- 13 minutes ago
Chateau DIY - Season 11 Episode 36
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Across France, there are thousands of incredible chateaux.
00:06Many now being given a new lease of life.
00:10I'm having a smashing time.
00:12By fearless owners.
00:15Wish me luck.
00:16But nothing's ever straightforward in the chateau.
00:19Who dare to DIY it.
00:23Okay, something's not connected.
00:25As they transform them into spectacular homes.
00:31Wow.
00:32It is absolutely magical.
00:35And event venues.
00:37One has to remember to make each detail perfect.
00:42But with delight.
00:44Oh my gosh.
00:47Comes disaster.
00:49But we're a bit hampered by how far we can get it because of the house.
00:53And with great challenge.
00:54It's crazy.
00:56Comes huge reward.
00:58Oh.
00:59It looks great.
01:01As they get to live the dream.
01:03Oh.
01:05As custodians of their very own castle.
01:15Today, one chateaune descends beneath her centuries old estate.
01:23Honestly, I can't believe I'm doing this.
01:25And goes tunneling to solve a mystery.
01:28Yeah, I don't want to get wedged under here.
01:32In a desperate bid to save her medieval floor.
01:36You need to go down there a bit more.
01:37Another chateau owner takes matters into her own hands.
01:42Wow.
01:43It's come out in one piece.
01:44Oh, it's nice.
01:45Oh.
01:46Sun's out.
01:47Gun's out.
01:48Let's go.
01:49Whilst a third swings into action on a chateau-sized terrace.
02:01In the Vendée countryside of Western France is the magnificent 19th century Chateau de Borneau.
02:11Set in 40 acres, this stunning property comprises 50 sumptuous rooms and is surrounded by a spectacular moat.
02:24Since 2018, it's been owned by former anaesthetist Erin and her French-born engineer partner, JB, who bought it for
02:36£560,000.
02:41It really is a privilege to live in a historic house.
02:44We do realise and appreciate the fact that we are living in a spectacular environment.
02:50Whilst we do a lot of work, it is also extremely rewarding seeing this sleeping fairytale castle come back to
02:57life little by little.
03:03Located in the Pei-de-la-Loire region, Erin and JB run the chateau as an events venue.
03:11Oh, wow.
03:13That's why I'm in here.
03:15And when we last saw them, they brought their tired red salon to life with a sparkling chandelier, turning it
03:24into another opulent entertaining space.
03:27Santé, Santé, Santé, Santé, Santé.
03:35Today, they're hoping to cast even more light on the chateau, but to the driveway, by replacing the dated lights,
03:43which haven't worked since they moved in.
03:46We think it's extremely important that we bring lighting back, but in a more aesthetic manner that is more in
03:51keeping with the 19th century building.
03:53We'd need to find how they've been installed, how they've been plugged in.
03:56It's a massive challenge, as the driveway lights are separated from the chateau via the moat and huge courtyard.
04:07And, to top it all, they're not sure where the power source is.
04:12Ding!
04:15Can you hear it, JB?
04:18Yeah, got it. Thank you.
04:21This is where we think the lights to the drive are being connected.
04:26So, hopefully, that means the wire come from here directly to the lamps.
04:32All we need to do is to find this wire and follow it.
04:36And, voila, sounds very easy like this.
04:40They're hazarding, I guess, that the wire is lurking underneath the chateau floor.
04:47I'm not sure how I do the short straw to go tunneling.
04:52My size is not an advantage on this particular occasion.
04:58And the only way to get down there is through a small hatch door.
05:03Well, there are cables, so that is hopeful, if we can identify the correct one.
05:08Okay.
05:11Honestly, I can't believe I'm doing this.
05:13It's great!
05:14Chateau Life, you're living the dream, remember.
05:16Okay, well, you can hear me scream.
05:19Might be.
05:20All right, wish me luck.
05:22Good luck.
05:25Oh, wow, okay.
05:28Look, look at all these arches.
05:30Wow, yeah, wow.
05:32Whoa.
05:33How cool.
05:34There's lots of wiring in here as well.
05:38Any bones?
05:39Any treasures?
05:41No, no human remains as of yet.
05:43All treasure.
05:44I'm going feet first.
05:47Okay, don't get wedged.
05:48Yeah, I don't want to get wedged under here.
