to be doing a little bit of coving in the bathroom.
13:36Yeah, I'm reasonably confident and just start by gluing it up and that's the easy bit.
13:50There's two blue wires, electrical wires, but fairly stiff old electrical wires.
13:56And they are actually the only thing holding this chandelier up.
14:01And they've just been twisted together around this metal bracket.
14:05So if I undo them...
14:11OK, with our free chandelier coming off.
14:17Here we go.
14:18Oh, brilliant.
14:20Thank you. Have you got it?
14:21Yep.
14:25The old chandelier is pretty.
14:27Just a little bit understated for this room and we're trying to make it a bit more grand.
14:32And it's large enough and the ceiling is very high.
14:35But we'll definitely put it in a bedroom somewhere. It's pretty.
14:39Rory's next challenge is to work out how to hang the new chandelier safely.
14:46I can't really see far enough in because it is quite a small hole and I don't want to create
14:50a big hole until I know what's up there. I might not need to make a big hole.
14:54So I'm going to have a poke around with an endoscope camera up into the hole.
15:00OK, good idea.
15:05This is a cheap endoscope, not the kind the doctor might use, but it's effectively the same thing. I can
15:12stick it up things and have a look.
15:18OK.
15:25I'm confused and perplexed by what I have found, which seems to be a large metal plate.
15:31This blue wire that was holding up the old chandelier, it looks like that's wrapped around the top of the
15:36metal plate and then it's using the metal bracket as a support.
15:41So the question is, can I fix to it or can I get something attached to it?
15:46I can use because I'm not willing just to type the new chandelier with a bit of old electrical wire.
15:52I think I'm going to have to make a big hole.
15:58With the job bigger and messier than expected and the bathroom coving still to start, Jane and Rory's to-do
16:07list just got even longer.
16:16France's thousands of chateaux often come with unique architectural features.
16:24Everything looks better with a little bit of bling.
16:28And restoring them can mean tackling jobs their new owners never dreamed of.
16:35This is what it's about. You get covered in muck and then you come out smiling.
16:40At Chateau Jolibois, near Limoges, Ben and wife Vanessa have spent years renovating their home's most show-stopping feature.
16:52Its opulent vaulted ballroom.
16:55Commissioning huge painted panels.
16:58Not only is it sloped, the paper's got to be cut in around each little piece of the moulding.
17:05Adding thousands of pounds of gold gilding and an ornate sealing fresco.
17:13It's all a long way from Ben's life as a barrister.
17:17And now with a final damaged panel to tackle, he needs to get creative.
17:24I've had a little look at it and it's basically paper and paint and clumps of hessian.
17:31So we're going to make a template and then I'm going to make something which will hopefully then fit back
17:38into the space.
17:41With the help of artist Peter, Ben sets to work on the paper template.
17:48OK, let me get some tape out.
17:51So far so good.
17:53That's your paper cut.
17:55OK.
17:57Now, he can remove the existing crumbling panel.
18:02Oh, there is a piece of wood there.
18:06That's quite good news.
18:08There's not really much to it, is there?
18:11This has made the job significantly easier.
18:14I'm very, very happy that I found this because otherwise I'd only ever seen this part before and I didn't
18:20know whether there would be anything to fix the replacement onto.
18:23But now I can see that there is.
18:27Using the template, Ben makes new MDF panels.
18:33So that's the first bit.
18:38Before scaling the scaffold again.
18:41I am feeling quietly confident.
18:43I think it should fit.
18:44There's a couple of fixings that I might have to cut around.
18:47But apart from that, yeah, I think it should work.
18:54Well, it's not the precision engineering that I'd obviously hope for, but when you're on the floor, you won't see
18:59the imperfections.
19:03I'd say that I'd help, but I'm not climbing up there, so it's not going to happen.
19:10I think everything he does brings us closer to this room being finished, which is so important. It's been a
19:16really long journey.
19:20He just operates at a level of detail that I know I could never do.
19:26That job could have been worse.
19:29And I'm happy with how it's ended up.
