Escape to the Chateau

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!)

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.

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.

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.

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...

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

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

Seeing as they're booked up for weddings until 2022, I don't see how they can sell just yet. I would have thought they would be the big draw, especially as it costs a pretty penny to get married there.

I'm sure that Angel said, in one of the more recent episodes, that it's where they wanted their children to grow up.

And what about the grandparents in the barn?

It’s the Daily Mail - trust not a word they print

notanan I may have bought myself her heron duvet cover and 2 matching cushions as a Christmas present to myself. Unfortunately they haven’t transformed my room into the one I saw on the TV

The heron design is so beautiful but I just dont have the room proportions to pull it off.

You can sell a business with its bookings. And Dick and Angel could still wedding plan the already booked ones as part of the deal.

I just cant imagine Dick staying put, just google his career and life so far (cough as I may have done) and you'll see that he likes to get projects up and running then moves on

I dont think the grandparents are in the barn full time. I think they split their time between there and somewhere else.

Im not saying the article has its facts right, but I have been thinking that Dick'll get itchy feet. Maintaining is less fun than renovating.

I may get away with Potagerie somewhere because its quite delicate.

I feel you know more about Dick and Angel than perhaps you should notanan

Did you see they’re doing a tour at the moment? I though about getting tickets for the Edinburgh show, hopefully Santa will deliver the tickets.

You're probably right SirChenjin I am quite a fan

Poor DH gets compaired to Dick every time we have to outsource DIY

I enjoy it because in reality I would hate that lifestyle: never off duty etc. So its fantasy eacapism

escapism

I do that too! I keep telling DH that if he was Dick I’d have that new extension and garden renovation within days of asking for it. I’d love the chateau and life in France but not the hosting part - I couldn’t be bothered with that side of things.

Do remember it is a TV production, Dick and Angel are great characters, however they are not doing all the work themselves there must be quite a number of “helpers” to do the donkey work. Also the cash they get from the TV pays for the considerable cost of such a project.

In a similar way Monty Don on the gardening programme has a lot of help with the donkey work in his presentations. So don’t expect DH to work miracles on his own, although in these days of equality grans can and do take on that sort of project themselves.

I love this programme, too, except for Dick's 'facial fungus' as someone upthread wonderfully described it. How do they have time to do all that creative stuff with all the other things they have to do? I reckon the in-laws are very hands-on with the children. I like the way Angel upcycles old things she finds in the attics and she's always so cheerful. I love the way she makes the best of herself and has that individual look without apparently being a gym bunny or a diet freak. Good for her - and him.

The grandparents do do childcare during wedding season, Angela has thanked them for it on the show. I get the impression that they may have a home elsewhere for winter

I think they both burn the candle at both ends. Early starts and late nights. I would hate that, my home being my work! You would never get that "ahhh time to relax" feeling when you walk in the door after work.

Dick also works away from home too taking contract jobs overseas. Some people dont like ever being "off duty" but I do!

The earlier edits I think were very unflattering to Angela. It looked like Dick did everything then she swanned in and plumped some pillows then took the credit. She actually seems to do a lot when the editing changed: all of the business and branding side and a lot of the planning, cleaning and hosting. AS WELL as the decor stuff.

I love everything about this couple and the programme. Nearly 20 years ago we embarked on a similar project in France, made the place really successful and sold it as a going concern with future bookings already in the diary. Yes you're right in a way every little thing you see on TV is "given" to them by the companies who want to advertise their name, so her Singer sewing machine, the slabs for the patio, Dick's tools etc. are all donated. If you know the architect chap George on TV, well he did a programme about English people buying properties abroad and the camera crew would turn up to do filming.

A lot of that is down to Angela though. Companies dont chase you down to sponsor you you have to ask. And she does

Many people who have booked the Chateau over the coming months and years have done so specifically because of D&A though - I don’t think they’ll be too happy if it becomes just another Chateau wedding venue.