05:50That'd be extremely embarrassing.
05:51At points, the space is only 40 centimetres high.
05:58Do you have enough oxygen?
06:03Right, I'm through one arch.
06:06Oh, look, I can see the main cable.
06:09Can you see where it's going?
06:11Yeah, I mean, it looks like it's going towards the courtyard.
06:15Okay.
06:16Should I just keep going?
06:17Yeah, follow it.
06:18I'm crawling right to the extreme end of this.
06:23Oh, I can see daylight.
06:26She can see daylight.
06:27That's good news.
06:27You know what?
06:30Go on.
06:31It's definitely exiting the chateau.
06:33Right.
06:34And what's really great...
06:37I found the box.
06:39And it says, lamp exterior.
06:41It's lamp, right?
06:43Woo-hoo!
06:44That's it.
06:45Well done.
06:46Yeah.
06:47Okay, that's good.
06:49It's a big breakthrough, having found the lamp cable,
06:53but needing to follow it across the courtyard
06:55means Erin and JB's underground adventure isn't over yet.
07:07In the idyllic Dordogne département of southwest France
07:11is the 18th century Domaine de la Barde.
07:16It comes with 30 well-proportioned rooms,
07:20manicured gardens and a swimming pool.
07:26Since 2020, it's been the home of former chef Tim,
07:31his wife Chris, and their two sons, Ollie and Owen.
07:37I do love the chateau, the look of it.
07:40It's beautiful, chunky stone.
07:42I love chunky stone.
07:43And it's symmetrical.
07:44You've got six big French doors
07:46and then six big windows upstairs.
07:49So we're very happy with it.
07:51The chateau is our whole life, really.
07:54You know, our kids live here.
07:55They grow up here.
07:56Our business runs out of here.
07:57Just everything channels through the chateau.
08:00So it's really important that we work together
08:03with the same dream and the same ambitions
08:06and the same goal.
08:15Tim and Chris now offer holiday accommodation
08:19as well as running food and wine workshops.
08:24And the recent addition of a restored wine cave
08:28should add to the culinary delights on offer.
08:33The last time we saw them,
08:36they'd turned an unused and neglected outhouse
08:40into a bright, smart and much-needed laundry room.
08:51Off we go.
08:52Another day in paradise, isn't it?
08:55Today, in the somewhat soggy off-season,
08:59they're turning their attention
09:01to a spot normally kept well out of sight.
09:06One area that's been very neglected is round by the garage.
09:09It used to hold the oil tank.
09:12It's scruffy, it's rough,
09:14and I've always wanted to get that area cleared up.
09:18So my plan is to knock down the oil tank,
09:21create a new terrace,
09:22and just give us another sort of entertainment area.
09:28The now-defunct oil tank
09:31used to be the main heat source for the chateau.
09:35So if I can get these six out,
09:37we can lift the first panel, maybe.
09:40We'll try and reuse this roof on the barbecue if we do it.
09:52Ah, there we go.
09:54Wonderful.
10:07So that's the roof off.
10:09What I'll do, I'll let Chris go in and get dry,
10:11and I'll, er, carry on.
10:14Now it's stopped raining a bit,
10:15and I'll try and get the walls demolished as quick as I can.
10:37Inside, thick sand surrounds the old oil tank,
10:42but that's not what's concerning Tim.
10:45So I can see all the tops.
10:47Because they're not retaining any of this weight,
10:49they're all going to come off quite easy.
10:51I don't know further down.
10:54It doesn't sound like it's got anything in it,
10:56so it all sounds hollow to me,
10:58but...
10:59we'll, er, we'll find out.
11:02But, er, sun's out, gun's out.
11:05Let's go.
11:27Oh, what is that?
11:28Owen, Ollie!
11:29Oh, Daddy!
11:30Have you come to help?
11:31What are you doing?
11:32Oh, this looks fun.
11:35Oh, look.
11:36It's a tank of black.
11:39Let's see if you chip it all off.
11:41Look, they pack all this sand around it
11:44so the tank can't move.
11:47Why?
11:48Because if it moves, then the pipes will snap.
11:58Today went really well, actually.
11:59You know, the first day of any job we do
12:02kind of is Discovery Day, you know,
12:03so you don't know quite how it's going to go.
