C'est magnifique!

DICK and ANGEL STRAWBRIDGE chat to TV Times about showcasing France's hidden gems

- REBECCA FLETCHER

If anyone deserves to put their feet up, it’s Dick and Angel Strawbridge. Since buying a dilapidated 45-bedroom French property in 2015, the couple have poured their heart and soul into transforming the 19th-century castle into their ‘forever home’, allowing cameras to capture their DIY exploits over nine series of C4’s Escape to the Chateau.

So surely now, with renovation works almost complete, it’s time for them to sit back, relax and admire their impressive handiwork at the stunning abode? Not a chance, the duo chuckle as they join TV Times for an exclusive video chat from their cosy turret office at the top of the castle.

‘We’re doers!’ smiles Angel, 46, as Dick, 64, chimes in: ‘We don’t want to stop – never mind retire! What we want to do is show people the hidden beauty of France.’

That is exactly what they will be doing in their new C4 travelogue, Secret France with Dick and Angel. Leaving the chateau behind, the three-parter sees them jump in their trusty 1950s Renault 4CV and head to Provence’s vibrant capital, Marseilles, before exploring historic Gascony and the volcanic region of the Auvergne. Along the way, they will uncover hidden gems and seek out unusual crafts and fabulous vintage finds.

‘We’ve been exploring France since we moved here and love picking places that aren’t obvious, where few tourists go – now it’s time to share them,’ says Dick.

Here, they give us a rundown of what’s on the itinerary…

We’ve missed you since Escape to the Chateau ended in 2022! How is life now at the castle?