- 2 days ago
Chateau DIY - Season 11 Episode 12
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00:00Across France, there are thousands of spectacular chateaux.
00:06Many have lain abandoned and forgotten.
00:09You can see the outside.
00:11If you can see daylight, it's not a good omen.
00:14But are now being brought back to life by intrepid owners.
00:19We need to try and get this done as quick as we can.
00:22Embracing epic tasks.
00:24Only 200 steps more to go.
00:26Determined to rescue these remarkable buildings.
00:30I'm not going to let it defeat me.
00:32And create incredible homes.
00:35It's amazing.
00:37And event venues.
00:38One has to remember to make each detail perfect.
00:44Riding the highs.
00:45Yes! Yes!
00:48And lows.
00:50Did I mention I'm terrible at DIY?
00:52But despite every difficulty.
00:55It's a little bit like prison, I guess.
00:57Cleaning with a toothbrush behind bars.
00:59The payoff is priceless.
01:02To restoration.
01:03As they get to live the dream.
01:06Cheers, well done. Good job.
01:08As custodians of their very own castle.
01:15Today, will a dug-up courtyard stop this chateau being wedding-ready in just a few weeks' time?
01:23My poor Patia, what have you done to it?
01:28The chateau owners scale new heights.
01:32Got it?
01:32Attempting to build a bathroom.
01:35Hands down, recommend a cherry-picker to anyone.
01:37While another is on a high.
01:40It's a good job Anna's not up here.
01:41Because I think I'm going to start taking the chateau apart now.
01:45Trying to make his castle safe for guests.
01:56In the heart of the Languedoc region in southern France, stands the majestic 19th century Chateau du Puy-et-Prin.
02:08Surrounded by seven acres and built around a central courtyard.
02:13Inside, it boasts 39 sumptuous rooms.
02:19It is home to Sasha, a former fashion designer.
02:23And Tim, a retired photographer who bought it in 2003 for £390,000.
02:32Confetti, confetti.
02:34And they run it as a thriving wedding venue.
02:39After two decades, they have handed over the reins of the business to daughter Lily and son-in-law Luke.
02:48I think it works well for weddings because it still has a feeling of warmth and intimacy.
02:55On the summer's evening, it's just a lovely balmy evening.
03:00The sun comes through the entrance of the courtyard.
03:03It's a great atmosphere for a wedding.
03:07Located 30 minutes from the Mediterranean coast.
03:12The last time we saw a DIY project at Tim and Sasha's, they turned a boarded up and long forgotten
03:19window of the courtyard.
03:21Here we go.
03:22Whoa!
03:24That's great.
03:25Into a decorative work of art, which they hope will become a photo backdrop for future brides.
03:33With the wedding season just six weeks away, the focus is on making the courtyard's centrepiece sing even more.
03:43We want to do a bit of a makeover on the courtyard.
03:47It's an integral and really important part of the whole place.
03:50As well as aiming to clean and reseal the huge expanse of stone, Tim and Sasha want to totally replace
04:00chipped and cracked tiles on a side patio terrace.
04:06And today, they've called in the A-team to start the job.
04:11This is just so bad.
04:13Got a little garden growing here.
04:18It's going underneath each tile, in the centre preferably.
04:25And just make your way along.
04:36Lovely.
04:38Easy.
04:39I think so many weeds have grown underneath it that it's kind of separated from the glue.
04:44Yeah.
04:45Are we keeping the whole ones?
04:47We might as well.
04:48There's some...
04:48We've got some of these tiles elsewhere that we can...
04:50That needs some new repairing on.
04:55I feel like this job is long overdue.
04:58We've just about gotten away with it.
05:00It's going to feel so good once it's done.
05:03It's going to look so nice.
05:12It's come up really well on your side.
05:15We've taken up all the tiles, which is great.
05:17We just need to clear up a little bit.
05:28Oh, my poor Patio.
05:32What have you done to it?
05:33You've done.
05:33We've improved it for you.
05:35This is it.
05:36Yeah, done.
05:37So, yeah, now it's just a case of re-tiling.
05:39So, that's it.
05:40Phase one complete.
05:41Blimey.
05:42I can't believe how much you've got done in a day.
05:45I think it's time for a cup of tea.
05:47Cup of tea?
05:47I don't drink tea.
05:49That's for us.
05:50But we do, we do.