12:06And it all went well.
12:07So, good day.
12:08The ambitious Terrace Project is up and running,
12:14but Tim still has lots to chip away at.
12:22Coming up, Erin's underground mission
12:25grinds to a halt.
12:27It feels like there's a lot of soil or debris inside it.
12:33While Tim's facing pruning on a chateau scale.
12:38You wouldn't really know if you looked up
12:40that we'd touched it.
12:49Close to the river Lotte, in southwest France,
12:53lies the majestic 15th century Chateau de Césirac.
13:00It stands in four acres of gardens,
13:04has a medieval tower
13:06and its own chapel,
13:08while inside it boasts
13:11ten characterful bedrooms.
13:15It was bought in 2022
13:18by John and Carmen
13:20for £175,000
13:22and they currently live in the chapel
13:25while the massive restoration work continues.
13:30You couldn't do this unless you really had perseverance.
13:34You couldn't do this if you were just thinking
13:36you were going to play at it.
13:37That's it.
13:38I go to bed at night thinking about the chateau
13:41and I wake up in the morning thinking about the chateau
13:43and I work all day in the chateau.
13:45And do you know what?
13:46I love the chateau.
13:48Just over 100 miles from Bordeaux,
13:53John and Carmen have recently been getting ready
13:57for an extra special occasion,
13:59their own wedding.
14:01But I like it.
14:02Keeps me fit.
14:03And have created a romantic,
14:06lavender-lined pathway
14:08leading to where they will take their vows.
14:12The last time we saw them,
14:15they turned a piece of scrubland
14:17into a vegetable garden
14:19or potager.
14:21And with all the fresh produce they're now growing,
14:25it's time to sort their kitchen.
14:30Today we're in our new kitchen,
14:32or potential new kitchen.
14:33There used to be a dining room
14:35and the room is absolutely amazing.
14:37The architecture's fantastic.
14:38Yeah, I absolutely love this vaulted ceiling.
14:41It's just absolutely tremendous.
14:42I could just sit here and look at it.
14:45And then there's the floor.
14:46It's 500 years old, this floor.
14:49We have to keep it beautiful.
14:51Yeah, I mean, the problem we've got,
14:53of course, is it's a bit slopey and a bit wonky.
14:55And that's the challenge.
14:56But you're right.
14:57At this age and this heritage, it's staying.
14:59Absolutely.
15:02But before getting down to restoration work on the floor,
15:06they need to clear the way for their kitchen cabinets.
15:15Fireworks, John.
15:18There we go.
15:19Picture frame.
15:21Beautiful.
15:22Look at that.
15:24Carmen is eager for a first look at the bespoke cabinets
15:28they've had shipped over from the UK.
15:31Wow.
15:33That's a lot of kitchen.
15:35It is a lot of kitchen.
15:37With an uneven ancient floor and wonky walls to contend with,
15:44the next challenge will be making them lie flush in the room.
15:49So we'll just put it here for now.
15:51Maybe we may have to use that.
15:52You lose that sink.
15:54The two of us love cooking, and we love cooking together,
15:57but it's impossible in that chapel
15:59because there is only room for one person.
16:01Can we put it down because my hand's slipping?
16:04Yeah, OK.
16:04It's really exciting that we've finally started this new kitchen,
16:09and it's going to be fabulous, and I can't wait.
16:11This one?
16:12This is light as no drawers in.
16:14Yeah.
16:15Oh, that's nice.
16:17Easy-peasy.
16:19It's going to be our dream to be able to cook together.
16:24This is my first major kitchen fit.
16:27I've done bits and done small ones,
16:29but this one is next level
16:31because just the sheer nothing-straightness of it all,
16:37wobbliness, as Carmen says, is the challenge.
16:41Their long-awaited bespoke cupboards
16:44have been shifted into the new kitchen,
16:48and not a moment too soon.
16:51At least they're inside and safe now, which is great news.
16:53It's the start of a huge project for John and Carmen,
16:57but with a floor to restore
17:00and cabinets to paint and fit to wonky walls,
17:04there's a way to go before they will be cooking in this kitchen.
17:13Over four hours north, at Chateau de Barnaud.
17:17Right, hang on.
17:18I'm just getting your signal back.
17:19Okay.
17:20Yeah, I can see you.
