- 4 hours ago
Chateau DIY - Season 11 Episode 10
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Across France, there are thousands of glorious chateaux.
00:06Many have been forgotten and abandoned.
00:11OK!
00:12Now, they are being brought back to life by adventurous owners...
00:17I'm coming, Brian.
00:18You've got to be 50% mad and 50% brave.
00:22...who are taking on the ambitious challenge...
00:25This is going to take a while.
00:27..of restoring these timeless treasures...
00:30I think I'm going to have to make a big hole.
00:32I thought this would be a doddle. I've got no idea what I'm doing.
00:35..into incredible new homes...
00:38Wow! Goodness me!
00:41Impressed!
00:42..and thriving businesses.
00:442022, direct from the chateau.
00:47Oh, this is great!
00:48..there'll be triumphs...
00:50Woo-hoo! Look at that!
00:52..and setbacks.
00:53You never know when you drill a hole round here
00:56whether you're going to get something solid or not.
00:59But however tough the going gets...
01:01It's at times like this, I wish I knew what I was doing.
01:04..those who make the move...
01:07..get to live like kings and queens
01:10in their very own castle.
01:17Today...
01:17Get as many as you can.
01:19..these hands need a brush-up...
01:21Who doesn't like a challenge?
01:23..to achieve a full chateau facelift.
01:26Somebody's going to have to get out on that roof.
01:28Someone's going to have to put a rope on.
01:30A chateleine goes cloak and dagger...
01:33But they are polystyrene, so you have to disguise them.
01:36..with an apartment upgrade.
01:38It's going to look like it's always been there, hopefully.
01:41And this newbie...
01:42..tourne, tourne, tourne, tourne, tourne...
01:44..finds himself en-vined.
01:47Now, stop.
01:48No, you have to have to have a film.
01:50Oh, yes.
01:51It's not bad.
01:51No, no, no, no, no.
01:53No, no, no.
01:55No, no, no.
01:55No, no.
01:56No, no, no, no.
01:57No, no, no.
01:59Set in the Seine-Maritime département in Normandy
02:03is the elegant 19th century Chateau Trois-Cloches.
02:12Boasting 20 rooms, a striking bell tower and an orangery
02:19designed by the engineer of the Eiffel Tower.
02:24It was a dream purchase in 2022 for celebrity assistant Chris
02:30and his husband, Jolion, a civil servant.
02:35We both had, like, a mutual love for chateaus.
02:37Me, when I was younger, I used to travel around France
02:40and then, like, see a chateau and have photos with it,
02:43and there's loads of me as a kid.
02:44And then you had a separate kind of dream of owning a chateau,
02:47didn't you?
02:47Yeah, I sort of dreamed of having a hotel but also, like,
02:50a stately home, but then chateaus, when I saw them,
02:53really fell in love with them too.
02:57Located just 30 minutes from Le Havre,
03:00the couple bought the property for £520,000
03:04and run it as an event's venue.
03:08It's also a passionate restoration project.
03:13In just three years, they've created a luxurious guest suite
03:18in the East Wing,
03:21a magnificent grand salon
03:26and a sophisticated dining room.
03:31The last time we saw them, they were going the extra mile...
03:36One down, £39,000 to go.
03:38..to give the chateau's tired shutters a new lease of life.
03:47And with those looking vibrant,
03:49they've now decided to give the entire facade a much-needed facelift,
03:55which has called for a little shopping spree.
03:59We've got 138 litres of paint to get on those walls,
04:02so we've got a huge job.
04:04It's like painting 30 rooms.
04:06I think this is probably one of our biggest jobs,
04:09the most ambitious jobs we've ever done.
04:10Yeah.
04:11We've got two days to do it in,
04:12so the pressure's really on.
04:15And there's nothing like a DIY problem shared.
04:20Luckily, Chris's family are here on a visit.
04:24So we've got seven family here today helping out,
04:27so everyone's got a jog, everyone's got a roll,
04:29they're going to get a paintbrush or a roller
04:30and just get us stuck in.
04:32Thank you so much for coming out.
04:34It's going to be really exciting, but such an epic job today.
04:37All of that pile of paint has got to go on the walls,
04:41ideally in an orderly fashion.
04:45So, Sy, I think you just called the shots today.
04:47You know the cherry picker,
04:49and, yeah, just let us know what you need.
04:51Right, guys, we've got loads to do.
04:52Let's grab some paint and get going.
04:56Happy to scale the chateau's heights are Jolyon
05:00and Chris's brother Simon, who is a seasoned builder.
05:07I'm avoiding getting on the scaffolding.
05:09I'm not a massive fan of heights.
05:11And also, I'm tall and I've got a long pole,
05:13so, you know, I can avoid it, I will.
05:16So we decided to go for two colours.