05:51Oh, all right then, come on.
05:54We've got six weeks before the first wedding.
05:57So, the whole back terrace has got to be re-tiled.
06:01And the courtyard's got to be jet-washed and re-coated and coloured and coated with resin.
06:09So, there's a lot to do.
06:12They've had a smashing time.
06:14But with the terrace in pieces, this project is set to run and run.
06:30In the Occitanie region of southern France stands the majestic 16th century Chateau de Montespieux.
06:40Boasting 66 rooms across three wings, a stunning loggia, and no less than six towers, it's now home to Louisa...
06:54Ooh, nice shot.
06:56...Roger...
06:58And son, Lucas.
07:03Just that first glimpse of it, wow, it just took your breath away.
07:08I could stand here all day and admire it because it's beautiful.
07:11We did have a fear it would be too much for us, but we thought, we discussed it again and
07:18again and we've fallen in love with the place.
07:20You can't imagine how you can own a part of history like this. It's amazing.
07:29Sitting an hour east of Toulouse, the couple bought the Chateau in 2023 for £840,000
07:38to turn it into a luxury event venue.
07:43Having run a boat-fitting business, they're setting sail on a very different voyage.
07:50With a boat, you're always trying to make the most out of every single space available.
07:55And in a chateau, it's practically the opposite.
07:58It's difficult to make something feel comfortable sometimes because the room is so big and you feel a bit lost
08:04in it.
08:04Very odd.
08:07When we first met them, they were getting to grips with managing the enormous estate.
08:13This is the biggest garden I've ever had.
08:20The dilapidated south and west wings need the most work, but today they're going to tackle a vital job in
08:28their family space.
08:30The east wing of the chateau was already renovated by the previous owner, so there's not a lot for us
08:34to do in there.
08:36It's livable, it's actually comfortable, but it's missing a bathroom.
08:40But our son Lucas managed to bag the only room with an en suite.
08:44And heating.
08:45And heating.
08:46Which means that from our point of view, this is going to make a huge difference, especially in wintertime,
08:50to have a bathroom adjacent to our bedroom.
08:55They're facing a huge project in creating a dream bathroom from what is currently a blank, empty space.
09:08Restoring a massive chateau calls for a few big boy toys, especially when it comes to jobs like shifting a
09:17hefty shower tray up and in.
09:21Have you got it?
09:22Yep.
09:23That is remarkably heavy.
09:25It is heavy, isn't it?
09:27I don't think we could do this job without a cherry picker.
09:30Hands down, recommend a cherry picker to anyone.
09:33Do you want to lean it up?
09:34Which is the way...
09:35It goes about here.
09:39Leaving Louisa to start removing part of the wood panelling.
09:48Down in his workshop, Roger has grand plans for upcycling a chest of drawers into a bespoke sink unit for
09:57the new en suite.
09:59This piece of furniture only costs 20 or 30 euros.
10:02And then we bought the sink separately in the town.
10:04It's probably 100 euros there.
10:07It's not an enormous amount of work.
10:08And you've got for about 120, 130 euros, we've got a nice working vanity unit.
10:14Just check and see what it looks like.
10:16Make sure that everything fits okay.
10:19Put that in.
10:21Yeah, I think that's going to work nicely.
10:23It's quite satisfying and I really think it fits the chateau so well.
10:29Much better than a modern or a new built piece of furniture.
10:33It's just the first of their upcycling ideas for the new en suite.
10:37But as that's still currently an empty room, there are some busy days ahead.
10:46Coming up, as a wedding deadline looms...
10:50Um, it's going to take an awful long time, I think.
10:53Sasha tackles her biggest paint job yet.
10:57And Roger dreams of an en suite...
11:00If I'm a little bit out now, what's only a few millimetres here is going to turn into a centimetre
11:05up here and it's not going to look too special.
11:07But one wrong measurement and the whole plan could collapse.
11:20Amongst the vineyards of south-west France stands the enchanting 15th-century Chateau Lagos.
11:28It comes with its own fairytale turret and three stunning terraces, overlooking 71 acres, a picturesque lake and luxurious swimming
11:42pool.
11:44Inside, it boasts 22 sumptuous bedrooms and was bought in 2003 for £890,000.
11:57It's home to Anna and Edward and their two children, Charles and Emma.
12:03Shall we run together?
