Escape to the Chateau

Children are fine around water if they are used to being around water.

Its children who are used to being helicoptered/micro managed who would be unsafe suddenly living by a moat

Plenty of children live near or ON water.

I imagine Dick teaches the children safe use of tools etc theyre not stairgate types

Merlot gran I was thinking Dick would be getting itchy feet now that the chateau is functional, and sure enough according to your link it says they are thinking of selling

I cough may have ordered samples of Angels Chateau wall paper from wallpaper direct to try and kid myself that my pokey rooms could carry off her designs...

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7763031/Escape-Chateau-cash-Ch4-couple-Dick-Angel-making-MILLIONS.html

Bloomin' 'eck! No wonder they're always smiling.

One of my daughters has a subscription to “Reclaim” magazine (you can buy it off the shelf too) as she deals in vintage stuff. I notice in this month’s issue that they’re going to feature the Strawbridges in the next issue (on sale 12 Dec). Look at Dick’s wet shoes in the pic . I think the programme is delightful entertainment.

I think it’s a great programme, but am struck by how very hard they all work , it’s certainly not a ‘laid back’ lifestyle, but a very satisfying one, I would have thought.

There’s about 20 years between them but she seems very wise for her years and he’s got an enormous amount of mental and physical energy for someone who’s not far off 60 - they meet somewhere in the middle and complement each other perfectly (at least, that’s how they come across on TV imo!)

She can't be much older than his son, now I think about it!

I remember her as Angela Newman on Dragon's Den and he on Hungry Sailors with his older son.

We enjoy the series too, even though we also bought a semi-ruin in France and spent years "doing it up".
It's greatly romanticised. All the hard bits like french property taxes and various other bureacracy problems omitted. Such as official permissions to do this and that. I still don't know how they got round the sanitation problem, with that moat outside. Which as someone said is a risk for children. It must have cost them a fortune. I once read that Dick spends months in the year earning money to pay for it
But they seem to be a nice family.

When it originally started I thought "What on earth has Dick done? Who is this weirdo he's married? " By the second episode I was completely hooked and entranced by Angel's creations. Love sitting here on a dreary November afternoon watching them in the sunshine.

Funny thing is, if that was my house with so much work to do I'd be a wreck, but as it's someone else's house I find it so relaxing. It's real 'comfort' tv, isn't it.

Oh....... I just melt into this like going to bed on a cold night when the electric blanket is on .
But this time , recovering and in ouch from a knee replacement , I found Arthur Donald in need of a good hard smack ! Dick gave him a sharp look too , so I'm not alone !
Looking forward to tomorrow night , love it all ....

They must have had some sort of contract with Ch4 right from the start, because they filmed them looking for a property [possibly helped them find it, too].

I'm with your travelsafar.. They are both so, so talented and yes so what they MAY be acting for the camera but their knowledge of DIY is incredible. For me it's nice to see them getting on with their life in France, they work very hard and their children oh what memories they shall have when they become adults. Nice to sit and watch a family programme and learning too.

I love this program it is pure escapism for many of us. I don't even think about how they may be off camera.

They are a beautiful family and i adore the two children, love Angel's hair and Dick is the master of DIY.

Perfect Sunday evening entertainment, long may they renovate!!!!

I'm with Hetty! It's not just her.

….plus the ice cream...

Indeed - every time I see that boy I think: stop the tarte tatin right now before his weight gets out of hand!!

I was thinking that, too....[he's very cute, though...]

Their little boy could do with losing some weight as well.

...I am worried about how fat Dick is getting. He must eat an awful lot considering how much energy he uses up renovating the place.

I was married to an engineer for many years and, in my experience they complete tasks in a work environment but their home is full of unfinished projects. Maybe a television programme changes that, though. Angels 'visions' though are amazing; to me a bare room is a bare room. I do think that she and I have similar tastes when it comes to acquiring bric a brac though; it's just that I don't have a chateau to store or put it in.

I think it’s just you! I’m watching the latest episode on catch up now and I’m just amazed at how organised they are and how much they get done - it takes DH weeks or months to do anything in the house. We both work full time, granted, but still - D & A have achieved so much in the few years they’ve been there and they genuinely seem to love every minute of it.

I think it might be just you, Hetty. For me it's a chance to relax, daydream and just enjoy watching a happy family enjoying life.

They've struck gold with Channel 4 so who can blame them for making the most of it. I do wonder if they have a sense of relief over the Brexit delay though.