19:31Just to finish it off, all I need to do is I need to go over with some filler and
19:35then I just need to give it an undercoat and then it'll be ready to be painted.
19:39We started off with the premise that if we could accomplish this room, then everything else would be really easy.
19:45And so being so close to this being done is really inspiring, I think.
19:50This is another step towards the finishing line in there, which is a completed, magnificent ballroom.
19:57Owning a chateau may come with unexpected challenges, but bringing these unique buildings back to life is the ultimate reward.
20:17Back near Cognac, at La Grande Maison Lapinelle, Bart and Sarah are chipping away at their guest bathroom makeover.
20:31Things are going very well at the moment.
20:33The big old vanity unit and the bidet was gone and Sarah is well into hacking away all the tiles.
20:42The last big challenge is to remove the old cast iron bath.
20:54I thought that moved. Oh, it was the wall moving.
20:57No, don't put the wall down.
20:58I think it's going to be a bit of a job.
21:00Now comes the test.
21:01We don't know how it's secured to the wall or the floor, or if it's secured at all.
21:10OK, it wiggles.
21:13Moving.
21:15Amazing.
21:16That's brilliant.
21:17I'm so over the move.
21:24Jeepers.
21:30It doesn't want to move because I think it's connected by the plug hole and the overflow.
21:36I'm going to try and disconnect the overflow.
21:38It's at times like this I wish I knew what I was doing.
21:43Would you mind trying to empty the bath for me?
21:52This is part of the overflow.
21:55Oh, my God, it stinks.
21:57Oh, yeah.
21:59There you go.
21:59Wipe the end of that for me, will you?
22:00No!
22:01I don't know what you've been doing in the bath, my lovely.
22:03I'm sorry, that is absolutely minging.
22:06Yeah, it is.
22:07That is actually making me...
22:09Oh, God, honestly, take it away.
22:13With Sarah going green, Bart's hoping the bath has no more surprises.
22:21We're going to pull this way.
22:23Uh-huh.
22:24But wait for me to lift and pull.
22:26One, two...
22:27Three, two, one, go!
22:31There we go, we're good, we're good.
22:33Very pleased you got the bath out.
22:34Well done, my lovely.
22:36No, well done.
22:37You did all the work.
22:39We worked it together.
22:40That was a lot more difficult than I thought.
22:43Although it's all in one piece,
22:45how is it, A, going to fit through the door,
22:46and, B, the thing weighs a tonne,
22:48so how are we going to get it out?
22:52At around 150 kilos,
22:55the cast iron bath weighs the same as a baby elephant.
23:00Right, let's give this a lift and see.
23:03How heavy you think it is,
23:04and if you can do it between the two of us.
23:06Are you ready?
23:07Ready.
23:07Three, two, one, lift.
23:12OK, that's beyond my capability.
23:14That's a no-go for me.
23:15I think we need another pair of hands.
23:18Or six.
23:18At least.
23:19I think we've done a lot, and to be fair,
23:21I think we've earned a beer.
23:23I'm really, really chuffed at the progress we're making.
23:26It's not a tick in the box yet.
23:27No, but...
23:28But it's...
23:29It's progress.
23:30A dot on the paper.
23:31Yeah.
23:32It's been a back-breaking task,
23:35but with a new bathroom to fit,
23:37and a whole stable to transform,
23:40this couple are a long way from being wedding ready.
23:49Still to come, Rory wrangles a new assistant...
23:53You crazy puss.
23:55What are you doing?
23:57Oh, dear.
23:59While Bart...
24:00Oh, wow.
24:01...is on a treasure hunt.
24:03I had no idea this was here.
24:05Oh, my goodness.
24:06This is incredible.
24:08What a great find, Bart.
24:16In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Sophie and Ray are working hard on their pink guest room.
24:24With Ray still on floor duty, Sophie is facing a chateau-sized sewing project.
24:31There are two sets of curtains for each window.
24:34They're about three metres in length, so luckily we have a long dining table.
24:39It's a little bit short, two and a half metres, the table, but it's the only place I can do
24:43it.
24:46Curtain making is just one of many skills Sophie has picked up since becoming a chatelaine.
