All language subtitles for Escape to the Chateau DIY S01E20.720p.CBC.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-BTN.English

♪ ♪

This is me, Dick Strawbridge, my
wife Angel, and our two children

in our glorious French chateau.

We haven't ever regretted what
we've done.

It is so worth it.

We moved here three years ago to
follow our dream of living life

in our very own castle.

[laughing]

Oh my god.

Dick: But it's not been easy--

I think I'm a bit too old for
this.

--as dozens of other Brits know
only too well.

- [floor cracks]
- Tim: Oops.

Floor needs replacing as well.

[laughs]

Dick: Because it turns out we're
not the only expats who have

bought a French chateau.

How is your hand?

Don't worry, I've got another
one.

Wow, absolutely love it.

Jonathan: 25-year-old Bordeaux.

Motherlode!

Dick: In this series, we'll
reveal how we're running our

chateau as a business--

There's not a thing about making
sausages that I don't find

humorous.

I'm still finding things that I
haven't seen.

Dick:--and see how these daring
Brits are running theirs--

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, this
place is done up.

--as they face the ups--

It's really beautiful.

This is a rare moment, but I am
genuinely at peace.

Dick:--and downs--

It's a lot worse than it looks.

Dick:--of their new lives in
these crumbling

and magnificent buildings.

Billy: It is a bit fancy, living
in a French chateau.

We might have a few problems on
the way, but that's part of

life, isn't it?

- [chuckles]
- Yeah.

♪ ♪

Dick: Today:

With winter and bad weather
approaching--

And there are leaks there,
there, there, there.

Dick:--one chateau is in a race
against time to fix its roof.

That water is gonna rot the
woodwork.

And so eventually, the floor's
gonna get give away.

There's no question; this work
has to be done.

Dick: But an attempt to raise
the funds to pay for it

faces bad weather of its own.

James: So now it really is over.

There's no point carrying on.

Dick: One chateau couple embark
on a new business plan--

Should have done this years ago;
we just never figured out

how to.

Dick:--which brings some
pleasant surprises.

It's really tender; it's
caramelized;

it falls off the bone.

Mm.

I might not share it with you.

Dick: And as one woman prepares
to put on a weekend of fun and

games at her chateau--

Do you think that looks
appetizing for the ice cream?

[laughs]

Dick:--things don't go to plan.

Stephanie: Catastrophe has
struck.

One of the girls didn't make it
on to the aeroplane.

- Mama?
- Isabel: Oui?

We have a bit of a girl
situation.

Charlie's missed her flight.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

I'm Dick Strawbridge, engineer
and former lieutenant-colonel

in the British Army.

With my wife Angel, we've been
renovating our chateau into a

home and business.

♪ ♪

This is my calling in my life.

Dick: It's not been easy.

I think I'm a bit too old for
this.

♪ ♪

Dick: So, we can certainly
relate to other chateau owners

struggling to make their
businesses work.

♪ ♪

Dick: 220 miles northeast of us
sits Chateau des Lys.

For me, I must admit it's a
combination of, you know,

The Addams Family and sort of,
you know, Fawlty Towers.

- Margreeth: Yeah.
- Tim: And it's gorgeous.

It's completely lovely.

Dick: It's owned by Brit Tim and
his Dutch wife Margreeth.

We sort of met each other in
Holland about 25 years ago,

I think.

Something like--25 years ago?

- Margreeth: 26 already.
- 26, is it?

- Margreeth: Yeah.
- OK.

- [exhales]
- [Margreeth chuckles]

I used to be a musician, and she
was a teacher.

Dick: They gave up everything
for this place when they bought

it in 2013.

I said goodbye to the band.

I sort of told them I was going
to leave, and they got someone

else in.

- And I quit my job.
- Yeah.

♪ ♪

Dick: They've been running this
place as a B&B,

but it hasn't been making them
enough money,

so they visited Angel and I at
our place for some advice.

- Angel: Hi!
- Hey.

- Dick: Lovely to meet you.
- Angel: How are you?

Dick: And now they've decided to
start putting on weddings at

their chateau.

Tim: Should have done this years
ago; we just never figured out

how to.

I feel very optimistic about it.

I think the preparations of the
weddings will be a lot of fun.

Tim: Oh, absolutely, yeah.

And the weddings themselves, of
course, are gonna be amazing to

be a part of.

A different sort of work.

- It's far more creative.
- Margreeth: Yeah.

And it's far more--it's making
people happy.

♪ ♪

Dick: Located just an hour's
drive from Calais

in the Picardie region--

--they think their chateau will
appeal to Brits

looking for something
special.

You don't need a whole day's
driving.

Tim: Yeah.

In a few hours, you can be here.

So, it makes it quite a perfect
wedding venue, I think.

Tim: Yeah, I think so too.

We're looking into offering a
real package deal, so the people

just have to turn up and get
married and be happy.

Tim: Yeah.

And it's gonna be totally
customized to how they see their

perfect day.

♪ ♪

Dick: That takes a lot of work,
so Tim and Margreeth have a busy

weekend planned, meeting the
suppliers and setting up their

new business.