05:18One's like a nice off-white cream colour for the main walls,
05:22and then the other colour is, like, quite a white colour.
05:25It just highlights all the nice architrape bits.
05:28There she is, to save the day.
05:30Well, Ty, I'm not coming up there.
05:33There's no way we could have done this project without the family.
05:36It's not really a holiday for them.
05:39It's certainly a French vacance with strings attached,
05:43as Chris's sister Laura is realising.
05:48I don't know anyone who would be crazy enough to take this on,
05:50but it was always a dream, especially of Chris's,
05:53to own his own chateau, and now he's done it.
05:56He's just got to finish it.
05:59But despite Chris's meticulous planning,
06:02something is not quite adding up.
06:07How much white paint have you got there?
06:10Er, I've got about half a pot.
06:13Oh.
06:16We definitely won't have enough to do the front.
06:19I thought you worked it all out.
06:21I know, and I added 10%, but I obviously messed up somewhere.
06:27But if for any reason they don't have it,
06:29let me know and I can send you somewhere else.
06:31OK.
06:33They did have quite a bit of paint to them earlier.
06:34Yeah, I think they will do.
06:35Right, lovely. I'll revoke out now.
06:37OK, thanks, Laza. See you soon.
06:42So I just started to panic and think there wasn't enough white paint,
06:45and I just did a little stock check around the building,
06:47and we've got one tub left.
06:50Just sent Lauren to the shop and hoping she can get a paint
06:52that matches the same colour.
06:55If we can't get the paint or it doesn't match with the other paint,
06:57it's going to look awful.
07:01And I don't know what we're going to do.
07:03Everything hinges on this paint, really.
07:06Oh, mon Dieu.
07:08With just one-third of the facade painted,
07:11this project may well be over before it's begun.
07:23In the world-famous wine-growing region of Bordeaux in southwest France
07:29is the imposing 18th-century Chateau-Méaume.
07:34With a sizeable 250 acres,
07:39it boasts 20 stately rooms,
07:43several outbuildings,
07:46and an exclusive lake.
07:49Home to retired corporate executive Mark
07:53and his Canadian wife Sandra,
07:56a former architectural planner,
07:58it's a lifelong dream.
08:02I love the place.
08:04I think it's amazing.
08:05I actually came here as a sort of a teenager,
08:07about sort of 1979.
08:09It was an amazing experience,
08:11and it always resonated with me.
08:13And then, luckily,
08:14Sandra supported me to go after it.
08:16I thought, it is a beautiful home,
08:19and I'd like to sort of swan around in dresses
08:21and entertain and the whole thing,
08:23which hasn't happened.
08:24Or happens, but it doesn't happen as often
08:26as the other work that goes on.
08:34Located close to the town of Maronzin,
08:37the couple bought the Chateau from Mark's uncle
08:40in 2019 for £735,000.
08:47And stepped into the unknown
08:49to manage vineyards
08:51that produce a whopping
08:54150,000 bottles a year.
08:57We have no background in wine.
08:59I like to say I'm very good at drinking it,
09:01but in terms of actually producing it,
09:03it's only what we've read and studied.
09:06Sort of like having children.
09:07We learned on the job,
09:09and it's a steep learning curve.
09:11This season, they're looking to harvest
09:13a new type of business,
09:16creating a rentable four-bedroom jeet
09:18in one of the Chateau's outbuildings.
09:23Here, we're in bedroom one.
09:25Bedroom one and bedroom two are actually identical.
09:28They both have en suite bathrooms,
09:30as we've been able to maintain
09:32and even bring out the beautiful beams
09:34that we have,
09:35and I have to say that's a big success.
09:37But with plans to open the jeet for guests
09:40later this year,
09:42it's still nowhere near finished.
09:46Today, there's new travertine tiles
09:49to lay on the kitchen floor.
09:51Oh, here goes.
09:54OK, it's slightly under the edge.
09:57Ready for the next one.
09:58And DIY novice Mark
10:00has enlisted help from his friend, Derek.
10:07It's going to be rocking about a bit,
10:11so we've got to find where the bump is.
10:14So we'll take it up.
10:17You feel a bit of a bump there,
10:19so we've got to get the breaker on
10:22and break some things up.
10:29This floor has been a bit of a nightmare
10:31because we have to do each tile individually
10:34to make sure it's flat,
10:35and it's taking a lot of time.
10:44While Mark and Derek
10:45keep their noses to the grindstone,
10:49out in the vineyards,
10:50gardening on a chateau scale...
10:53This one broke off,
10:54so this one's no good.
10:55...are Sandra
10:56and the couple's son, Hugo,
10:58who is here on holiday.
11:01It's pruning season.
11:02We prune in the winter
11:03because the vines are dormant.
11:04This is Merlot,
11:05so if you've done it correctly,
11:07you'll have great fruit for the season.