12:06The couple are used to hosting extravagant weddings...
12:11You brought the sunshine?
12:13Yes.
12:14..as well as weekend event stays.
12:18Mmm, lovely, thanks.
12:20The best thing about these events is meeting people that have the same interests.
12:25We love antiques, we love wine, we love chateaus and old buildings and food.
12:30So it's nice to meet people that, well, think the same and are like-minded.
12:37Start of the season, end of season, you always have lots of work.
12:40So we're used to it, we've been doing it 22 years now, so we're going to crack on.
12:48Located close to Bordeaux, the last time we saw them,
12:54they had stepped up to renovate their showstopper of a staircase
13:00before the start of the new season.
13:05And today, they're hoping to finish the remaining jobs
13:09before guests arrive for the next event weekend.
13:13Today, we're going to tackle something that every person sees as they come in.
13:19And it's going to be the shutters in the courtyard.
13:24It looks dismal when you come into grey shutters,
13:26so they need doing, don't they?
13:28Definitely.
13:35Ed, I know you're sounding bad, but we have a little problem here.
13:39There's one little wooden piece missing.
13:43Well, first of all, let's get at least that one painted
13:46and then we'll move on to that, and I'll make a couple of pieces.
13:51OK.
13:57With Anna in charge of the painting,
14:00Edward heads off to make some bespoke slats.
14:09This isn't as straightforward as it looks, really.
14:11Those shutters are louvered,
14:12and so because they're louvered, the louvers are on an angle,
14:15I have to shape this to the same angle.
14:21I think some people kind of throw rustic
14:23at anything that they can't quite get right.
14:25Well, there is an art to rustic as well,
14:27and that's the kind of look that we're going for.
14:43Well, you've done a great job there.
14:45Well, thanks, and get back up here
14:48because we've got two more shutters to paint.
14:49Off I go.
14:54We need to get these jobs kind of ticked off
14:57because we've got a lot of cleaning,
14:58and we'll just go through everything with a fine tooth comb
15:01before first guests arrive.
15:03Edward and Anna have almost finished
15:06painting their shutter windows,
15:08but with plenty more jobs to tackle,
15:11there's less than a week to go
15:13before the start of the season.
15:22180 miles further south,
15:25Louisa and Roger's dream of an en-suite bathroom
15:28is taking shape.
15:31The upcycled vanity unit is in position,
15:34and this no longer resembles a blank room.
15:38I've got the boiler in,
15:40and I've managed to get the stud walls up for the shower.
15:43For today, we're really hoping to get the shower completely tiled
15:46so that we can get it grouted in a couple of days' time.
15:48I can't wait to have my own bathroom.
15:52Call me a princess, but I just can't wait for it.
15:55With Louisa dreaming of a hot shower,
15:58Roger sets to work.
16:00With these sort of tiles,
16:02you've got to get your first line dead, dead straight.
16:05If I'm a little bit out now,
16:07what's only a few millimetres here
16:08is going to turn into a centimetre up here,
16:10and it's not going to look too special.
16:15We've done a lot of renovating,
16:16but nothing on this scale, much, much smaller.
16:18Every day, we get up in our chateau,
16:20and we walk to the dirty, scruffy side, and we work,
16:23and then we walk to the clean side in the evening,
16:24have a shower and enjoy the chateau.
16:27We're just missing a few servants, really.
16:28It's all we're...
16:33Downstairs, Louisa is on a rescue mission.
16:37This is a desktop that came with the chateau.
16:41It's not an antique or anything special,
16:43but it has a nice shape to it.
16:45So rather than chuck it away,
16:46I'd like to try and repurpose it
16:48into a dressing table for our bathroom.
16:51So the actual desktop comes with this,
16:55well, a set of units underneath it,
16:58and they cut it in half to be able to fit it
17:01in the room it was in.
17:02Yeah, I'm going to try and paint it up,
17:03give it a fresher look,
17:04and I think it will look really nice in the bathroom.
17:08And she starts by making up her own colour mix.
17:13I decided to make my own chalk paint
17:15to, yeah, give the dressing table another lease of life.
17:19Having looked up a few recipes,
17:21this is my first trial.
17:22I'll see how it goes.
17:24I'm putting one part chalk,
17:25two parts water, three parts paint.
17:28This was paint I was going to get rid of,
17:29this was a table I was going to get rid of.