And if it wasn't enough, there's
a big party planned

for Tim tomorrow.

Margreeth: We organize a weekend
just for our friends.

You know, cooking together,
eating together,

drinking together.

Tim: Yeah, yeah.

You know, when you have a normal
house, you never have a chance

to do that.

Both: Bonjour.

Dick: So there's a lot to get
done today.

First, they're meeting with
potential florist Jessica Flay

who could supply the flowers for
the weddings.

No.

Dick: It's essential that Tim
and Margreeth get reliable local

suppliers on board.

Dick: We are very aware that
every couple has individual

ideas.

Margreeth needs just to be
flexible when it comes to

styling the arrangements.

Dick: It looks like they secured
a supplier who's on board with

their ideas.

- Margreeth: Merci.
- Jessica: Merci.

[all speaking French]

♪ ♪

I think it's gonna be a really,
really nice co-operation

with her.

Yeah, she's great.

Dick: Next on the agenda:

Sorting a caterer to do the
wedding food.

♪ ♪

- Christopher: Bonjour.
- Margreeth: Ça va?

- Christopher: Trés bien.
- Tim: Bonjour.

Dick: They've driven just seven
miles up the road to the

500-year-old L'Etoile du Jour
restaurant for a menu tasting

with the owner Christopher.

Christopher: We use fresh
product, and we work with local

producers.

I think it's really good that
you're using the regional

products and regional recipes,
because I think that's exactly

what people that have an English
wedding in France

are looking for.

♪ ♪

Dick: Fingers crossed the food
lives up to expectations.

The starter:

A classic French tureen,
followed by a local crab dish.

Problem is Margreeth's a
vegetarian.

Margreeth: It looks very pretty.

- It looks really, really nice.
- Tim: Mm.

This is delicious.

Really lovely.

- Thank you, sir.
- Man: You're welcome.

Tim: Thank you.

Well, this is lovely, isn't it?

Margreeth: It's amazing.

I mean, I feel very spoiled.

- I mean--yeah.
- Margreeth: You are spoiled.

Tim: I am.

And you're so lucky that I'm a
vegetarian.

I am.

Dick: Now the main course:

Lamb shank.

Poor Margreeth.

♪ ♪

It's really tender; it's
caramelized;

falls off the bone.

Flavour's fantastic.

Gravy matches it.

I mean, you don't get any better
than this.

It's great.

Dick: We get it, Tim.

It's delicious.

Luckily, dessert is something
Margreeth can sink her teeth

into.

The dessert.

- It's a tout chocolat cake.
- Aw.

Well, I'm going to give this to
my wife because she hasn't had

anything to eat yet, and then
whatever she doesn't eat,

I'm going to eat.

Margreeth: I'll just have a
little bit to try.

Tim: Yes, I'll hand if off, so
you--

Mm.

I might not share it with you.

I don't think you're going to
like it.

Tim: I think I might.

I sorta wanna--I'm wanna learn
how to--

I mean, chocolate cake.

You're not really into chocolate
cake.

♪ ♪

Dick: Looks like they enjoyed
it.

Will these guys be their wedding
caterers?

Tim: Well, that was absolutely
fantastic.

It's the beginning of a good
Samaritan relationship--

- Christopher: Definitely.
- Tim:--will hopefully endure.

Dick: They're in business.

♪ ♪

Margreeth: So that was really
nice.

- Yeah, it went well.
- Margreeth: Really nice guy.

Tim: Yeah, really nice guy.

Margreeth: Really looking
forward to working with him.

Dick: It's been a successful day
so far, but there's still a lot

more to cram in before they can
get on with preparing for Tim's

birthday party tomorrow.

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

Dick: A nine-and-a-half hour
drive directory south of

Tim and Margreeth is the 16th
century medieval castle of

Chateau Saint-Ferriol, home to
Sophie and James McDonald.

Sophie: It does take up more of
your life than you might

sometimes wish, but it's such a
beautiful place.

You do have a sort of a
protective feeling about it.

James: It looks a bit of a ruin
now.

20 years ago, it was a complete
ruin.

We'd love to see this place
fully restored,

and we think we're about
halfway through.

Dick: Set in the Languedoc
region of France, just 25 miles

north of the Pyrenees, they're
gradually restoring the 30-room

castle to its former glory.

Sophie: It's financial suicide.

We are completely crazy.

And if we'd ever thought about
it, we would not have done it.

[chuckles]

Dick: To pay for the work,
Sophie and James hold

fundraising events through their
association:

The Friends of Saint-Ferriol.

If you're staying for the talk
and for the lunch--

Woman: Yes.

--then it will then be 50 euros
for both of you.

Woman: OK, that's great.

- [birds chirping]
- [dogs barking]

Dick: But this year, all other
restoration is on hold,

as the roof repair has become
particularly urgent.

James: We've been through, and
we made a little plan of where

all the weaknesses are and where
the tiles need replacing.

And there are leaks there,
there, there.

There, there, there--there,
there.

And one there.