24:53When you've got so much to spend on other stuff, you've just got to find stuff that you can do
24:59yourself.
25:00A lot of people come here and say we're mad, but I reckon it's 50-50.
25:05You've got to be 50% mad and 50% brave, I suppose.
25:12And I think there also comes a time, maybe it's a midlife crisis,
25:15it comes a time in life when you've just got to have an adventure, you've just got to give it
25:19a go.
25:25Ta-da!
25:26And there is a fourth carton.
25:33Upstairs, Ray still working his socks, or rather shoes.
25:38Wow, that's a lovely colour. It's brought it to life, I think.
25:43If it holds that shine, I'll be really happy.
25:46Meanwhile, Sophie has another thrifty plan to give the room a luxury touch.
25:53This chandelier basically was, I think I can't have paid more than £30 for it.
25:59I think it's probably even just a high street chandelier.
26:03You cannot have a chateau without at least one chandelier.
26:12All I'm doing, literally, is just take the sheen off.
26:17It's going on all right.
26:18I just want to make it vintage.
26:20I'm vintage, so I like everything around me to be a bit vintage.
26:28It's not shiny anymore. That's the main thing.
26:34Now, it's time for Sophie's creations to take pride of place.
26:41Have you got a screwdriver?
26:42Yeah.
26:43Try not to scratch the bit that goes onto the ceiling.
26:46OK, green is good.
26:49Live is good.
26:51Neutral.
26:51Do you want to give that a try?
26:53You ready?
26:54Yeah, on.
26:57There we go.
26:59Well, it looks good for where I'm saying.
27:01Yeah, that's good. Leave it on.
27:02Oh, yeah, that's perfect.
27:04Oh, I'm very pleased with that.
27:08And with the homemade curtains being hung...
27:11You've done a great job on these, darling.
27:13I'm taking the weight.
27:15They are heavy, aren't they?
27:16The moment you add fabric into a room, it makes it suddenly more cosy.
27:22Finally, they can start to place the furniture.
27:26Bound your back.
27:28With the help of sons Oscar and Freddie.
27:31Watch the walls.
27:33Right, lean it forward.
27:35Right, let's just take this in.
27:39Which end do you want me to get?
27:42It's not that heavy.
27:43No, it really isn't, but still.
27:46Just mind your...
27:48That...
27:49..has gone together beautifully.
27:53It's been a successful day's work.
27:57OK.
27:58Tea time.
27:59And these new B&Bers can see the finish line.
28:05So the room is nearly there, the pink room, and I'm really excited to see what guests will think of
28:10it.
28:11I think they'll love it.
28:12I think the chandelier looks great.
28:14Your curtains, I'm very impressed.
28:16So pleased with that fabric.
28:18Perfect with the pink, isn't it?
28:20Love it.
28:20It really makes that room.
28:22Really.
28:22Boy done a good job.
28:27There's still artwork to hang, and the whole room to dress, before the grand unveiling to one of their friends
28:35in a few days' time.
28:45Four hours south, near Toulouse, Rory is adding an ornate ceiling rose to the repaired light fitting in the dressing
28:55room.
28:55Does it look OK?
28:57It looks absolutely fantastic, yes.
29:01While Jane needs to crack on with the coving for the room next door.
29:06So this is the first piece of cornicing, coving, to go in the bathroom.
29:11So I'm going to be just putting glue along the edges, ready for it to go into place.
29:20Parlous diarine, it will do the job.
29:22Once it's there, it's going to stay.
29:28It feels all right.
29:30I've got to climb across, so I can stick the corner in.
29:35That's it, there we go.
29:38That's right.
29:39Seems to be holding, reasonably.
29:43I think it's going to stay.
29:47Stay put.
29:48And then push it a bit at this end as well.
29:52Oh!
29:53Oh!
29:54OK.
29:56So it wasn't stuck.
30:00It came unstuck.
30:05It might need to come down a bit.
30:08OK.
30:09It might have to be more like that.
30:11It's probably more what it's designed to be.