17:31Now, surely, wrong wrong makes right, correct?
17:45It's definitely going to need two coats,
17:47but that's OK.
17:50Roger has nearly finished the tiling.
17:56Well, I think it's good.
17:57Got to do a little bit round the edges
17:58and then wait for about two or three days.
18:02I can grout up the joints
18:04and hopefully be showering
18:06by the end of the week.
18:10Meanwhile, Louisa's first coat of paint is on.
18:14It's coming out better than I thought.
18:16There's always a little flutter of,
18:19oh, my goodness, what have I done?
18:20But it's going to look good.
18:22While it dries,
18:24she grabs the opportunity
18:25to check on Roger's handiwork.
18:29Oh, look at this.
18:32Oh, well done.
18:33Look at that.
18:35I think that looks smashing.
18:36I really do.
18:38In fact, look,
18:39with the stone on top there,
18:40we're in the right tones with it as well.
18:42Yeah.
18:42That's really nice.
18:43Does it work?
18:44I need A, a cup of tea,
18:47and B, a shower.
18:48I don't know which order.
18:49Not there, though.
18:50But not there.
18:53The bathroom is coming to life,
18:56but there's plenty more to do
18:58before they can wash their hands
19:01of this project.
19:07An hour and a half away,
19:10at Tim and Sasha's,
19:13Luke and Lily are blasting on
19:15with the courtyard clean-up,
19:17and artist Sasha has grand ideas of her own.
19:21My main job today
19:23is getting the paint mixed up
19:26that will go into the now bare concrete,
19:30because it has to be tinted
19:31before the resin goes on.
19:34So we've got to do
19:35the whole courtyard and entrance with resin,
19:37let it dry,
19:38and then put another coat on
19:39so it's fully protected
19:41before the season starts
19:43in just a few weeks.
19:47With some of the stones starting to dry,
19:50Sasha can begin her next mammoth masterpiece,
19:54painting the whole courtyard.
19:58It's going to take an awful long time,
20:01I think.
20:02We're just going to put one colour
20:04over the whole lot,
20:06because coming through
20:10is the original resin with yellow,
20:13so it's making its own pattern.
20:15It's a lot of work,
20:17but the courtyard is so important.
20:27Lily is called in to help
20:29with a time-saving technique of her own.
20:33Hey!
20:33Look how much quicker it is with the roll.
20:35That's my bit.
20:36She's a roller.
20:38When you got this courtyard done,
20:41did you know back then
20:43that you were going to be
20:44repainting it every five years?
20:46How's this happened?
20:48Well, it's just that the top resin layer
20:50gets worn off.
20:53Yeah, but where does the recolouring
20:55come into play?
21:00It's a back-breaking job
21:02that Sasha's hoping will make a difference
21:04to many a bride-to-be.
21:10I just remember your wedding
21:13and your dress,
21:16and it was like something
21:18out of Disney's ice cream.
21:21That was good fun, though, wasn't it?
21:23It was.
21:24It's gone well,
21:28but I've got more work to do,
21:30far more work to do.
21:31There's no sitting back, relaxing,
21:33and thinking,
21:33oh, we'll do that the next day.
21:35We'd never get anything done.
21:36And having that pressure
21:39makes you produce things,
21:43achieve things,
21:44which is quite stimulating
21:46in lots of ways, creatively.
21:48It's very motivational.
21:50The Chateau Courtyard
21:52is undergoing a major spruce-up,
21:55but with a vast space still to paint,
21:58a terrace to relay,
22:00and grand planting plans,
22:02this project still has a long way to go.
22:09Still to come...
22:10I'm worried that when I take the big one off the top,
22:13the little one comes with it.
22:15..a nerve-wracking time for Edward...
22:18..and plummets about 10 metres down.
22:20..I just hate him going up the ladder.
22:24Careful!
22:25..and Sasha has big worries of her own.
22:28He doesn't seem to have any idea of danger.
22:40Back in south-west France,
22:42at Anna and Edward's,
22:44the couple are busy preparing to welcome guests
22:47to their first event stay of the season.
22:51Thankfully, things are getting kind of ticked off the list
22:54on the list of jobs we've got to do,
22:56but the clients are just round the corner,
22:58only a few days to go.
23:01On this drizzly Sunday morning,
23:04erm, I've decided to go up on the roof
23:06and sort out a stone that fell off the roof
23:09this winter in a quite bad storm.