11:11It's quite a slow job.
11:13It feels like you make no progress
11:14because you go all day on one row
11:15and it feels like you get nothing done.
11:18LAUGHTER
11:20So what I love about working here
11:22is that you find things in the vines,
11:25chives, wild garlic.
11:27I actually like finding something for free,
11:31cooking with something that I found, you know.
11:34One, two, three, four, five, six.
11:37With 76 acres of pruning
11:40and their first guests for the jeet
11:42due in a few months' time,
11:44Mark and Sandra
11:46need to get a move on.
11:55Coming up,
11:57cutting corners...
11:58Measure twice, cut once.
12:00..doesn't go to plan for this chatelain.
12:03Er, I've cut that the wrong way,
12:05so I'll do that again.
12:07There you go.
12:08..and it's Jolyon's one moment
12:10to reach for the stars.
12:12I feel like Whitney.
12:14LAUGHTER
12:22Nestled among the vineyards
12:23of the Loire Valley
12:25is the gracious 19th century
12:27Chateau La Grande Maison.
12:33This three-acre estate
12:35comprises 45 rooms,
12:38including an opulent ballroom.
12:43Since 2011,
12:45it's been home to musicians Ben and Billy,
12:48who live here with their daughter Ella.
12:53One of my favourite things is the land.
12:57You go up for the morning
12:57and you can just be on your land,
12:59you know, it's just fantastic.
13:01We've got a lovely river,
13:03we've got some beautiful trees.
13:05It's great having so much space.
13:06It comes to life when people are here,
13:08doesn't it?
13:09So it's always good to share.
13:12We've built the business up,
13:13living the dream,
13:14French food, French wine,
13:17and whatever this building requires,
13:19which is always a lot.
13:20LAUGHTER
13:25Located 30 miles from the town of Saumur,
13:28the couple run the Chateau
13:30as a boutique B&B.
13:32Oh, look at that!
13:35And events business.
13:38This year,
13:39ahead of their very first social occasion
13:42of the season,
13:43they've decided to give a guest apartment
13:45an upgrade.
13:46If I had a pound
13:48of every time I was painting in this place,
13:50I'd have a lot of pounds.
13:53Having repainted the two bedrooms
13:55and retiled the bathroom...
13:59Oh, yeah,
14:00that has come through.
14:02..Ben's fresco photos
14:03have been turned into wall art.
14:06I always wanted to do something
14:08with my photography.
14:09I love it, Ben.
14:11You're so clever.
14:14With just two days left
14:16until the big event,
14:18Ben and Billy are on a mission
14:20to get the apartment ready.
14:22Today, we're going to put the coving up.
14:25Bit of a fiddly job,
14:26but it should make a big difference to the room,
14:27but we've got two rooms to do,
14:29so we've got to get that all up.
14:37On paper, this looks like quite a simple job
14:39because we're just making mitres
14:40in all the corners,
14:41but it's actually a lot trickier than that
14:43because we've got a pattern match,
14:45the joins,
14:46and because of the lovely, ornate fireplace,
14:49we're going with something
14:50that's got a flower motif.
14:51It's a real wonderful finishing touch
14:53to the room.
14:56While Ben tries the coving out for size...
14:59Oh, that looks actually quite nice.
15:01..downstairs,
15:02Billy is working on a cover-up.
15:04Painting white and white.
15:05We need to make sure
15:06it just looks like it's always been there.
15:09They are polystyrene,
15:10so you have to kind of disguise them,
15:12and we find the best way
15:14is to use a bit of matte white paint,
15:16then it kind of looks like plaster
15:18to get in all these little flowers.
15:20They're kind of awkward to paint.
15:23It's going to look like it's been there
15:25since the place was built, hopefully.
15:33Measure twice, cut once.
15:37OK.
15:42So that'll be like that.
15:45I've done this wrong, I think.
15:47I've cut that the wrong way,
15:48so I'll do that again.
15:55So that's going to be like that.
15:57That should be right.
16:00Let me try it up there.
16:05Right, that's going to work.
16:07This is going to look really good.
16:16Yay, Ben, that looks great.
16:18It's getting there, isn't it?
16:20I mean, I'm not too sure
16:21about the blue tape look,
16:22but, you know.
16:23It looks like when you've had a bad shave
16:25and you've got loads of plasters
16:26all over your face.
16:28But that's just a temporary
16:29hold it up against the ceiling
16:30while it's all dry.
16:31Oh, that's really good, though, Ben.
16:32That's really good.
16:33What a difference.
16:34With both bedrooms to cove and dress
16:38and the bathroom to finish
16:40in just two days,
16:42Ben and Billy are cutting it fine.
16:54Back near Bordeaux,
16:56Mark has laid all the kitchen tiles
16:58and has put the first of the appliances in.
17:02I'm going to finish the last
17:04of the grouting in the kitchen.