Dick: Oh dear.

There are two things that we
could do:

One is to properly replace the
whole of the roof and the top

floor, but we're not in a
position to do that,

because we're talking about
easily half-a-million

to do that.

Of course sometimes we're not
here when it rains.

The water can come through, not
just to the second floor,

but the floor below.

And eventually, that water is
gonna rot the woodwork,

and so eventually, the floors
are gonna give away.

And so in the meantime, what we
have to do is repair.

There's no question; this work
has to be done.

♪ ♪

Dick: This morning, roofer Dale
has arrived to inspect the scale

of the damage.

Dale: So basically what is it
you're looking to do?

Do you just want to stop the
leaks, or do you know--

Sophie: We've got quite a few
leaks coming in.

And you can see where they are
'cause there's either a bucket

or there's rot--look, there's a
couple of full buckets

over there.

Dale: Yeah.

Where we've got a major leak,
the old tiles here,

they slide down, so you get
water coming in from the top

which will run down here, and
it's just eating away

at--at the wood.

And then in the long run, if you
was to leave that,

that is a fragile part of the
roof.

If that beam there collapses, it
gives away there,

then you're looking at serious
problems.

♪ ♪

Dick: Dale confirms Sophie and
James' worst fears:

It's a big job.

The cost?

£1,000.

They've managed to raise nearly
£500 from a talk--

Broadly, the Cathars are
enormously powerful.

Dick:--and lunch they threw at
the chateau three weeks ago.

But they need the same again and
more.

So it's hugely expensive.

Everything doesn't cost 50 quid;
it costs a few hundred quid,

so the overheads are
huge all the time.

Dick: So, they need to come up
with a plan to raise the cash

quickly before the winter season
starts.

Sophie: You can really see that
that is degenerating.

James: Yeah, yeah.

And if we get some snow...

♪ ♪

Yeah--

--we'll have an unpleasant
surprise one morning.

Yeah.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Dick: Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson
is our home, and we pay for its

upkeep and renovation by putting
on special events

and weddings here.

- You may kiss your wife!
- [cheers and applause]

Dick: One thing our guests love
is my roast pig, cooked on my

very own home-built pig roaster.

♪ ♪

Dick: Today though, I need to
transform it into a

chicken rotisserie for an
upcoming wedding this weekend.

♪ ♪

Dick: Not everybody wants to
have a hog roast,

and our next wedding, they want
me to do 24 chickens,

so--actually maybe more than
24, but 24 chickens in here.

I'm not gonna make another
roaster, so this has to be

adapted.

Somehow I don't think I'm gonna
get 24 chickens on there.

[laughs]

Right.

The actual body of the pig
roaster is fine,

so in my workshop, I am going to
try and convert the spit that

skewers the pig into four
skewers for chickens.

♪ ♪

Dick: The idea is if I slide a
chicken along the post,

I put the skewer through one
side of the chicken

and out the other side of the
chicken and hold in it place,

which means when the actual post
turns, so do the chicken.

♪ ♪

Dick: I've only ever roasted
pigs in this, and I'm getting

pretty good at that.

I'm hoping this will work just
as well for chickens.

I'm thinking this is gonna work.

If it doesn't work, that's gonna
be a pain in a butt,

'cause what I'll have to do is
just do it again, do more.

But we'll get there.

[laughs]

Angela gets me into these
things.

My answer is, "No, you're gonna
have a pig."

But no.

♪ ♪

Dick: After grinding and welding
late into the evening,

it's finished.

[birds chirping]

Dick: The next day, it's time to
test my new chicken rotisserie,

to check if it actually works.

Not long till the wedding, so
I'm going to be in trouble if it

doesn't.

Right, here we go.

Oh, oh, oh.

[exhales]

See, it doesn't look too bad.

[laughs]

It looks really tasty.

Now I just gotta lift the whole
lot out.

[grunts]

Even--it's a two-man job
tomorrow, definitely.

Like I said, they don't look too
terrible at all, do they?

Right, knife.

Skewer.

Skewer.

[chuckling]

Oh, juices.

Chickens, just like that.

[birds chirping]

Dick: Mm hmm.

Lookit, this is lovely, moist
chicken.

Can you see the moisture on
that?

Oopsy daisy, look at that.

That's lovely, moist chicken.

Mm!

Mm.

Jay, come and try some of this!

♪ ♪

Dick: I invite Jay who's been
helping around the chateau to

come over and give his verdict
on the chicken.

Are you a chicken or--are you a
breast or a thigh man?

[laughing]

Yeah.

That looks good, doesn't it?

Wow.

Dick: There's a breast or do you
want some thigh meat?

Jay: Yeah, breast will be fine,
thanks.

No, be fine or prefer breast?

- Jay: Yeah, prefer.
- Dick: Try that.

I don't know why anybody would
have breast instead of thigh,

personally.

- Mm!
- Dick: All right?

Yeah, it's very nice.

Lovely.

- Nice and succulent.
- Dick: Good, good, good.

You see?

♪ ♪

Dick: Phew, it works.

I hope they appreciate my work
at the wedding.