23:12The last time I went up into that loft space
23:15I was a bit younger and I was a bit thinner.
23:19Oh, my God.
23:21I mean, it's about this big, the hole, I think.
23:26I think this is how Santa feels
23:29when he goes delivering presents at Christmas.
23:32The roof in question is above a tower bedroom
23:36on the south side of the chateau.
23:41Wow, I forgot how good the views were up here.
23:44Absolutely amazing.
23:46Vines, chateau, woodland.
23:49Absolutely stunning.
23:52The 500-year-old ramparts overlook a courtyard
23:57where guests frequently sit and relax.
24:02So, this is the culprit here,
24:05where this stone came from.
24:08Erm, it's right on the front there.
24:12It's a good job Anna's not up here.
24:15Because I think I'm going to start
24:16taking the chateaus apart now.
24:18I've got this nice big coping stone here
24:21that's ornately carved.
24:23Underneath is a smaller stone and that's moving.
24:25I'm worried that when I take the big one off the top,
24:29the little one comes with it
24:31and plummets about 10 metres down.
24:35Something like that.
25:01OK, we're ready to go.
25:04While Edward struggles on,
25:08down below, Anna is tackling her next job,
25:12clearing the main terrace
25:14where 17 guests will eat al fresco.
25:21There's always so much work and things to be done,
25:24but we always try and maintain a work-life balance when we can
25:27and we try to include the kids whenever we can
25:31so they don't feel left out.
25:34Most people are probably sat in bed on a Sunday morning
25:37reading a paper
25:39or inside playing with the kids.
25:42I'm up here
25:43playing around with stones.
25:55This resin set's really quick,
25:57so I've got to be really quick getting this stone back on.
26:08When you do what you love,
26:10it doesn't always feel like a daunting task.
26:13There's always a massive to-do list,
26:15but somehow, I think most of the time,
26:18we always have a smile on our faces
26:20and we just do it, no matter what.
26:23I'm happy with that.
26:24It's in.
26:26It'll stick now and it'll be safe
26:28and it's all lined up.
26:30It's not perfect,
26:31but it's how it was when it was installed,
26:34which is probably more important than being perfect.
26:42Forms that nice curve there.
26:44That's going nowhere.
26:46Really happy with that.
26:49Another job down.
26:54Thankfully, all three jobs we had to do
26:56are all out the way now,
26:58and so it's just more clean-up, clean-up
27:00and prepping for the wine and gourmet brock hunting weekend.
27:06It's only a few days off now.
27:11They've repaired broken steps
27:14on their spectacular staircase.
27:16Spruced up the shutters and terraces.
27:20And now, there's a gourmet meal for 17 to worry about.
27:30Nearly four hours south,
27:32at Château du Puy-et-Prat,
27:35Tim and Sasha's raised patio terrace
27:38has been fully retiled with soft grey stone.
27:43And the main courtyard has been painted
27:46and awaits two coats of resin.
27:50Today, though, Sasha is about to get all green-fingered.
27:55I hate this.
27:58I just hate him going up the ladder.
28:01What we're trying to create is a Bougainvillea arch.
28:06So when the bride comes through the doors here,
28:10she'll be surrounded by an arch of pink flowers.
28:15And I've been training two Bougainvilleas in pots
28:18for the last three years
28:20and they should zoom away.
28:27I'm scurrying to the word metal loops,
28:31which will...
28:33The wire I'm bringing up from the planting pot
28:38will be attached to.
28:42Careful!
28:44He doesn't seem to have any, um...
28:48I mean, you do, however.
28:49..any idea of danger.
28:51You worry the hell out of me!
28:54Again.
28:55Oh!
29:00With Luke stepping in to help,
29:02the wire is soon up
29:04and the planting can begin.
29:08We are digging in these holes a little bit deeper
29:12and then we'll be ready for planting in the Bougainvilleas.
29:20There we go.
29:23It's going to look so lovely
29:25once these have established and grown up the wires.
29:28Having this as their backdrop to their banquet dinner
29:31or just general, uh, couple's portraits.
29:35It's going to look really lovely for the weddings.
29:43There we go.
29:44Oh, perfection.
29:47All right, while you've finished that,
29:48let's go and get the, uh...
29:50Get some water?
29:51Yep.