17:07Truth be told,
17:07I had no idea how to do this.
17:09And my sensei, Derek, taught me.
17:13So this is my newly acquired skill.
17:17DIY is a far cry
17:19from the three decades
17:20Mark has spent
17:21working in the corporate world.
17:23That's what I think
17:24that's about right.
17:26So I'm ready to apply.
17:30Determined not to miss a trick,
17:32he's planned ahead.
17:33To make sure I don't forget anything,
17:35I video Derek actually doing it.
17:38So I just play it along.
17:45I'm making a similar noise
17:47to Derek on the video,
17:48so that must be a good sign.
17:50If I learn something,
17:52I want to be able to do it properly
17:54and to figure it out.
17:57So I really need to work it into the gap.
18:02While Mark gets to grips with grouting,
18:06architectural planner Sandra
18:07has a game plan for the vineyard's waste.
18:10I'm going to collect
18:11some of the vine cuttings,
18:13but now I'll be able to tie them in bundles
18:14and use them for the barbecue in the summer.
18:17Nothing gets thrown away here.
18:22It's nice to use
18:23what you already have
18:24and not have to spend any money.
18:27That's always very satisfying.
18:29That's a nice-looking size.
18:32The vineyard is a huge undertaking,
18:35but Sandra is no stranger
18:37to getting her hands dirty.
18:40I grew up on a farm in northern Canada.
18:42I like being outside.
18:44In the beginning,
18:46I said to Mark,
18:47I think it's a lot of work.
18:49Maybe we should start with something smaller.
18:51And he said,
18:51No, I want this place
18:53because it has a lot of family meaning to him.
18:56And then I just realized,
18:57yeah, this is Mark's goal.
18:58I'll support him.
19:00And I do like it,
19:01but I didn't want to tell him that in the beginning.
19:05I can't give it all away,
19:07but I do really like it.
19:10I'll just make a few more of these
19:11and that'll burn nicely.
19:19I am actually reasonably pleased
19:23with this.
19:25Hello.
19:26Oh, here comes management.
19:29Did you not miss a spot right here?
19:31No.
19:32Right here.
19:33Good.
19:34Management's here, checking on me.
19:35That's what I'm here for.
19:39I'm going to work on my speed.
19:45Good.
19:46I'm okay with that.
19:47Yeah, let's get in here.
19:48Did a good job.
19:50I'm actually quite happy with that.
19:52Yeah.
19:52A little bit of pressure.
19:53I'm super happy about it.
19:55This is a dramatic change
19:56from being a bit of a desk jockey.
19:59And surprisingly,
19:59I found it very therapeutic
20:01and very enjoyable,
20:02which I never thought I would.
20:04It's been a successful afternoon,
20:07but with the rest of the gite to complete,
20:10Mark's DIY journey
20:12is just beginning.
20:20400 miles away in Normandy,
20:24nervously awaiting supplies,
20:26Chris and Laura
20:27are eking out the last of the white paint.
20:31It is a bit of a task
20:33that you both have given us.
20:34Who doesn't like a challenge?
20:36You don't.
20:38Wisely keeping her distance
20:39is their mum.
20:41Yeah, mum's the only one
20:42who's allowed to make it a holiday.
20:45She's 80 years old,
20:46so we'll let her off.
20:48I think we're the work bees,
20:50and she's like the queen bee.
20:53It's amazing.
20:54It's amazing.
20:55Everybody's come
20:55and slapping away with a paintbrush.
20:58Chris will say,
20:59come over for a few days,
21:01and you get here,
21:01and you find the whole place
21:03needs painting.
21:05That goes over your left shoulder.
21:07Meanwhile,
21:09Jolyon is preparing
21:10to take his paintwork
21:12to the next level.
21:15Yeah, clever.
21:16I'm quite excited.
21:18I've never used
21:18a cherry picker before.
21:21I'm kind of OK with height,
21:22but if it's wobbling a lot,
21:24I might be a little bit nervous.
21:33I feel like Whitney.
21:37Good luck.
21:42But his one moment
21:44in a cherry picker
21:45is about to be cut short.
21:50Somebody's going to have
21:51to get out on that roof
21:52because there's no way
21:54the lift is going to go low enough
21:55for you to work on there.
21:56Because there's a pitch.
21:57So someone's going to have
21:58to put a rope on
22:00and just paint at least
22:02the first metre.
22:06Jolyon's task
22:06is about to get
22:08more perilous.
22:12Ah, that's the other rope.
22:19I will make sure
22:21he's safe
22:21before I leave him to it.
22:23I think if you pull it tight,
22:25that's probably
22:25about the right amount.
22:29I'll read this text out for you.
22:33Oh, Joly.
22:35Literally the most important thing.
22:40Safety checks done.