As well as doing pigs, we do
poultry.

[chuckles]

And to be fair, anything I can
tie to it now is gonna be

cooked, so I'm very pleased.

- Thanks very much.
- Work harder.

Jay [laughing]: Yeah.

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Dick: 330 miles southeast of us,
almost bang splat in the centre

of France, sits the 500-year-old
Chateau de Lalande.

It was owned by the same family
for more than 250 years until it

was sold to Londoner Stephanie
Jarvis who now runs it as a B&B.

It's pretty idyllic, being able
to go for walks in the

countryside.

And there's a little stream
going through the woods which is

really pretty.

And there's wood which is
breathtaking.

I really like it.

♪ ♪

Dick: The chateau lies in the
Berry region in the heart of

rural France.

And like any chateau, it costs a
packet to run.

Stephanie: The upkeep's pretty
high.

The main thing is the
electricity.

That just hammers us monthly.

That really is expensive.

♪ ♪

Dick: And even though she's done
a lot of renovation work,

it's by no means finished.

There's all sorts of things that
we want to do

that we need money for.

I don't know if you've seen the
list on the blackboard in the

kitchen.

We'd love a swimming pool in the
future.

There's all sorts of
outbuildings that still need to

be redone.

And bit by bit, I'd like to make
them into gîtes and have

everything finished eventually.

It's an endless list.

♪ ♪

Dick: What's more, Stephanie's
French mom Isabel wants the huge

lot to be converted into a
self-contained apartment

for herself.

Isabel: Perhaps this corner has
a bed area, and plenty of

cupboards so I can leave my
stuff.

I have too much stuff.

I cannot part with it.

And then that would be the
lounge area.

Easy.

♪ ♪

Dick: Yeah, it's easy if you've
got a spare 100 grand lying

around, which Stephanie doesn't.

The chateau does bring in some
money.

Mainly through workshop, and
also through

chambres d'hôtes; B&Bs.

The chambres d'hôtes is working
more and more every year.

Dick: But she needs to make more
if she wants to carry out those

big projects, so she's trying a
new enterprise:

singles weekends.

This weekend, we've got our
first-ever Club Lalande,

which is a new thing we're
trying which is just for people

to come and have like
old-fashioned country house

weekends here.

And we're starting it off with a
singles one,

because I think that singles are
more likely to actually go

and meet a whole bunch of
strangers.

Dick: 12 tickets have been sold
for this weekend's event

at £400 a pop.

And later this afternoon, six
single guys and six single girls

will arrive at Chateau de
Lalande looking to find love.

We're going to really try to do
it as it would have been in the

past with big breakfast, picnics
on the lawn,

games in the afternoon, a big
black tie dinner in the evening.

So, it's--it's all happening
now, and it's a first.

No idea how it's gonna go.

[laughs]

♪ ♪

Dick: Stephanie's top priority
this morning is preparing the

entertainment.

I'm trying to find things that
are just easy and relaxed

and fun.

♪ ♪

Dick: One of the many games
planned for the weekend will be

an ice cream tasting
competition, so Stephanie is

mixing up some experimental
flavours.

She's never done this before.

So I'm making cardamom and
vanilla ice cream.

I would never guess that
flavour.

This is a huge learning curve.

I haven't made any of these ice
creams before,

because it has to be slightly
unusual flavours.

But it's fun.

It's fun trying new things.

♪ ♪

Dick: It's not just the
entertainment that's keeping her

busy.

Over the next 24 hours,
Stephanie's got to sort through

rooms for the guests and prepare
their breakfasts, lunches,

and dinners all on her own.

There's no way I could afford a
cook.

It would be quite luxurious to
have a cook.

But I enjoy it anyway.

The thing is to make sure that I
keep on enjoying it,

I keep making new things, and
that means that I never

really know what I'm doing, and
so I'm just skirting on

the edge of disaster
all of the time.

♪ ♪

[machine beeps]

♪ ♪

Well, it's doing something, so
we'll just quietly

leave it to get on.

♪ ♪

Dick: Although this lovely
chateau has been updated and

modified over the centuries, its
oldest wing dates back to about

1490, and it still the hallmarks
of its original incarnation as a

defensive fort.

This is a musket hole, so you
just have got enough to shoot at

a particular distance.

This would have been a covered
walkway for the defenders

and observation post, so it was
pretty defensive,

but it was never in a war as
such.

That I know of, you know?

♪ ♪

Dick: Back in the kitchen,
Stephanie's moved on to her

third ice cream flavour
combination of goat's cheese

and honey.

Goat's cheese is definitely this
region's cheese.

It looks so yummy.

[laughs]

♪ ♪

Right, clearing up this mess.

I completely forgot the honey.

Do you think I've got completely
burnt honey now?

Oops!

We're definitely going to need
to do the honey again.

Do you think that looks
appetizing for the ice cream?

[laughs]

♪ ♪

OK, take two on the honey.

Dick: Following her setback, mom
Isabel decides to step in

and help.

I don't know why you didn't use
the mixer?