17:22Erin and JB are still following the electricity wire,
17:26which they hope leads to the old driveway lights.
17:30What we need to try to do now
17:32is to make sure that we can run a cable through that pipe.
17:38It looks like there's space.
17:40They want to replace all the wiring,
17:43but they need to find a way to thread it through to the lights.
17:47Yeah.
17:48So what we got here is a main cable feeding the Chateau,
17:51and wrapped around is what we believe to be the cable for the lights.
17:56So we just need to make sure that the pipe is clear
17:58for us to run a new wire.
18:03So can we just start that now?
18:05Yeah, you can, yeah.
18:09So it's jamming.
18:11It feels like there's a lot of soil or debris or something like that inside it.
18:45Yeah, push.
18:45They might be forced to have a rethink.
18:49Maybe they just put stone on top of the cable just to protect it.
18:54I will try to lift it.
18:56Oh, easier said and done.
18:59It's turning into archaeology more than electricity.
19:02But how deep is this stone?
19:06Is it moving?
19:07Yes.
19:08Yeah, that's it.
19:14Well, that's underwhelming.
19:16It's nothing.
19:19Oh, hang on.
19:21Yeah, that's the one.
19:22Okay.
19:23Is it moving?
19:25Oh, no.
19:26They just buried it like this, haven't they?
19:29That's no good news.
19:31It's absolutely solid.
19:33JB's worst fears have been confirmed.
19:37I was hoping that it would go into a conduit, but it doesn't.
19:42So...
19:42No, it's fine.
19:43Yeah, it's a bit annoying, indeed.
19:46Maybe we can just reuse part of it, but I don't know.
19:49So far, we are stuck.
19:50Without a tube to feed the wiring through,
19:53it might mean digging a channel under the whole courtyard.
19:58It's a bit frustrating.
19:59I think there was this moment of, you know, elation
20:02coming across this beautifully labelled box saying exterior lighting.
20:07We're like, oh, well, here we go.
20:09And then, obviously, never that simple.
20:11With no way forward, Erin and JB's dream of new driveway lights
20:17is currently looking anything but bright.
20:29230 miles away in the Dordogne,
20:32Tim is planning a new terrace.
20:36Having removed the old oil tanks around,
20:38with help from friend Steve,
20:40he's now clearing up the space.
20:43We're just sort of rolling it up.
20:45The old oil tank is the first thing to go.
20:49What's good, Steve, is if you go downhill,
20:52when all the, er...
20:53anything left in it rolls that end,
20:55I get the light end.
20:57Are you even trying?
20:59I never try.
21:10Oh, I've got a heavy end again.
21:12I had to carry this downstairs on me own.
21:14I'm true, Dad.
21:21An old cast-iron cocker...
21:24We're not going very far, are we?
21:26No.
21:27...presents more of a problem.
21:34Maybe here?
21:43With the area cleared,
21:45Tim needs to get stuck into some gardening
21:48on a chateau scale.
21:57Bamboo.
21:58It was introduced to France in the 19th century,
22:02amid a craze for all things exotic and oriental.
22:08Bamboo can reach heights of up to 45 metres.
22:21You can see how monstrous it is, though.
22:23We've cleared a couple of metres in, probably not even that.
22:27We've got all this,
22:30and you wouldn't really know if you looked up that we'd touched it.
22:40We've got an old log shed in here, which is absolutely knackered.
22:43Just seeing it again properly, it just sets the old brain cells off, doesn't it?
22:50Start planning the next project.
22:51I kind of feel like that positions itself really nicely as barbecue, and I like the idea of over there,
22:58there being like an outdoor kitchen.
23:01Terrace here, kitchen there.
23:02Right next to the river.
23:04Hook out a trout.
23:05Oh, throw it on.
23:06Oh, that's great.
23:07Yeah.
23:08A little bottle of white wine on a bit of string, just resting in the stream.
23:13Oh, it's a fishing rod, guys.
23:16Ah, yeah.
23:19Tim's vision of summertime on the terrace is clear,
23:23but for now, he will have to dream on.
23:30Coming up, John and Carmen are in pieces over their ancient kitchen floor.
23:37We haven't got actually one whole one out yet, have we?
23:40And will Tim's terrace walls come tumbling down?
23:45There's a big Irish ewe here, but I expect the roots move the wall.