22:42Jolyon takes his chances
22:43on the orangery roof.
22:47So Gustav Eiffel,
22:49who obviously designed
22:50the Eiffel Tower,
22:51he also designed
22:52the orangery,
22:53which I'm stood on.
22:54So I'm really hoping
22:56that his engineering prowess
22:58holds my way
22:59as well as the roof.
23:03I'm holding on
23:04for dear life
23:05and not looking down
23:06and it's fine.
23:08I just need to
23:08keep focused
23:10on the job in hand.
23:13Here we go.
23:14Oh, well.
23:15On safer ground,
23:17Lauren's return
23:18provides some welcome relief.
23:20I reckon that should be enough.
23:22They're massive, aren't they?
23:22They are huge.
23:23Thank you, thank you.
23:24All right.
23:26Oh, well done.
23:27What a mission.
23:28Thought it.
23:30We've got the knee paint.
23:31I think it's going to be okay.
23:33Crisis averted.
23:34It's late in the day.
23:35People have been at it all day.
23:37They're exhausted.
23:37I need to somehow
23:38boost the morale a little bit.
23:39So I need to get them
23:41all working harder.
23:48Right, guys.
23:49We've got a little
23:50aperitif
23:52to
23:54wet the
23:55taste buds
23:55before we get back to work.
23:57Are they all mine?
23:59There we are.
23:59Age before beauty.
24:02Go on then, Lauren.
24:06Hands up for those
24:07who think
24:07we're going to get it finished
24:08by the end of tomorrow.
24:09Yes.
24:10Oh, we're wavering.
24:12Oh, look at the negative
24:14people over here.
24:15Cheers, guys.
24:18Cheers.
24:20Cheers.
24:21Back to him.
24:24Back to him.
24:26Oh, you're not.
24:27It's a well-earned break,
24:29but with the first coat of paint
24:31still to complete,
24:33it's a little early
24:34to celebrate.
24:40Still to come.
24:42OK.
24:43Mark gears up
24:44for an even bigger
24:46leap into the unknown.
24:48Lachey, lachey, lachey
24:50the vapeur.
24:50This is nerve-wracking.
24:54And it's crunch time
24:56at Chris and Julian's.
24:58We only have one hour left
24:59with the cherry picker.
25:00Confident?
25:01No.
25:12In Bordeaux,
25:14Mark has put the DIY
25:15on hold
25:17to try his hand
25:18with another new skill
25:20out in the vineyard.
25:24The idea is to teach me
25:26the control
25:26of driving
25:27between the vines.
25:28I'm a little bit nervous
25:29because if I get it wrong,
25:30I knock over a vine
25:31and some of these vines
25:32are 40 years old.
25:33And yeah,
25:34that would be really bad.
25:37Bonjour, Lisa.
25:38Bonjour.
25:40OK.
25:41Here to keep him
25:42on the straight and narrow
25:43is instructor,
25:45Elisa.
25:46Premier.
25:47Premier.
25:49Oui.
25:53It's only Mark's
25:55second-ever lesson
25:56and a far cry
25:57from his corporate
25:59desk job.
26:00Attention,
26:01branch.
26:02Yeah, branch.
26:06Is that kill?
26:08Encore.
26:11Encore, encore, encore,
26:12encore, encore, encore,
26:13encore.
26:15Tourner.
26:17Tourner, tourner,
26:18tourner, tourner,
26:18tourner.
26:19Là, voilà,
26:21c'est bien.
26:24C'est pas grave.
26:26Ça arrive de toucher.
26:28OK.
26:30Là, stop.
26:32C'est pas grave,
26:33on refera.
26:34C'est pas grave.
26:35C'est OK ?
26:36Non.
26:36Vous avez cassé un fil.
26:38Ah oui ?
26:38C'est pas grave.
26:42On roule.
26:44Allez.
26:46Lâchez, lâchez, lâchez les vapeurs.
26:52Voilà. Hop, on redresse.
26:55OK. Et allez, tout droit.
26:57Despite a few broken wires,
27:00thankfully, the vines are currently still intact.
27:05Avance un petit peu plus, que je puisse sortir.
27:07Oh, pardon.
27:09But now,
27:10it's time for Mark to go solo.
27:14Je vous suis ?
27:15Ça va ?
27:16Ça va ?
27:19Go, go, go, go.
27:22To the vines.
27:25I think when you're
27:27driving a large piece of machinery
27:29through these delicate vines,
27:32you have a whole new
27:33appreciation for them.
27:37So, here we go.
27:38The last thing.
27:39Don't want to make a mess of this.
27:42Right, hang on.
27:43So, stop.
27:46Slowly
27:48go up the bank,
27:49which is a little bit nerve-wracking.
27:56OK.
28:01Professional.
28:02I'll take that as a positive second lesson.
28:11Yeah, it was a little bit nerve-wracking.