29:58Once these start to bloom
29:59and you start getting the purple flowers,
30:01it's going to look magnificent walking into the chateau.
30:06It should create a beautiful Bougainvillea arch,
30:11which will bloom for...
30:14..at least two or three months.
30:16No, most of the summer.
30:17Most... Yeah, most of the summer.
30:19The vines will take time to blossom
30:22and with the wedding season just weeks off,
30:25there's a way to go
30:26before the courtyard fully bursts back into life.
30:35Nearly 50 miles to the north,
30:38at Chateau de Montespieux,
30:41Louisa and Roger's en suite is nearly finished.
30:45The new shower has been grouted and fully fitted
30:49and Louisa wants to add the finishing touches to the room.
30:53I'm going to give it a bit more of a cosy feel,
30:55something that feels like a dressing area,
30:58boudoir feel to it.
31:00Rather than just put a big mirror on the wall,
31:02which seemed a bit boring,
31:03we're going to try and just use up some of these paintings.
31:10The plan is to dress the wall
31:12and trying to replicate what I did on the floor.
31:15And now we've got to try and imprint this up on the wall.
31:21A few ones here, actually, that are memories.
31:23It's quite fun,
31:24cos that's Roger's favourite painting,
31:26the Starry Night Café.
31:28And the other painting there
31:29is always hung above our bed normally.
31:31I really wanted to include this picture
31:33cos our daughter, Zoe,
31:34who's an architect student in Strasbourg at the moment,
31:36I commissioned this from her.
31:38I wanted a painting from her to put in the chateau.
31:41You're a little high, actually.
31:43You can come down a bit, yeah?
31:45Yeah, that's good.
31:46Where you are there, I like it.
31:47This one is going about there.
31:51Not quite the middle of it there, but there.
31:53Yeah?
31:55It feels like things are coming together.
31:57And the great thing about this room
31:59is that we're going to get to use it.
32:03How low is low?
32:04There?
32:05Lower.
32:06Lower.
32:06Yeah, good.
32:07There you go.
32:09What do you think?
32:10You like it?
32:11No, it's definitely...
32:12It needed something.
32:12It did need something,
32:13but no, I mean, it looks...
32:14It looks very chateau.
32:16And it's quite a modern wall,
32:17so it brings a bit of, you know...
32:19Yeah.
32:19Jazzed it up.
32:20Oldy-worldy to it.
32:21I like it.
32:23Louisa's upcycled dressing table
32:25is about to add even more character.
32:30This was originally a desk
32:32that had been cut in half.
32:36It's just going to nicely fit.
32:39It lines up, it does, it does, it'll be fine.
32:42So, curved bit to the front.
32:45Okay.
32:46And look at this.
32:48And tell me that it wasn't worth saving.
32:51It does look like something you can buy, you know?
32:53You've done a very good job on it.
32:55And I mean that.
32:56I genuinely do.
32:57I didn't think that that would...
32:59I thought that was only fit for the tip.
33:04Okay.
33:06Oh, it looks good.
33:08Louisa adds the final necessities
33:11to give it the boudoir touch.
33:19Right.
33:20Time to get the boys.
33:29This once empty room in the East Wing,
33:32bare and unloved,
33:34but perfectly placed next to their own bedroom,
33:39has now been transformed
33:41into a spacious en suite.
33:44Bespoke upcycled furniture
33:47sits alongside the modern shower.
33:50And the family pictures and accessories
33:53add a luxurious feel.
33:56But will son Lucas approve?
33:59Okay, boys, you better like it.
34:01I'm not changing anything.
34:02This is it.
34:03Looks good.
34:05Ta-da!
34:06Look at this.
34:07It's quite big, isn't it?
34:08Yeah, it is big.
34:09It looks quite modern, you know?
34:10It's kind of like clashing with the old...
34:12That's what we like.
34:13No, clashing!
34:13No, it's juxtaposition.
34:15That's what we liked.
34:15No, juxtaposition is opposition.
34:17That's what we liked.
34:18Clashing is bad.
34:19This isn't a clash.
34:19The desk is very impressive.
34:21I can't believe how good that looks.
34:23No, it looks good.
34:24All in all, yeah.
34:25Good.
34:26Yeah.
34:26It's a pass.
34:28And now,
34:29we won't have to use your bathroom anymore.
34:32Oh, my goodness.
