A Year at the Chateau: As seen on the hit Channel 4 show

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About the AuthorBorn in Burma, but raised and educated in Northern Ireland, Dick Strawbridge retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2001 before becoming a full-time television presenter and author (with arguably the best moustache in showbusiness). While the show may have made it seem like everything happened for a reason (that fabric wallpaper in the tower comes to mind) this book tells all of the behind-the-scenes moments and it was anything but easy. All the tables had vintage games and memorabilia that dated back to before the Second World War and each place setting had vintage china, cutlery and a vintage French napkin.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and became fonder of the characters as they adapted to their new home and the details of the chateau , the people and the French way of life were marvellous. Watching their children Arthur and Dorothy grow and the whole family thrive has been an absolute pleasure, you can see the love they have for each other and come across really well. Sad to read that it was all premeditated for television and not just two (fairly) ordinary people who wanted to do something different. Channel 4 has been following and documenting their journey since 2015 when they bought the derelict château. Note that I didn’t say ‘dirty’ jobs as to her credit, Angel has stated on more than one occasion that she’s not afraid of getting dirty when a job needs doing and I can imagine there is a lot of cleaning to be had in a home that’s been sitting empty for decades.The book is well organised (as, it seems, was the work they carried out on the chateau) and very informative - bringing the renovation to life.

This is more or less what I was hoping for when I read Downton Shabby, I think—a light read that is chock full of personality and, you know, castle. There were a lot of technical details mentioned by Dick, which was good, but again a lot of that was covered in the tv version.Sharing their full journey for the first time, A Year at the Chateau follows Dick and Angel from when they first moved to France in the depths of winter and found bedrooms infested with flies, turrets inhabited by bats, the wind rattling through cracked windows, and just one working toilet, which flushed into the moat, through to the monumental efforts that went into readying the chateau for their unforgettable wedding and their incredibly special first Christmas. As someone who has never seen it, I felt that it glossed over so many things and was really lacking detail in places I was really craving more. Taking this all in their stride and adopting the attitude of 'eating an elephant one bite at a time' to their huge renovation project, Dick and Angel have worked hard, and with amazing creative talent have created their dream home. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being there with them as they brought each and every room into the 21st century.