28:12In the beginning,
28:13it's tough in that big tractor
28:14because there's so little space
28:15other side of the wheels.
28:17I felt better.
28:18The first lesson was terrifying.
28:19This was just scary.
28:20The vineyard has survived.
28:22But there's lots still to be done in the jeet
28:26to get it ready for its first paying guests.
28:38Back in the Loire Valley,
28:43with the coving put up and the bathroom finished,
28:49Ben and Billy have just 30 minutes to get the Roman photo prints up,
28:55before guests arrive for a romantic weekend break.
28:59OK, if you could look along the wall
29:01to tell me when I've got the chain higher than the screw,
29:04then we can just drop it into place.
29:09Yeah.
29:10I think that's on.
29:14Up, up, up.
29:15Stop.
29:18I think I'll have to get into the wardrobe, Ben,
29:21to see this one.
29:21Careful, you might end up in Narnia, if you can, there.
29:25OK.
29:26Forward.
29:27No, stop this left.
29:30No, mistake.
29:32No, that's all right.
29:33There.
29:34That's it.
29:36Great.
29:37Excellent.
29:38Well done.
29:39That's from our photos.
29:40Beautiful.
29:42Ready?
29:43Yeah.
29:44One, two, three.
29:47Great.
29:48OK.
29:48Now for some final touches.
29:53They look good.
29:59Everyone gets champagne and chocolates.
30:02With a few petals.
30:04How romantic.
30:09After transforming the lower floor into a luxury kitchen and diner three years ago,
30:17upstairs the couple have now overhauled a dull and dated double bedroom
30:25into an elegant guest space with freshly painted walls and unique Roman wall art.
30:35A bland twin bedroom has been revamped with bright colours and elaborate coving.
30:45And next door, the marble tiled contemporary bathroom completes the finished apartment perfectly.
30:56You've got plenty of space to relax.
30:58I'll let you go up first.
31:01And right on time, the guests arrive.
31:05In you go.
31:07Oh, wow.
31:08Oh, wow.
31:09Oh, it's lovely.
31:10It's cosy and it's stunning.
31:12There's just so much to look at.
31:14The colours match really well.
31:16And I love how we've tied it all in with the room.
31:19Yeah, thank you.
31:20So this is your shower room.
31:22Brand new.
31:23Oh, it's so fresh and clean, isn't it?
31:25It's gorgeous.
31:27Glad you like it.
31:31Oh, wow.
31:32This is the twin room.
31:33Oh, this is stunning.
31:35This is really, really, really, very lovely, isn't it?
31:39Oh, it's so unique.
31:40I'm a bit lost for words, actually.
31:42It doesn't often happen to me.
31:44That's lovely.
31:45That's really lovely.
31:47We're looking forward to staying here very much.
31:50It's a lovely cosy room.
31:51I think it's a total privilege
31:53to be able to come to a chateau like this and stay.
31:58Ben and Billy have worked wonders.
32:01And with a romantic weekend event to prepare next,
32:04they need to down tools and get their party hats on.
32:14300 miles away at Chateau Trois-Cloches,
32:19it's the morning after,
32:21and work is at a standstill.
32:24We got a bit excited last night with the family.
32:26It was really nice,
32:27but everyone's a bit slower this morning.
32:29We need to be picking up the pace.
32:32With his sister Laura first to emerge...
32:35I brought you...
32:37Oh.
32:41It's back to the grindstone.
32:46This job's great.
32:47This is a real quick one.
32:48And also, you see the results straight away.
32:50So this is my perfect job.
32:52Yeah.
32:52Kind of what we needed this morning, isn't it?
32:54Yeah, definitely.
32:55A bit delicate.
32:56When we're all a bit achy, a bit tired.
32:58There's definitely some noticeable absences today, this morning.
33:01Mm, yeah.
33:02Yeah.
33:02Might go and ring the bell in a minute, get them up.
33:04Oh, yeah.
33:08While Chris's sister-in-law Deb gets brunch on the go,
33:12Simon and Jolyon hit the Chateau's Heights once more.
33:18Nearly there.
33:19Feels like I've been painting for an eternity.
33:23Now, if I drop any on your head, it's an accident.
33:26Yeah, yeah.
33:26Yeah.
33:32How do you think it's going, Si?
33:34I think we've got an awful lot to do in the time that we've got left.
33:38Yeah.
33:38But you've just got to keep going.
33:40I don't think I could paint any faster if I tried.
33:43Yeah, I know what you mean.
33:44I feel like I've got smoke coming off the end of my brush.
33:48I'm definitely, definitely going to be busy the week that you want to paint this next year.
33:56How's it going?
33:57Doing our best.
33:58Going a lot faster now.
33:59Ads is helping.
34:00Great.
34:01And we only have one hour left with the cherry picker.