'Cause I wanted it like this; I
wanted it lumpy with bits of--

Isabel: Chunky cheese?

--little bits of goat's cheese
in it, yeah.

[phone rings]

Stephanie: Hello?

Dick: It's Charlie, one of the
six single female guests coming

for the weekend.

Stephanie: I'm really sorry!

You're OK, though?

Oh, you poor thing!

Poor thing?

Somebody's not coming.

Stephanie: OK, well good luck.

I hope you can find another way.

Catastrophe has struck.

One of the girls didn't make it
on to the aeroplane.

- Mama?
- Isabel: Oui?

We have a bit of a girl
situation.

Charlie's missed her flight.

I'm gonna have to step in to the
dinner to make the numbers

right.

♪ ♪

Dick: With six male suitors
expecting to meet six single

females, Stephanie will have to
step in to make up the numbers.

Could Stephanie herself find
love this weekend?

Isabel: I'm not single, so I
can't even.

Stephanie: You would have
stepped in otherwise for me.

- Isabel: I would have--
- [Stephanie laughs]

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Dick: In Northern France, to
increase their income,

Tim and Margreeth are adding
weddings to the list of things

they offer at their chateau, but
that means their plans

for an upmarket caravan
park are now shelved.

Tim: It's beginning to look
already a bit like a home,

isn't it?

Dick: So they're going to keep
one of the caravans for

themselves and visiting family
and friends.

- Hello.
- Margreeth: Oh, wow.

That looks really nice.

Tim: It does look nice, doesn't
it?

It's great to finally be at the
stage where I can put my stuff

in and, you know, finish it off.

And I've always got very strong
ideas about how I want it,

so basically Tim has no say in
all this whatsoever,

and he knows that.

We've been together for so long,
he knows that.

- Tim: Baa.
- [chuckles]

Dick: Margreeth leaves him to
continue on the caravan while

she gets on with another task:

Creating the promotional photos
for the new website to advertize

their wedding business.

We decided to just create a few
spaces as they would be if there

was a wedding here, and so this
is the place where they could

have--the couple could have
their ceremony.

I think traditionally,
ceremonies under an arch.

I'm decorating an arch with some
flowers.

Dick: Photographer Laura will
take shots of model Rosily in

different wedding dresses in
various locations throughout the

chateau.

So the flowers are from
Jess, the florist.

She's done a really, really good
job to make up for the fact you

haven't actually got a husband.

- [laughter]
- There's no groom involved.

- You have to rub it in?
- [laughter]

Dick: Ouch.

♪ ♪

- [bird squawks]
- [camera shutter clicks]

♪ ♪

We've got three wedding dresses
in total.

[camera shutter clicks]

Yes, really nice seeing this
happen today,

because it makes it all more
real.

So yeah, everything just comes
together more and more.

♪ ♪

Dick: The last location is the
fallen tree at the front of the

chateau that Tim thinks provides
the perfect photo opportunity.

I knew this would be a good
place for a photoshoot.

- It's brilliant, isn't it?
- Margreeth: Yeah, lovely.

♪ ♪

Dick: They're full stream ahead
with the new business,

with the first wedding booked
for next year.

And the website soon to be
launched,

they're convinced the future
looks bright.

Having to put some decorations
up myself, thinking about where

can we have the party, where can
we have the ceremony?

It all falls into place, and so
next week, I'm going to start

with the website, and it
definitely feels like I know how

it's gonna work.

It feels like it's all fitting.

♪ ♪

Dick: With the creative juices
flowing, last job of the day is

for Margreeth to put her
finishing touches on the

caravan.

♪ ♪

Really?

It's just a centimetre off the
wall on that side.

It's lovely.

I like it.

I paid 2 euros for it.

- I love it.
- You did pay 2 euros.

You were down--I tell you,
bloody hell, 2 euros.

- It's falling apart.
- It's lovely.

It's character.

- I really like it.
- Tim: Actually, it is great.

Actually, it is lovely, yeah.

I'm very pleased the way it
turned out,

and it's just so nice to have
this little retreat here.

And, you know, we can have
friends staying here,

but it's mostly for ourselves.

It's our escape from the
chateau.

♪ ♪

Dick: They've done a lot today,
but tomorrow's going to be

another busy one.

It's Tim's birthday bash.

♪ ♪

There's about 60 people coming.

There'll be music and--great.

Dick: Let's hope things don't
get too out of hand.

[man laughs]

It's utter chaos, to be honest.

[fire crackles]

♪ ♪

Dick: A day's drive south of Tim
and Margreeth,

back at Saint-Ferriol, it's been
another bad night

for the castle's leaking roof.

Sophie: I went up to have a look
if everything was OK,

and there was tons and tons of
water coming through in a place

that I've never seen water
before.

That kind of thing is really
worrying.

Dick: The cost of repairing the
roof is £1,000.

They've got around half of that,
so James is pressing ahead with

a fundraising walking tour.

James: Tomorrow we're off to
Montségur.

It's a good 40 minutes, and it's
completely isolated.

It's up a mountainside.