23:58In the Vendée département of Western France, Erin and JB are digging deep to try and rewire
24:06their driveway lights.
24:09There is passage.
24:10Oh, OK.
24:11Keep feeling some more.
24:14The potentially good news is we found pipe that seems to be running back to the chateau.
24:19I'm pushing right now some rods through it, and hopefully they will reappear, and that would
24:25be the perfect solution.
24:28So stand over there.
24:29We're moving back and forth.
24:30You might hear it.
24:31OK.
24:33Ready?
24:34Yes.
24:39Yep, yep.
24:40I can hear it.
24:41I can hear it.
24:42Oh, yes, yes, yes.
24:43OK.
24:43It's coming to the other window.
24:46Woo-hoo!
24:47Good.
24:49We've got passage.
24:51It's not as simple as we assume it would be, but at least we have a solution
24:55connecting this port to this port.
24:58It's a start, but laying wiring to the driveway when your chateau has a moat was never going
25:05to be plain sailing.
25:07Who's going in the boat then?
25:09Well, I think given that I did the potholing in the medieval chateau...
25:13And you were excellent at it.
25:14I liked your light.
25:15I think it's your turn.
25:19JB casts off on his voyage of discovery.
25:23Good exercise.
25:25Good cardio.
25:27Yeah.
25:28Hopefully, wiring across the bridge is going to be an easier part of the process.
25:34It's all very romantic.
25:36Venetian vibes.
25:39Woo!
25:39Duck!
25:44Okay.
25:45So what can you see?
25:47Like you see clips following along the bridge where they used to hang various wires.
25:53Yeah, makes sense.
25:54Just keeping it at the back maybe to keep it, like, discreet.
25:58Mm-hmm.
25:58What's the plan then?
25:59So should I pass the cable down to you then?
26:01Yeah, I think if you drop it from here.
26:03Okay.
26:03But it should be good.
26:06Yeah, it's fine.
26:07Got it?
26:07Hang on, hang on.
26:08Yeah.
26:08Start moving along.
26:09Mm-hmm.
26:11The wind is not making it easier.
26:14Yeah.
26:14I can see you're struggling to keep the boat stable.
26:17I can definitely feel my abs now.
26:23Hang on.
26:26Past the midway point.
26:28Whoa.
26:29Yep there.
26:31Be careful.
26:31Don't want you falling in.
26:33Okay.
26:35You all right there?
26:36Right, yeah.
26:36Yeah.
26:40So are we nearly done then?
26:42Uh, yeah.
26:43Almost.
26:43I think the rest can be finished from the ground.
26:46It's been far from easy.
26:49But their goal of reaching the driveway with the new wiring is getting ever closer.
26:56We've managed to now get the electricity off the Chateau Island.
27:01Hurrah.
27:02Small challenge.
27:03Without having to dig up the entire courtyard.
27:05That's the main thing.
27:06What's left to be done is just to run the cable to the lamp once we receive them.
27:11Uh, so yeah.
27:12That part should be easier.
27:15It's proving to be an epic job, but hopefully it won't be long before they see the light at the
27:23end of the driveway.
27:29Four hours south at John and Carmen's.
27:33Before fitting the bespoke kitchen units to their wonky walls, they want to try and save their 15th century floor.
27:42But it's hit a rocky patch.
27:45So this floor is a medieval floor.
27:47It's 500 years old, would you believe, and it's absolutely beautiful.
27:51And obviously we want to keep the, you know, the history of the building.
27:53We weren't expecting to have to remove the whole floor and they are individual tiles.
27:59It's going to be a big job.
28:01Huge and very, very delicate, isn't it?
28:03Because, you know, they're crumbly, they're very old, and we've got to make sure they also go back down once
28:09we've levelled the floor.
28:17Right, the question is, will it come out now?
28:19Yes.
28:19Oh, yes.
28:20Look at that, that's come out really clean.
28:22Okay, now let's get the next one out in one piece.
28:28Okay, will that come out now?
28:30I don't think it will, but don't force it if it's not...
28:32Well, just gently.
28:34No, I think you should go round again.
28:41Can I take it out?
28:42You can take it out.
28:44It's not ready yet.
28:45It is?
28:45No, it's not.
28:56Yes!
