They’re also lucky enough to have inherited portraits of the family who built the château, as well as the original 22-seat gothic dining table. "For the price of a one-bedroom flat in London, we could buy our 20-bedroom house in France with land and outbuildings and the ability to run a business to make it work and pay for the renovations.”. Now a successful wedding venue, the chateau is easily reached by ferry and car from the south coast of England. Found in Aulnay in the Poitou-Charentes region of France, it has high ceilings and original features throughout but thankfully comes with double-glazing and oil-fired central heating. The 1860s building had the “romantic, wow exterior” they were looking for but an update 30 years ago meant it was structurally sound with modern plumbing, electrics and heating – essential if the couple were to get their wedding event business up and running. "Buying a château isn’t about profit, it’s not like the London property market,” says Stephanie. It’s a familiar story – thirty-something couple are house-hunting in London, realise how much more they can get for their money outside the capital and so opt to have more space, extra bedrooms and maybe a garden over the convenience of the inner city. The granite staircase in the entrance hall is sure to impress guests, as is the spiral staircase. CHANNEL 4's Escape To The Chateau has allowed thousands of Brits to vicariously live the dream of owning a French castle set in the stunning French countryside. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. The prize includes a night for two in the honeymoon suite at the chateau with dinner hosted and cooked by Dick and Angel. … usually at three in the morning when there’s a leak in the roof or we’re unblocking a toilet," says Erin. Follow us on Twitter @HomesProperty, Facebook and Instagram. "The building is a lovely enfilade, which is a French room layout where each room leads into the next downstairs, so you get light from both sides because the building is only one room deep," she says. It has been lovingly restore to offer comfortable modern living with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, but there is plenty of room to make your own stamp. They estimate that the total cost of renovations could amount to a few hundred thousand pounds to get the property perfect but the couple say it’s a lifetime project. ", Before: the Seventies tiled floor had to be replaced…. “I don’t think the old owners could get it out,” says Erin. Chateau du Doux is in Altillac, in the south of France. AS the stars of Channel 4’s Escape To The Chateau, ... Dick and Angel paid £280,000 for it in 2015 and transformed it into an upmarket wedding venue valued at £2million. Entries must be submitted via email to competitions@thechateau.tv by August 28. Woman texts builder asking why he walked out and gets VERY creepy reply, Greggs to open SECOND Glasgow outlet store - right next to Celtic Park, Thrifty woman gives ancient bathroom a monochrome makeover for £100, Homeowner finds 'creepy' hidden room behind a wall five YEARS after moving in, Mum shamed for kids' meal when she ‘can’t be bothered’ & some call it ‘awful’, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. It is U-shaped, part-renovated and equipped with all modcons. Tell your lockdown story to win a sumptuous dinner for two and a night in the honeymoon suite at Chateau de la Motte Husson, of Channel 4’s Escape to the Chateau fame. It can cost around £5,000-6,000 to stay at the Chateau, but the prices and availability appear to change frequently as the venue is often in use for weddings. It is part renovated so you can live in it from the off, but the rest of it is crying out to be converted or split into three separate homes. "For the price of a one-bedroom flat in London, we could buy our 20-bedroom house in France with land and outbuildings and the ability to run a business to make it work and pay for the renovations.”. Marc and Amy fell in love with the property as soon as they were shown it . An "after" shot of the entrance hall of Chateau de la Ruche. The property is a 19th-century chateau in the Pays de la Loire region of France. Head to Languedoc-Roussillon to find this sweet little chateau dating back in parts to the 12th-century. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here. That said, the Seventies décor, including peeling brown and green diamond wallpaper and lino floors, is on the way out. The couple plan to turn it into a working farm with vineyards, run by Marc. Keen upcycler Erin repurposes furniture left in the attic of the château or heads to the local charity shop for antique furniture at bargain prices, which she refreshes with a lick of chalk paint. It is currently owned by Dick Strawbridge and Angel Adoree, who paid £280,000 when they bought it in 2015. As well as the 20-bedroom castle, they also got 16 hectares of land and paid a supplement for four outbuildings, which used to be the estate’s bakery and stables. Now Amy and Marc are starring in the latest series of Escape to the Chateau as they begin renovating the building, which is partially derelict.