34:35I feel so relieved.
34:37It's going to be great
34:38to be able to just step out of the bedroom,
34:40into the bathroom,
34:42and it's going to be amazing.
34:43It's come together,
34:44and it's definitely got the look that you're after.
34:46It's got a boudoir look.
34:47So, well done, yeah.
34:47It's been a big day.
34:49It has been a big day.
34:50It's been good.
34:51It's an essential project ticked off the list.
34:55But with big plans to transform
34:57the crumbling South Wing
34:59into guest accommodation,
35:02the hard work has only just begun.
35:08Coming up...
35:09We don't want any wonky
35:11welcome to the wedding signs.
35:13Sasha's artistic skills are pushed to the limit.
35:17This does take a rather large amount of patience.
35:20And will Anna and Edward
35:22have the chateau ready for their guests?
35:25We've had about four days of finishing
35:27at 10 o'clock at night.
35:29It's just going to be a manic day.
35:40In the Longadoc region at Tim and Sasha's,
35:46the chateau welcome sign is coming down
35:49and about to be given a new look.
35:52Got it?
35:53Got it.
35:53What we have here is the original sign
35:57when it was a wine domain.
35:59It's lovely seeing it.
36:00I think we'll take some lovely photographs.
36:05We've always done some kind of welcome sign
36:07to welcome the couples in to the chateau,
36:09welcome to the wedding.
36:10We wanted to make something
36:11a little bit more aesthetically pleasing.
36:13So I'm going to be making the frame.
36:15Sasha's going to be doing the glass panelling.
36:18And I believe you are...
36:19I'm going to be doing the text.
36:20So, yeah, between the three of us,
36:22we'll have a sign-up and ready for the season.
36:25Mm-hmm.
36:31Artist Sasha has been working away
36:34on the glittering design.
36:37Using a reverse painting technique,
36:40she has created wafts of botanical flowers
36:44and is now adding final touches of gold.
36:48The reason I'm doing gold leaf
36:51is the background,
36:53which the gold leaf will become part of,
36:56will sparkle in the sunshine.
36:58I don't want a solid gold background.
37:01I want it to sparkle.
37:05Throughout everything that I've done,
37:07I've been an illustrator.
37:09These days, it's fun to create projects
37:12that aren't commissioned.
37:15They're our own projects,
37:18our own business.
37:22This does take a rather large amount of patience.
37:28While Sasha continues to add sparkle to her artwork,
37:33Lily is handling the permanent lettering for the sign.
37:38I'm just lining out a grid
37:40so that when I put the stickers on
37:42with all the letters,
37:44everything's going to be nice and in line.
37:46We don't want any wonky
37:48welcome to the wedding signs.
37:53It's such a joyous job,
37:55working with people for their special day,
37:58one of the most important days of their lives.
38:00And it's a very happy job.
38:03Lots of smiles going around.
38:07Finally, with the new frame in place
38:10on the entrance pillar...
38:12Let's see what this one looks like.
38:14..it's time to test out
38:15Sasha's glittering creation
38:17in its new home.
38:19Hey, that looks...
38:20That looks really good.
38:22Her gold leaf artwork
38:24forms an impressive background
38:26for the welcome sign
38:28and will be lovingly inscribed
38:30with the names of each wedding couple to come.
38:34You should be proud.
38:36It looks good.
38:37I'm pleased with that.
38:38Yeah, it does look good.
38:39Looks excellent.
38:41Future guests to Tim and Sasha's
38:44may well be guaranteed a special welcome,
38:47but there's still a huge central courtyard
38:50that needs sealing with resin
38:51before their first wedding
38:53in a few weeks' time.
39:02Over 200 miles north-west
39:05at Chateau Lagos,
39:07there's a busy day in store
39:09for Anna and Edward
39:10as they prepare to host
39:12their first gourmet weekend
39:14of the season.
39:16Today's the big day.
39:17Guests are arriving a bit later on.
39:19We've had about four days
39:21of finishing at 10 o'clock at night.
39:25It's just going to be a manic day.
39:28This is the second year we're doing this,
39:30and Anna just mentioned yesterday
39:33that we've got all six of the people
39:35that were here on the first one,
39:37which was kind of a trial.
39:38They've booked to come on this one.
39:40You know, to come back and do the same again
39:42is brilliant.