28:57Wow, it's come out in one piece!
29:00Oh, it's...
29:03We haven't got actually one whole one out yet, have we?
29:05It's like a honeycomb, like a bee's nest.
29:08It is like a bee's nest.
29:11But...
29:12Oh, yes!
29:16Wow, look at that!
29:17Wow.
29:18Looks like you've got the hang of it, John.
29:19Oh, thanks.
29:20So I might leave you to it.
29:22Yeah.
29:25While John chips away at the mammoth task, Carmen returns to the chapel to polish off another
29:32job for their new kitchen.
29:34I've been collecting copper for about six months.
29:38Quite typically in the French kitchen you will find a nice big shelf with all the copper on,
29:42and this would look superb, the copper on a wooden shelf against the stone.
29:48I'm really excited about it, and I'm going to dress the kitchen with the copper.
29:54Having first cleaned with neat lemon juice to cut through the dirt, Carmen goes in with the copper polish.
30:03Stings.
30:04Wow.
30:04So these chateau challenges, they're always huge, and I guess it can be stressful, but you just have to break
30:11it down into small chunks.
30:17Ah!
30:18Broken.
30:19It's quite a challenge, keeping the heart of the chateau as it should be, yet trying to modernise things.
30:26When you've got, you know, 500-year-old floors like this, they need preserving.
30:30And, yeah, we're going to have to put a new base down and put them on top of it, but
30:34we want this, you know, good for another 500 years.
30:37We both like a challenge, and we both like the reward at the end.
30:43So, yeah, he's a great partner to work with.
30:46I think it's Carmen that keeps me going with this stuff, because it's a soul-destroying job if you weren't
30:50keeping each other going.
30:51And it's mind-blowing the amount of work you actually have to do to a place like this, but you
30:56just have to do it one chunk at a time.
30:58And if you keep each other going, you know, and celebrate perhaps at the end of the day with a
31:01little glass of wine, it makes it worthwhile.
31:04It's so good, you can see your face in it.
31:10It's been over two hours, and John is starting to make a dent in the kitchen floor.
31:17How are you getting on, John?
31:19Oh, my word!
31:21Not too bad.
31:21Success!
31:22Not too bad.
31:23Two or three more days, I think, to get it up.
31:26Dig it a couple more days to get it down.
31:28Wow.
31:29Yeah, a good week's work here.
31:30I'm really happy we can save this floor.
31:32It's going to be a mammoth challenge, but the long slog of saving their ancient floor tiles is well underway.
31:4640 miles north at Domaine de la Barde, Tim is into his third week of building a 60 square metre
31:55terrace,
31:56and today needs to check the surrounding ancient wall for loose stones.
32:04These properties are beautiful, beautiful properties.
32:08We're not millionaires, but if we use our time wisely, we can add to it, and we can improve it,
32:14and we can make sure it stays a beautiful property.
32:18It's had a very rough ten years in its existence, and now here we are,
32:24just slowly, slowly, slowly bringing this sleeping beauty back to life.
32:37All this kind of loose stuff, I can take all this out, and then when I'm pointing it,
32:42I can rebuild it and straighten it all up and make it safe.
32:47It all looks reasonably nice.
32:49There's two or three areas where I'm going to have to pull a few out and put them back in
32:52and rebuild a bit,
32:52but nothing disastrous.
32:58Two days of hard graft, and Tim is well into the restoration work of this 20 metre long wall.
33:06There's a big Irish ewe here.
33:09Beautiful. Lovely.
33:10Lovely.
33:11But I expect the roots, like everything, have sort of moved the wall just a little bit.
33:17And because it looks like it has been repaired before, because there is some very brittle cement in here,
33:25but it's obviously very old.
33:27But that's okay.
33:29We can fix that.
33:32But I'll keep all the stone, and then just put it all back together again.
33:42That's all the risky stuff, and I'm back to a nice solid bit. The wall's quite straight.
33:49But yeah, that's the worst of it.
33:56To cement the stones back into place, Tim uses traditional lime mortar.
34:04Yeah, it's essentially a big jigsaw bug puzzle.
34:11And once the hole's filled, Tim locks it into place.
34:16Yeah, it's all looking rather lovely.
34:31And it's another job completed.
34:35I'm happy with the wall. It's all looking really nice.