30:13With the first piece of coving in place, for now, Rory's eager to get the weighty new chandelier up in
30:21the dressing room.
30:22But the scaffold is currently occupied.
30:28Owen, you crazy puss.
30:31Owen, you crazy puss.
30:33Well, what are you doing?
30:36Oh, dear.
30:39Look, she saved herself.
30:41If I climb up there, you'll get scared and do something silly.
30:46I think the amount of pets you have grows with the size of property you live in, perhaps.
30:51We've got two kittens, one cat, and we've got three spaniels.
30:56Bunty, the queen of the chateau, and we've got the two newcomers, Tinkerbell and Tiger Lily.
31:02And then, of course, outside we have the horses.
31:08If I just walk away, you'll probably salt yourself out.
31:15Like that.
31:16Silly girl.
31:18She's off.
31:21Scaffold finally clear, Rory employs the help of a two-legged assistant.
31:27OK.
31:29So, now this has to be done carefully and in order.
31:37If I feel wobbly, I'll tell you.
31:39Yeah.
31:40OK, if you can take the weight, and this might get tiresome.
31:47There we go.
31:49And that's it, let go.
31:50Let go.
31:52OK.
31:52And that is...
31:54Do you want to go and turn it on?
31:56I can do.
31:57See what happens.
32:00Are you ready?
32:01Yes, let's give it a whirl.
32:06Oh, it works!
32:08Oh, that's amazing.
32:10It's going to make such a difference in this room.
32:11It's so bright.
32:13Yeah.
32:18It looks really nice.
32:19It looks amazing.
32:20Do you know where you are now?
32:22Yeah.
32:22We're in a chateau.
32:23We're in a chateau.
32:26With a giant mural planned for the wall and the rest of the suite still to finish, Jane and Rory
32:33have plenty of work ahead.
32:42Further north, in the Charente-Maritime region, Sarah and Bart's guest bathroom has finally been cleared.
32:53We've picked a good day for it, haven't we?
32:55Great.
32:55So, today, they plan to start on the stable block, which they want to turn into extra accommodation for the
33:03wedding guests.
33:05So, it's a massive project and this whole block is going to be developed into a little apartment.
33:11It's in its absolute dire state.
33:13It's full of rubbish, which has been left here from the original owners.
33:21It's not all rubbish, my lovely.
33:22Oh, that's true.
33:23There's some really nice pieces.
33:24There's some beautiful little pieces in there.
33:29There are so many boxes in here, which we haven't even delved into yet.
33:34First job is to see if anything is worth salvaging.
33:39Proper little treasure trove, isn't it?
33:46Right, that's the bin pile.
33:50Well, I've found an old bellows.
33:53I assume she'll want to keep it.
33:56Actually fully functional.
33:58Well, now, there's a fancy little toilet roll holder.
34:01Mmm, tasty.
34:04Yeah, it's not the most tasteful of lamps, is it?
34:07Stick it on the bin pile.
34:10There's a mountain to sort.
34:13We've made quite a big dent in it.
34:15But they're still hoping to find some hidden treasure.
34:20Ooh.
34:21I don't think that's supposed to happen.
34:24Oh, look, these little glasses.
34:26Oh, they are tiny.
34:28They are.
34:28And do you know what?
34:29It's cut.
34:30It's actually etched into the glass.
34:32It's like a little Christmas come early.
34:35I just want to take those in now and clean them up.
34:40Oh, wow.
34:41Bart has spotted something special.
34:46I had no idea this was here.
34:48It's a very old photo album.
34:50I assume these are the original owners.
34:55It's like French military.
34:57We'll definitely keep this.
34:59Sarah?
35:00Yeah?
35:01Can I borrow your eyes?
35:02Yeah.
35:04Oh.
35:05Can you read this?
35:06Head full stop barriere cognac.
35:10Where did you find this?
35:11In the corner there.
35:12Oh, wow.
35:14Oh, goodness.
35:15I wonder if they're people that used to live here.
35:18I think so.
35:18Imagine.
35:20This is so exciting.
35:22I'm just so keen now to find out more about who's in these pictures.