It has no shelter; there's no
water; has no facilities;

no loos.

And the weather this time of
year, normally, you'd expect

completely clear skies.

Fingers crossed for good weather
tomorrow.

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

[thunder rumbles]

Dick: But when James meets the
tour guests the next morning at

half-past 9:00, it doesn't look
great.

♪ ♪

James: Let's just have a look at
the weather, and we'll decide if

we want to risk it.

What does everybody think?

Whether it's worth doing?

[chatter]

Yeah?

Great, excellent.

OK, that's what we like to hear.

[chuckles]

Let's see.

Dick: Luckily for James, the
walkers are up for

braving the elements.

But conditions start to rapidly
deteriorate.

♪ ♪

James: OK, this seems pretty
sheltered, so we'll stop here

for a minute.

Dick: Undeterred, James begins
his talk.

James: The defenders pretty soon
realized that they're on to a

loser.

It takes about two months to get
up to sort of this level,

close enough to build their
trébuchets.

So now it really is over.

There's no point carrying on.

♪ ♪

Dick: Back in the shelter of the
chateau, Sophie waits and

wonders if the tour is going OK.

We get donations sometimes, so
that can be really important.

We've had a donation of 500
euros this year, which was

completely out of the blue, so
it's kind of encouraging.

You never really know who's
going to have a spare 500 euros.

[chuckles]

Dick: This rain won't be doing
the leaky chateau any good.

And with £500 to raise, James
certainly won't want to hand out

refunds.

James: And the terms that they
arrive at are the terms of the

standard surrender, ever since
Minerve back in 1210.

Everybody can go free, as long
as they adopt

the Catholic faith.

Dick: But it seems he's keeping
the tour group on board right to

the end, despite the weather.

James: All right, we have to get
back down and have lunch.

[group chuckles]

♪ ♪

Dick: Now James needs to get
back and get roofer Dale in

quickly so he can repair that
leaky roof.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dick: Back at Chateau de
Lalande, most of Stephanie's

guests have arrived for the
singles event and are mingling

on the lawn in front of the
chapel.

Stephanie: Would you like some
of this?

We're ready to go; this is it.

The first thing is happening,
it's the picnic,

and hopefully everyone will get
on incredibly well,

and people will fall madly in
love.

Dick: One of Stephanie's female
guests, Charlie, missed her

flight from London and is trying
to get on another.

Stephanie: Come and sit down.

Dick: So in the meantime,
Stephanie's sitting in to make

up the numbers.

Stephanie: Youth, love, and
friendship.

- Man: Cheers.
- Stephanie: Cheers.

Dick: Stephanie's got a lot
riding on this weekend.

There's a long to-do list here,
and she's got to bring in cash

from events like this to pay for
the next phase of renovations.

This is our wood shed, and it's
quite a big space.

And also, the rooms on either
side at the top and the bottom

aren't used for anything at the
moment, so we'd like to maybe

knock through somehow and put a
glass front on it,

and possibly have a very small
concert hall or theatre.

I know a lot of classical
musicians, and it would be just

so good to be able to have a
proper concert hall here for

that.

Dick: Back at the party, the
singles have assembled in the

driveway, ready for a
cake-baking competition.

But it looks like there's a new
addition.

[laughter]

♪ ♪

Dick: Charlie, who missed her
flight this morning,

has finally made it.

Hi, I'm Steph.

I'm so glad--

Charlie: It's so lovely to meet
you!

Stephanie: I can't believe you
made it.

Really lovely.

This is so amazing.

Charlie's here!

It happened!

We have girls, and two more
coming later!

It's perfect.

And she seems such fun.

♪ ♪

Dick: Charlie's arrival means
that everyone now has a partner

for the baking competition.

Stephanie: Excellent.

Why is this so funny?

Dick: Stephanie's asked each
team to bake a simple

Victoria sponge.

♪ ♪

The bake-off is hilarious.

I think I want a bake-off every
day now.

I'm loving it.

I think the teams are bonding
pretty well.

I see quite a few sparks.

[laughter]

A little champagne; it's a
lovely day; it's perfect.

I'm happy.

Dick: Once the cakes are out--

It's absolutely beautiful.

Dick:--and the decoration goes
on--

Woman: Oh, look you're all
sorted.

[laughs]

Dick:--some more successfully
than others--

- [laughter]
- ♪ Ta da ♪

Woman: It's gonna be
delicious.

Dick:--it's time for Isabel and
her partner Percy

to judge the results.

- I must congratulate you--
- Percy: Mm.

--on the tidiness of your
product.

♪ ♪

Taste?

- Very good, I thought.
- [singles laughing]

Eight.

♪ ♪

Stephanie: It is good.

- That's marmalade!
- Isabel: It's very romantic.

And also, you are an optimist.

Well done.

[laughter]

- Isabel: A sponge pudding.
- Woman: No, it's not.

It's actually got a name.

Man: What you've gotta remember
is we had fun.

We had real, real fun doing
this.

And that is wonderful.

♪ ♪

We must say thank you very much
to all of you.

It has been extremely
enlightening.