34:38Nice and solid. Rebuilt some sections that have started to fall down.
34:41So it's all coming together lovely. It's going to look great.
34:44But fit for purpose, which is more important.
34:48The garden wall is rock solid again.
34:51And paves the way for a spectacular new terrace.
35:01Still to come.
35:02This has got to be millimetre perfect.
35:04Will John and Carmen win their battle of the wonky walls?
35:09It's too short now.
35:10It's not.
35:11And will Erin and JB ever see the light?
35:15Oh, wow. So that's going to be the jigsaw.
35:18At the end of the driveway.
35:28Back in the heart of the Lot Valley, it's been more than two months,
35:34and John and Carmen have managed to save 80% of the original floor tiles
35:40after raising, restoring and replacing them
35:44around where their new kitchen island will go.
35:48It's been a long old job so far, the kitchen, hasn't it?
35:51Well, it's been a difficult journey because the floor is 500 years old
35:54and there's no other option but to have lifted up all the tomettes
36:00and cleaned them, levelled the floor and put them down again,
36:03which has been fun.
36:04It will end up beautiful.
36:06Hopefully.
36:07Shall we go?
36:10Having saved as many of their precious tomettes as they could...
36:15Looking good.
36:16Oh, yes.
36:18The irregular walls mean that today's task is to build a wooden framework
36:23to fix the kitchen cabinets onto.
36:26Can I get my laser up?
36:27I will direct you.
36:29And that's going to involve a lot of measuring.
36:33It's a millimetre underneath.
36:35Try that.
36:37Yeah, perfect.
36:38Got to make the kitchen wall fit the kitchen unit.
36:41But if we don't get it right, the kitchen won't fit.
36:43It's really as simple as that.
36:54Measuring's the most important bit of all of this.
36:56Once you know exactly where it's going and it's right,
36:58it doesn't take that long to get a building this basic framework.
37:02It's just the boring bit, isn't it?
37:04Why is that below the line?
37:06And that's not on the line. What's going on here?
37:08No, I just need to redo that.
37:18Yeah, that's good.
37:19It's pretty good, isn't it? Spot on.
37:21I mean, the thing leans all over the place because it's following the wall contour,
37:24but fundamentally it follows the laser, doesn't it?
37:25Yeah.
37:26That now gives us a basis to actually work out from.
37:32Can you make sure it's on that end?
37:35Ooh, that was close.
37:37One more.
37:45Voila, we now have a framework and that will sit hard against the wall.
37:49And how much height difference have we got here?
37:51About half a spoon, might be a centimetre.
37:53Mm.
37:55This has got to be millimetre perfect.
38:00And as you can see, I've literally cut a millimetre off it.
38:03But the millimetre is an important, important part of it.
38:07So, right, Carmen.
38:08It better fit this time.
38:12It's the right way round.
38:14It's too short now.
38:16It's not.
38:17It's perfect.
38:18It is perfect.
38:19It's perfect now.
38:20And that's that first bit of framework done.
38:21OK.
38:23But will John's precise measurements pay off?
38:26And their bespoke units lie flush to the ancient wall?
38:31This is a nice little corner one here.
38:35Yeah, so this one sits...
38:38..here-ish.
38:40About here, I think.
38:42Nice.
38:44Look at that.
38:45Lovely door.
38:46Nice, isn't it?
38:52Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to put the stone sink on the top.
38:55No, I can't.
38:56I know how heavy it is.
38:57It's too heavy, but it gives you...
38:58I don't think we can lift it, to be honest.
38:59Not the sink unit's going to...
39:00No.
39:01You two of us won't lift it.
39:03So just put it down in front of it.
39:05And then we'll move it into place.
39:08There we are.
39:10And then, of course, it's all going to be painted nicely.
39:12That's it.
39:12Gives you an idea, doesn't it, of what it's going to look like?
39:15I think so.
39:16I'm quite pleased.
39:18Their vision for a new chateau kitchen is finally coming to the boil.
39:27The 500-year-old floor, made of original tomettes,
39:32was painstakingly lifted up tile by tile
39:37and 80% restored and laid once more.
39:43And, with the start of framing work to form a flat surface,
39:48the bespoke cabinets are slotting into place.
39:52You can sort of picture it now, can't you?
39:53Yeah, yeah.