34:04What do you reckon?
34:04Bloody hell.
34:05I know.
34:07Do you reckon we could do it, guys?
34:09Yeah.
34:10Yeah?
34:10Yeah.
34:11Confident?
34:12No.
34:13OK.
34:14Well, good luck.
34:14Shout out if you need anything.
34:16With the clock ticking, the family dig deep.
34:19This is what I look for at this part.
34:21To get the project over the finish line.
34:26Yay!
34:26You finished, Si?
34:27Woo!
34:28Woo!
34:32Before this weekend, the chateau facade was tired and shabby, with peeling paint and years
34:39of grime.
34:43Now, it's had a complete facelift, with freshly painted walls in a classic cream, and bright white
34:52architraves, perfectly complementing the adjacent blue shutters.
34:59It's a fantastic team effort all round.
35:04Here we go.
35:06This is the moment.
35:08Wow.
35:10That's amazing.
35:12Wow!
35:12That is insane.
35:13What an explanation.
35:15Wow.
35:15Didn't think you'd do it, but here we are.
35:18It's great.
35:19Many hands make light work.
35:21It's stunning.
35:23I wouldn't say it was light.
35:24It looks gorgeous.
35:25It does, isn't it?
35:26Well, we couldn't have done it without you guys.
35:29Thank you all.
35:29And I've got a little extra surprise.
35:32Ooh!
35:32Bear with me.
35:33So, the Lofty Heights Award goes to...
35:37Simon!
35:38Yay!
35:41Cheers!
35:41And then we've got gardening queen.
35:44Who could that be?
35:46Woo!
35:46This is amazing.
35:48This is amazing.
35:50Well done!
35:52Last but no means least, we have chef extraordinaire...
35:56Dan!
35:59Awesome.
36:00Well done, Dan.
36:00Thank you very much.
36:02Would you like a speech?
36:03No.
36:09Cheers to you guys.
36:11Cheers.
36:12Thank you so much.
36:15With a fresh new look, the chateau facade has been restored to its former glory.
36:22Ready for the busy summer season ahead.
36:30Coming up...
36:31Problem piece.
36:32It's make or break...
36:33Watch your light.
36:34With Mark and Sandra's gite kitchen renovation...
36:37Okay, table.
36:38Yeah, and wall.
36:39And it's a labour of love at Ben and Billy's romantic soirée.
36:44We're gonna set the place on fire tonight, not literally.
36:55In Bordeaux, it's a day of upheaval for Mark and Sandra.
37:00All right.
37:02Who need a working kitchen in their soon-to-be-rented-out gite.
37:07Okay, done.
37:08Voila.
37:10Good.
37:10Yeah.
37:11We're gonna try and move in all the furniture and just make sure that it fits properly.
37:16We're desperate to see what it looks like and get it all in place so we can have it set
37:20up.
37:20And then if it all works and it's all put in the right place, then kitchen done.
37:25And then we can start moving on to the next one.
37:28But getting custom-made furniture...
37:31This one's gonna hit the wall.
37:33...through old stone doorways...
37:35Are you ready?
37:36One.
37:37...is quite a tall order.
37:40Good.
37:41Oops.
37:43All right.
37:44Now we've got a problem...
37:46Problem piece.
37:49I don't think we'll be able to use the wheels because we won't get through the door.
37:52So if we can lighten it as much as possible, taking out the drawers, hopefully we'll just tip it and
37:55pick it up and walk it through.
37:57So this is made by our friend who has a bro account not far away from here.
38:02He reclaims old wood and makes it into old-looking furniture.
38:07Can you just tilt it that way?
38:08Yep.
38:09Then shove it under.
38:15Watch the light.
38:20Nice job.
38:21Okay.
38:23Watch the door.
38:25Okay.
38:27You gotta slide back on the blanket.
38:33And I think...
38:34I'll just tilt it while you grab that blanket again.
38:36Okay.
38:37Okay, just put it down on the ground.
38:38Okay.
38:44Which way is the cupboard going?
38:45Okay.
38:48Oh, yeah.
38:49I thought it was going like the last cupboard.
38:51Okay.
38:55Okay.
38:56Me like...
38:59Okay.
39:00But the next piece is also supersized and it's Sandra's pride and joy.
39:06I don't want it to scratch it.
39:07This paint, we can't...
39:09We can't touch it up.
39:10So if we make a scratch, we have to live with it.
39:12Push to me.
39:13To not drop the buggy.
39:15I have to go.
39:16Okay, table.
39:18Okay.
39:18And wall.
39:20Okay, I'm just...
39:21Oh, you're going in this way.
39:22I know, I know.
39:22I'm turning...
39:23I'm turning around.
39:25What the hell?
39:25So I can come in straight.
39:27Okay.
39:28Okay?
39:28Yeah, okay.