35:28Oh, that's the front of the manoir.
35:30That's the front.
35:30That's the original doors.
35:32Yep.
35:32Like the double ones we want to put back in.
35:34Mm-hm.
35:35Oh, my goodness.
35:36This is incredible.
35:38What a great find, Bart.
35:41With their treasure hunt paid off and the stable almost cleared out, their renovation can soon begin.
35:51We've made a tiny little dent in our stables project.
35:55It's still quite scary to think that we've got to try and get all of this done for an up
35:59-and-coming wedding.
36:01Small steps.
36:02Yes.
36:03With part of the modern house still to renovate too, there are some busy months ahead.
36:15Still to come, there's a wallpaper wobble.
36:19Should it have been an inch that way?
36:21Yes.
36:22I don't think it should.
36:23I wasn't going to say it that way.
36:25And a measuring mishap.
36:27Too low, darling.
36:28What have you done?
36:30Oops.
36:39In the Occitanie region of southern France, it's a big day in Jane and Rory's gite.
36:49Where the dressing room is about to get an opulent feature wall.
36:55I've never done a mural before.
36:58Completely new to this.
36:59So, yeah, I was planning on that wallpaper back in England more than a year ago.
37:04So, yeah, really hoping we get it right.
37:09So, if you can come across there, Jane.
37:12Yeah.
37:13It's really hard to do accurate jiggling with that tripod.
37:19Oh, that should do it.
37:20Yeah.
37:21Brilliant.
37:21We're very new to wallpapering, but as the wallpaper is 50 centimetres wide, we're meant to have marks every 50
37:30centimetres so we know where the next piece is going to go.
37:37I can do the lower bit.
37:39Yeah.
37:45Which way's up?
37:46The flowers at the bottom.
37:48OK.
37:49Got a flowery bottom.
37:53Do people sort of hold it in half like this and then?
37:56I think so, yeah.
37:57Put it up?
37:57Yeah, I think so. It's such a long one.
38:03So, we're very slightly moving off.
38:06Let's see if I can move the laser next to it.
38:08So, the laser right in the middle is on the paper.
38:12Yeah, OK.
38:13On the top, it's out.
38:14OK.
38:14And at the bottom, it's in.
38:16So, yes, we're at a bit of a funny angle.
38:20So, unpeeling.
38:21Unpeel it.
38:23OK.
38:27So, I'm working to that now.
38:29For the laser line.
38:30OK, that's fine.
38:32It's a lot better than it was.
38:34Yeah, no, that's fine.
38:36It was a bit nerve-wracking there, having to peel it all back off again,
38:40but I think we've got a much straighter line the second time.
38:44It looks good.
38:58Hey, I think we are three down, almost halfway.
39:02Oh, it looks absolutely beautiful.
39:05You can be in the bath.
39:06You'd be looking at the lily pads, the birds in flight,
39:10and the colours are really, really harmonious.
39:14I'm really pleased.
39:16I didn't think I'd enjoy doing wallpaper, but it's actually quite fun.
39:36Do we think we've done it?
39:37It looks that way.
39:39Do we need to stand back and have a look at our masterpiece?
39:46You ready? Mm-hmm.
39:53Skillfully done.
39:54What did I knock? Was it you?
39:56Well, it was the door frame.
39:57Oh, right.
39:59So, what's it look like?
40:01Ta-da!
40:04It's impressive.
40:05Yeah, it is. It is. It's spectacular.
40:08That's what it is. It's impressive.
40:11Should it have been an inch that way?
40:12Yes.
40:14I think it should.
40:15I wasn't going to say it that way.
40:17Minor adjustments aside, it's another new skill for these novice DIYers.
40:23I've got that feeling of we've done something, we've done it from start to finish, it's all worked out, everything's
40:29gone well, and I'm really quite happy with it.
40:31I just wish we had a cold bottle of fizz in the fridge.
40:35With the rest of the suite still to finish, though, Jane and Rory need to leave their champers on ice
40:43for now.
40:51Four hours north, at Chateau des Fouilloux, Sophie and Ray have had to make some last-minute curtain adjustments, and
41:00are now on a deadline to finish the guest room.