39:54It's been a long time coming, hasn't it?
39:55In the end, when it's all perfect,
39:57it's going to look absolutely spot on.
40:00We'll be cooking our own vegetables in our own kitchen
40:02that's millimetre perfect.
40:04On that beautiful floor.
40:06Every step of this project has been painfully slow so far.
40:11But for John and Carmen, their dream of a chateau kitchen
40:15is finally coming to life.
40:25Four hours away, in the Vendée département of Western France,
40:30it's a big day for Erin and JB,
40:33as their new lights for the driveway have finally arrived.
40:40Ooh, okay. Lovely.
40:42It's taken a really long time to find exactly what we're looking for,
40:46and then we found this brand that's amazing,
40:47and so we're really excited to be putting back
40:50what the chateau should have had back in the 19th century.
40:54Oh, wow.
40:55So, that's going to be the jigsaw.
40:57Yes.
40:58Yeah, these look great.
40:59Yeah, really big.
41:01Ooh, is that the base?
41:03Yeah, but I don't know which one.
41:07Ooh, let's have a peek.
41:07Very nice.
41:09I think we're going to really create something special here.
41:12I just don't know in which order to do it.
41:15You know, I could find a picture on the website to know which order.
41:19Yeah.
41:19Is this obviously where the lamp bit goes?
41:21Yeah, I think that's the bar, and then it's the lamp, right?
41:25Yeah, but what are these bits?
41:28Uh, here.
41:30Well, that's exciting.
41:31A bit of a puzzle.
41:33With no guidelines to go by, they're a bit in the dark.
41:40Maybe it's the top and that's the foot inside.
41:42Here, look.
41:44Say like this.
41:47Oh, that's the top, maybe.
41:49That looks like it could be that.
41:51It could be that.
41:52OK, I think we're slowly working this out.
42:00Yeah, that makes sense.
42:02Yeah, OK.
42:04Good.
42:07So, we're going to thread this through the whole links?
42:11Yes.
42:12Having achieved the mammoth task of installing an electricity cable
42:17across a moat and under the chateau courtyard...
42:22they can only hope they can wire it up correctly.
42:28Can you pull the wire, please, the cable?
42:31It's sort of like little hints of how it's going to look already.
42:38You all right?
42:39Yeah.
42:43Nice!
42:45All done.
42:46Good?
42:51Oh, wow.
42:52Something like that.
42:53Oh!
42:54That looks great.
42:55Oh, that looks really good.
42:56That's literally exactly what I've been looking for.
42:58It does look good.
42:59Nice.
43:00Yeah.
43:01Good.
43:01Last one done.
43:03I love the fact it's solid metal and it's got that traditional 19th century chateau chic about it.
43:10It's been a huge job.
43:12And as well as the new traditional street light, they have two smaller lamps to add fairytale sparkle either side
43:22of the bridge.
43:22Moment of truth?
43:24Should I press a button?
43:25Yeah.
43:25Go on.
43:29Oh, yes!
43:30Yes!
43:31They're working!
43:33Hurrah!
43:33Aw.
43:34I'm very relieved.
43:35They look great.
43:36Really, really great.
43:37So, success.
43:38Honestly, so relieved, to be honest, because there was a lot of work that went into the set-up.
43:44Arriving at the chateau, I think, will add that, you know, feeling of kind of magic and ambiance that we
43:49like to create for our weddings.
43:51Well, cheers!
43:52Cheers!
43:53Santé!
43:54It's an epic job done.
43:57And with plans to add further lamps to line the driveway, Erin and JB's future is looking spectacularly bright.
44:10Next time.
44:12Bonjour! Sarah!
44:13There are concrete concerns.
44:16But we're a bit hampered by how far we can get it because of the house.
44:20Ruffled feathers.
44:22How are you going to persuade or teach the chickens to operate this thing?
44:29And a wedding day deadline.
44:32We need to keep moving if we're going to get this done.
44:43One day, a wife, целous and Jaelriに
44:48We'll walk that way.
45:00It's Justine, in the middle of the town.
45:01Hopefully you'll come for a walk as well.
45:01You can take a walk in about it.
45:01On the weekends.
45:01It's önce.
45:03And called the city plan in the doll.
45:04We need to assemble this place, to celebrate the Jan!
Comments