I have learned a great deal
about cake-making,

but I would suggest one or two
of you perhaps should give

up the idea of opening up a
teashop.

[laughter]

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Stephanie: So first place, gold,
goes to:

Ménage à trois.

- Woman: We won!
- Oh my god.

You have won, to share between
you for life,

Meatless Dishes for Hay Dieters

Congratulations.

Well done.

Woman: Well done, well done.

Well done.

There is great promise ahead of
you.

♪ ♪

Dick: As the sun begins to set
at Chateau de Lalande,

the guests reemerge in time for
the black tie dinner.

- God, hi!
- Woman: How are you?

- Good.
- Woman: Nice to see you.

Perfect.

Come in, Oliver.

We're all here now.

♪ ♪

Dick: Only time will tell if
this magical occasion is the

scene for a budding new romance.

[singles cheersing]

♪ ♪

[crickets chirp]

♪ ♪

Dick: At the Alexander Chateau
in Picardie,

it's almost party time.

♪ ♪

It's the morning of Tim's
birthday, and we're trying to

get the whole chateau ready for
the party tonight.

The party became a bit bigger
than we anticipated,

because Tim kept inviting more
and more people,

so it's becoming quite a huge
event, which is great.

It's utter chaos, to be honest.

♪ ♪

But we're having fun.

He's very excited because he had
presents already and chocolate,

and there's all these people
here for him, so he's really,

really happy and looking forward
to it.

What I'm doing now is just
making something non-alcoholic

for the few people that won't be
having wine or bubbles or beer.

It's like a watermelon water,
and I'm going to make this,

and also a lemon water and a
cucumber water.

Dick: Tim's busy in the
chateau's other kitchen,

making stuffing for the party's
main event:

the lamb spit roast.

This is a mixture and a half,
this.

We got the livers and the
kidneys, rosemary, thyme, lemon,

bread, pepper and salt, onions
and garlic.

And it's gonna fulfill its
sheepy destiny.

Dick: Looking good to me.

In fact, this dish was inspired
by their visit to us.

Well, you know, we're doing them
méchoui, which is a lamb on a

spit.

When we were down at Dick and
Angel's, they had a pig roaster.

Brilliant thing.

It's like a little pillar box
thing with a door.

And I was really gonna try and
build one of those before today.

We decided in the end to get
this thing here,

which is very simple.

It's a box, and you can--you can
slide it backwards and forwards,

put the lamb on there
which--I've never done this

before.

These look great.

So everyone is looking forward.

There's about 60 people coming.

There'll be music, and--great.

I've got this wonderful house.

One of the nicest things of it
is to have all your friends

around and be able to put them
up and be able to do this,

and you feel very blessed that
you've got the opportunity

to do it.

♪ ♪

Yay!

[giggles]

Man: Well done.

- Brilliant, man.
- Well done.

Tim: That's perfect.

Dick: I can almost taste it
myself.

♪ ♪

Dick: With a packed chateau of
friends, the party's soon in

full swing.

♪ ♪

Tim: So I got the meat!

- Meat's ready!
- [everyone cheering]

That used to be a sheep.

It's not a guest that didn't
pay, OK?

[laughter]

♪ ♪

Dick: Seeing the chateau in full
party mode has Tim and Margreeth

feeling optimistic about their
plans for holding weddings here.

This--the wedding's gonna be a
bit like this, I think.

You know, everyone sitting
around, having fun,

enjoying themselves.

Margreeth: Really nice, relaxed
atmosphere.

The chateau at its best.

Tim: Chateau at its best, look.

♪ ♪

[guests chatting]

♪ ♪

Dick: It's been a life-changing
season for Tim, Margreeth,

and their family.

They started out with plans for
a luxury caravan site--

Tim: I have to say it's beaten
me.

Dick:--and battled bees to free
their holiday homes for

co-ownership.

There are a lot more bees than I
thought there were.

Dick: But ended it with a bold
plan to start

a wedding business.

Fills us with a lot of optimism.

We're--for the first time, we're
actually totally comfortable

about what's in store for us
next year, and I think we're

gonna be good at it.

Dick: You know what?

I think they're gonna do really
well.

Well thanks again, Dick and
Angel, if you're listening.

Yeah, thank you.

I mean, you know--yeah, we're
sort of, you know--

- We're happy.
- We are.

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

Dick: Over 600 miles south, it's
a momentous day

at Chateau Saint-Ferriol.

- Hi there.
- James: Hi, how are ya?

- How you doing?
- [James chuckles]

- You OK?
- Good to see ya, yeah.

- Good to see you too.
- So all ready?

All ready, yeah.

Dick: Dale the roofer has
arrived to fix Sophie and James'

leaky roof.

We've now actually got a little
bit of a nest egg to do some

really significant repairs to
the roof, so that's great.

James: This should stop the
leaks permanently.

I'm most certainly looking
forward to seeing it all done,

yes.

Dick: Dale will have his work
cut out.

On my first visit, I counted a
total of about 15 to 20 leaks.