39:30All right, good.
39:32You don't really have much room with the fridge doors.
39:35Then...
39:35Okay.
39:36Then plan B.
39:37So we gotta do it on the other side?
39:38Yeah.
39:41Okay.
39:41Okay.
39:44Second attempt.
39:45Yeah.
39:47Got more space.
39:49When do you have to turn?
39:50Not yet.
39:52My hand is on the stone, so turn slowly.
39:56Whoa.
39:58We're in.
39:59Amazing.
40:01Good job, Sandra.
40:04Okay.
40:05Looks good.
40:08Catastrophe avoided.
40:10Sandra and Mark's bland stone kitchen...
40:15..is now looking much more welcoming,
40:18with a new tiled floor...
40:22..farmhouse-style units...
40:26..and modern appliances.
40:30I think it's looking good.
40:33Roll on to the next room.
40:35Good job.
40:36Yeah.
40:36Oh.
40:38Having created a beautiful new kitchen,
40:42Mark and Sandra have just months
40:44to get the rest of the gite renovated
40:47for their first paying guests.
40:58Three hours north, in the Loire Valley,
41:01Ben and Billy have an evening of fine dining and music
41:05planned for their weekend guests.
41:09It's just wonderful every time we get to have an event in the ballroom,
41:12because there's that space that we work so hard on,
41:15and it looks so beautiful.
41:16And we get to create another evening of magic in there.
41:20While Ben sets the stage,
41:22Dr Ella and boyfriend Antoine are setting the scene for Amour.
41:29So this event space is so perfect for millions of different kinds of events,
41:33and I actually had my 20th birthday party here in November,
41:36and it was just so magical and, yeah, really great.
41:39I hope tonight will be just as beautiful.
41:43We've got some music in the ballroom tonight.
41:45Billy is singing for us this evening,
41:47which we're really looking forward to.
41:48Nice little cabaret vibe in the ballroom.
41:50What a lovely setting.
41:51It's going to be great.
41:53Tonight, Ben and Billy's weekend guests
41:56will be served up a three-course gourmet meal,
41:58cooked by professional chefs.
42:10I'll put the lights on on the top floor.
42:13The room looks amazing.
42:16We're going to set the place on fire tonight,
42:19not literally, but we're going to rock it this evening.
42:22Hopefully everyone's going to love it.
42:24With the ballroom finally ready,
42:26it's time for the fun to begin.
42:29Here we go.
42:31Showtime. Follow me.
42:36Oh, this is beautiful.
42:39Hello, hi, how are you?
42:46This evening, you eat at the entrance
42:48a quenelle de Saint-Jacques,
42:50a carpaccio de Saint-Jacques,
42:52a bouillon à la citronnelle,
42:54and then a vinaigrette de crustaceae.
42:57It's great.
42:58Perfect.
42:59It's good.
43:03Five minutes.
43:06Bon appetit.
43:08Merci.
43:10It's going so well.
43:11It's really going so well.
43:13The chef is turning out amazing dishes.
43:15It looks delicious.
43:17The food is proving to be a winner,
43:19but it's not only top-notch cuisine
43:22the guests are eagerly awaiting.
43:24Please put your hands together for Billy Godfrey.
43:48I feel you
43:52more than you know.
43:55We've had a super evening.
43:57Exceedly magical evening.
43:59You couldn't answer better.
44:01Don't want to.
44:02It's been brilliant.
44:04We've loved it.
44:04Yeah, absolutely loved it.
44:06Good food.
44:07Good company.
44:08It's been really great.
44:09I don't know how we're going to actually top this.
44:15Oh, it's been absolutely amazing.
44:17It's been fantastic.
44:18Absolutely brilliant.
44:18Everyone loved it.
44:19One of the guests had never danced before in their life.
44:23That's right.
44:23You can't do better than that.
44:24Best one yet, I think, definitely.
44:25No, it's been fantastic.
44:31Having kicked off the season in spectacular style,
44:35Ben and Billy can start making plans
44:38for the rest of their events calendar.
44:40I want my first dance with you.
44:45Good job.
44:46Yeah.
44:54Next time, there are shocking ideas.
44:58I've never electrified a chandelier.
45:01I think we picked the biggest chandelier we have in the chateau.
45:04Hard labour.
45:06It's a little bit like prison, I guess,
45:08cleaning with a toothbrush behind bars.
45:10And a chateau-scaled stairway to fix.
45:14I'm trusting the process,
45:16even though inside of me I want to say,
45:18don't do it.
45:18I've never had to be too long.
45:29No one's drying up,
45:31So your hands in the cheeks.
45:31What,
45:32if you look very holy,
45:33No one's drying up.
45:33No one's drying up.
45:35No one's drying up.
45:44You can't do it.
45:45No one's drying up.
45:48I'm thinking that,
45:48You
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