39:47With 17 guests due,
39:50Edward's focus is now on the food.
39:54Luckily, fresh herbs are in full supply.
40:00Use these quite a lot
40:02during the weddings
40:02for the camembert.
40:06As the season goes on,
40:08I have to go further and further down the alley
40:09to get more and more rosemary.
40:14It's really nice
40:15to have these kind of herbs on site.
40:17It's just going to give a nice fragrance
40:19to the dish, really.
40:20It is close to my heart, cooking.
40:23Always has been.
40:24And, yeah, I take a pride in cooking.
40:27I'm always watching the plates,
40:29making sure that everybody's finishing plates
40:31and enjoying the food.
40:33It's only generally the kids
40:35that send the plates back.
40:40The guests begin to arrive
40:42for their chateau weekend.
40:44Hi, Vivette, is it?
40:45Nice to meet you, Edward.
40:46It's nice to meet you, you two.
40:51No, go on, then.
40:56It's wonderful for guests to come back
40:59because all that we want is, like,
41:01there's no better publicity
41:03or better relationship
41:04than to have people coming back
41:06and seeing the place.
41:07And we always try and change things
41:10and adapt,
41:11and it's nice to see familiar faces,
41:14but also to make new friends.
41:16It's going really well so far.
41:18I'm really happy that all the work we've done
41:20has kind of set things
41:22on the way for the season.
41:23Everything's ready in the kitchen.
41:25Basically, we're just going to sit down
41:26and have a lovely alfresco dinner tonight.
41:31Debbie, my sweetheart?
41:32Oh, good luck, fine.
41:33It's up from having any more.
41:35Oh, thank you so much.
41:36You're welcome.
41:37You're welcome.
41:41We came to Lagos last year
41:43and we had a fabulous time
41:45and we've got to know Ed and Anna.
41:48Vivette, my sweetheart,
41:49shrimp tempura.
41:50Oh, wow.
41:51With sweet chilli sauce.
41:52We were totally spoiled rotten,
41:54so come away to this lovely French countryside,
41:57no cooking, no cleaning,
41:59and just lots of lovely French wine.
42:04We made some great friends
42:05last time we were here
42:06and some of them have come back as well,
42:08which has been a really good surprise for us.
42:10We didn't know they were coming,
42:11so it's been like a family reunion.
42:15Anna and Edward are unique hosts
42:17and they make you feel part of the family.
42:19Obviously, certainly.
42:20And you couldn't wish for a nicer couple.
42:29As the lights begin to fade on a successful day,
42:33guests are treated to a feast of boeuf bourguignon.
42:47OK, well, welcome, everybody,
42:49to the second wine and brock hunting weekend.
42:54And it's great to see some new faces
42:56and some old faces.
42:59I'm not saying that you're old, but, you know.
43:02That's so old.
43:02No, it's great.
43:03And it's great to see everyone get along.
43:05Let's have a nice little end for the soirée
43:07and we'll reconvene tomorrow, 10 o'clock.
43:10And thank you for the delicious dinner.
43:12Yeah, thank you.
43:16It's been really good, hasn't it?
43:18It's been really good.
43:19Everyone seems to be getting on.
43:21People have eaten.
43:22They're having drinks.
43:24They're chatting.
43:25Day one's kind of drawing to a close now.
43:28We're going to have so much fun with these guys.
43:30We're off to do some brock hunting tomorrow,
43:33so that's going to be amazing.
43:35So I'm really looking forward to this weekend.
43:36Definitely.
43:38Anna and Edward's hard work pre-season
43:41is finally reaping benefits.
43:44And with their second ever gourmet weekend
43:47off to a joyous start,
43:49they're all set for a busy season ahead.
43:58Next time, an ambitious renovation
44:02hits a stumbling block.
44:04I don't think it's going to work.
44:05Back to the drawing board.
44:07Back to the drawing board.
44:08It's raining.
44:10Back-to-back weddings cause chaos at Tim and Sasha's.
44:14What are we going to do?
44:16And a pair of novice DIYers
44:18get their hands dirty.
44:21I've photographed the royals
44:22and presidents of the United States.
44:24And now I find myself removing a toilet.
44:27And now I find myself removing a toilet.
44:54But a pair of those arms
44:58and stuff going to be on top 3 and 2.
44:59I don't think it's going to last,
44:59Outro Music
45:00would want to overnight
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