41:03We've got curtains to hang, we've got pictures to hang, we've got a drill to fit a mirror, and I've
41:10got my friend Carrie coming over later, so I really, really hope she likes it.
41:17With a long to-do list, they get straight to work.
41:22Looks a bit low.
41:27Too low, darling. What have you done?
41:29No, it's not, you said you just want a little bit.
41:32Yeah, but look.
41:32Hang on, hang on there.
41:35Oh.
41:37Oops.
41:41After a quick re-measure,
41:46it's take two.
41:49So the screws might not be big enough, but I think they are, actually.
41:53Perfecto.
41:55It's good to me.
41:57The frame is a little bit, you know, rough and a little bit dense and stuff, but I don't mind
42:01that, you know, I don't mind a bit of rough edges, as long as it's clean, and the colour's good,
42:06yeah?
42:07Are you happy?
42:08Yes, you're good.
42:10Right, it's a bit dirty.
42:12No, I'll clean all that, I've got the glass cleaner.
42:14OK.
42:15Fabulous.
42:16What's next?
42:18OK, here we go.
42:19They re-hang the final set of curtains.
42:22You did a very good job on these.
42:24Really nice.
42:26Before adding a few finishing touches.
42:29This is another one of my junk shop plants.
42:32Oh, it looks all right, actually.
42:33I've got to hand it to you, you do love to pick the stuff.
42:35I love it when it comes together.
42:38I bought these old flower pots from the junk shop.
42:42I know you probably think it's a bit frou-frou.
42:44No, not at all.
42:46Good, huh?
42:46I'm really, really pleased.
42:48Look, look how lovely it looks.
42:49I know, that's great.
42:51And just in time...
42:53Hello!
42:54...to show friend Kerry the fruits of their labour.
42:59Come on in.
43:03Up you go.
43:04I hope you like it.
43:09And this is the pink suite.
43:12Oh, it's so nice.
43:13For obvious reasons.
43:17A few weeks ago, this bedroom was a blank canvas.
43:22Re-plastered and painted, but waiting to be brought to life.
43:29Now, it's been transformed into a picture-perfect guest suite.
43:35The faded floor has been stained and varnished to add warmth and depth.
43:42And Sophie's handmade curtains and up-cycled chandelier
43:47sit alongside her other thrifty finds,
43:51bringing character and charm to the room.
43:55When you said pink, I wasn't sure.
43:57But it looks really nice.
44:02Nothing in here is new.
44:04Wow.
44:05It's second-hand, even our old bed.
44:07Do you know what I mean?
44:08You've done such an amazing job.
44:09It's just really lovely and I would definitely stay here.
44:14It's always a little bit nerve-wracking when people come in,
44:17even if it's a good friend, because, you know, you put so much work into it
44:21and at the end of it you think,
44:23yeah, do you know what, that's really good.
44:25I'm really proud of what we've achieved so far.
44:27Yeah, it's a real, um, what's it?
44:30Pat on the back?
44:31Yeah.
44:32Pat on the shoulder, pat on the back.
44:33Pat your back, you pat mine.
44:35Oh, I don't.
44:37That's it.
44:38All right, eventually.
44:40Sophie and Ray's Pink Suite is finally open for business.
44:46But with the enormous tower room next in their sights,
44:49the only way is up for this fledgling B&B.
44:57Next time, muscles are flexed with a supersized courtyard project.
45:04Working off all those calories so I can drink more wine.
45:10Battle lines are drawn.
45:12Well, this is going to take five minutes,
45:13and I think it's going to take about five hours.
45:15The shadow's biting back.
45:17And Jane's patience is tested.
45:20We have been in this bathroom so long now
45:23that sometimes I will say to him,
45:25do we have to do this?
45:40For her to go home.
45:41But life's been preserved.
45:58People love playing and we have to do this a very challenging way for love.
45:58that actually cuddle them into a slightly ochi-f krypton
45:58And I'm happy to do this zusammen.
45:58We'll be doing the travel show since then.
45:58We'll be talking.
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