Done a map which will save us
time once we're on the roof,

'cause you can't really see
where the leaks are from the

top.

You can see them easier from
underneath.

So basically what we're gonna do
today is replace any tiles that

are broken.

These tiles are 200 to 300 years
old,

and they were all made by hand.

There are fingermarks on them.

Normally, they were put on the
leg like that and wiped over

like that and then put in the
oven to cook.

♪ ♪

Dale: Roofing is a dangerous
job.

Especially here.

We've probably got an eight- to
ten-metre drop,

so we basically are very
concentrated on what we do.

And up we go.

♪ ♪

If we end up standing on the
middle here,

we will break the tiles.

We have to always walk on the
nose of the tiles, which is this

part here.

The main leakages that we've got
on the roof here is because the

wind and the weight of the tiles
makes them slide down.

The reason why we're gonna be
using this glue is to stop them

from sliding.

And here we've got the
underneath tile which is the one

that carries the most water has
slid down here,

so any water that's gonna be
falling down here

is basically just going to fall
on to the woodwork here.

Dick: But they need to get a
move on.

With more wet weather due to
arrive tonight, he hasn't got a

lot of time.

The roof here is about 300
square metres,

and there's two of us to do
that,

so it's 150 square metres
each.

It's gonna be a big job.

So we're gonna have sore arms
tonight.

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

Dick: 300 miles north, at
Chateau de Lalande,

it's the morning after
Stephanie's black tie

singles night.

♪ ♪

Dick: The guests look tired but
happy.

It's sunny and it's beautiful
here.

It's so beautiful.

- What a night.
- Man: Wow.

Wow, it was eventful.

♪ ♪

Tea, I need tea.

Dick: So is there love in the
air?

I think last night was extremely
eventful, but I don't think it's

for me to say anything.

♪ ♪

Last night was a success beyond
my wildest dreams.

That was really good.

Everyone had such a good time.

It was a nice atmosphere.

It was a lovely crowd.

♪ ♪

Dick: The night went so well
they didn't get around to the

ice cream tasting, so
Stephanie's decided to serve it

up for brunch.

♪ ♪

- That is coffee.
- [laughter]

No.

Stephanie: Do you want any more
clues?

Think of crêpes suzette.

- Is it donut?
- Woman: Nice.

Stephanie: No, but you're a
lot--on the right line.

- Cognac, maybe?
- Woman: Martini?

No.

OK, well, shall I just tell you
what then?

[group agrees]

Stephanie: It's Grand Marnier.

Woman: Oh, of course it is!

[Stephanie laughs]

Dick: They're not very good at
this.

Next one.

- Either of those?
- It's cardamom.

Yes, yes!

Whoa, impressive.

Dick: Well done.

Having successfully pulled off
her first singles event,

brought in some much-needed
renovation money,

and possibly kick-started some
new romances--

Love is definitely being found,
but you need to ask them

about it.

What happens at Chateau de
Lalande,

stays at Chateau de Lalande

[chuckles]

Dick: Stephanie's decided her
singles parties are a winner.

Stephanie: This weekend's event
really helps us, because it

helps us raise money for things
like the concert hall;

big projects that we want to do.

So, I think we'll look at doing
this two or three times a year

from now on.

Dick: She wants to make them
even bigger.

We could go up to maybe 20
people at a time, maximum.

And I think it would work more
often, because it's a really fun

thing to do, to fly out from
London and then have a weekend

somewhere completely away from
your reality meeting lots of fun

people.

Dick: Good luck with it all,
Stephanie, as chateau owner and

in your new role as Cupid.

It's been hilarious.

I haven't stopped laughing the
entire time.

It's perfect.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Dick: Back at Chateau
Saint-Ferriol,

there's also reason to be happy.

Dale has finished fixing Sophie
and James' roof.

- Man: All right, that's it.
- Dale: Should be OK, yeah.

Everything's fine.

We found a few more leaks than
were expected.

I mean, what we've done today is
gonna be fine.

It could keep up for another
three, four years, maybe five.

It will hold up the wind, that's
for sure.

Dick: James and Sophie couldn't
be happier.

They started out with a major
problem,

and they raised the funds to
sort it out.

Sophie: So we did well raising
that money.

It's been well spent.

James: Great, I'm feeling
waterproof.

It doesn't matter if it rains
for the next few months,

we should be all right.

It's not fun living in a place
where there's water coming in

through the roof, and getting
worse all the time,

so that's pretty good.

Sophie: When you get something
really important done,

it's a real buzz.

And it's such a beautiful place.

It's such a beautiful spot.

Dick: I couldn't agree more.

James: One of the highs is just
living here,

living somewhere like this.

It is fantastic.

But it's just hard work to keep
it like this.

Dick: And they've still got lots
to do.

James: Eventually, we'd love to
see this place fully restored,

all of it being used, and would
have various apartments.

And that would expand the number
of events we could do here

as well.

We think we're about halfway
through.

We've done about half the work
that's necessary.

♪ ♪

Dick: From one chateau owner to
another, I understand your

challenges and wish you all the
best, James and Sophie.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