Escape to the Chateau anyone?

[BeforetheFlood]

I have such a love/hate relationship with this programme. On the one hand - clocks have changed, evenings are dark and there's nothing nicer than settling on the sofa for some gorgeous house envy. And it is SUCH a gorgeous house.

On the other hand, I feel the projects are now transparently tv-fodder and the ideas are getting increasingly batshit. Tiles decoupaged with paper napkins? I give those 6 months. (But then, they're selling up so they don't care!)

Anyone else watching?

@TheWomanTheyCallJayne as I said I haven't seen them for a few years, she wasn't overweight then.
@Cuppasoupmonster as a mum with a child with ASD, yes he struck me as having autistic traits. Dick would say something and he'd echo it back, which is something normal in a toddler but not for a 6 year old. He also seemed a bit developmentally delayed. Could be wrong of course.

It just seems any behaviour outside of a very narrow scope is ‘autistic’ on here. He’s probably just repeating what Dick said because he knows he’s being filmed and put on the spot.

I agree! I wish I had a tenth of their talents!

I have a soft spot for Arthur! And loads of DC I know are a bit chubby pre-puberty and then shoot up very tall! And unfair to comment really when he has no real choice about whether to appear on the programme or not.

I 😀at the comment below saying "all they seem to do is party" . Er, they are a hospitality company - that's literally their job - do you think they are going to film them lounging around contemplating their navels? 😀

I think the kids are also quite isolated - not only in their location, but the language and such too.

It's all very well having an acre-sized 'playroom' but it is only the 2 of them. i've rarely seen any other kids of their own age in shot at all - i think there was one birthday for Dorothy and that's it. And that was awkward - maybe parents didn't want their kids on TV, maybe they didn't have much French, maybe Dorothy is really quiet(she rarely even speaks! Although I don't blame her )
He’s autistic because he’s a bit immature and laughs a lot? Really? - it's not just that though. He is very intense - as I say, it's a trait i found in my own son who is def on the spectrum. Everything is 'heightened', laughing, speech, joy, sadness, playing, doing...
They both seem very sweet, but it'll be interesting to read their 'autobiographies' when they are older!

So being intense is autistic now? He just strikes me as eccentric, hardly surprising given the lifestyle they live, and his parents who are as well. But eccentric doesn’t mean autistic does it?

I meant that they seem to party unnecessarily, outside of the business things. It’s like here they are now having a big outdoorsy dinner with their family and going to a lot of trouble. If I were in events I’d not want to do any food theatre if I didn’t have to.ever such a lot of work.

Mezmer
I meant that they seem to party unnecessarily, outside of the business things. It’s like here they are now having a big outdoorsy dinner with their family and going to a lot of trouble. If I were in events I’d not want to do any food theatre if I didn’t have to.ever such a lot of work

Well maybe they like it?

Maybe they make it more of an event because they are being filmed? (Or do you think they should be filmed sitting around eating a takeaway?)

Maybe they test out services they provide for guests on themselves first?

I don’t see why they should be judged negatively for any of those potential scenarios. It sounds like you are casting around for reasons to dislike them tbh.

I have mixed feeling about this programme as well and I'm not sure why. I like the escapism of it all (perfect for a cold dreary Sunday evening) and I do think Angel is quite creative but I find the whole inclusion of the family quite twee and I agree that I think they're just coming up with projects for the camera now.

Plus I find Dick such a bloody hypocrite. 'It's not easy being green' my arse. Of course it isn't when you've chosen to have four children.

I love the series but yes definitely agree they are making up projects for the camera now.

I will say this for the chateaux: they need better chairs at the ceremonies. The ones they have don’t match the grandeur of the building.

Isn't this winter garden going to look a bit odd stuck on the back of a chateau? I wonder if they needed planning permission?

Late this evening and just turned on. Had to come straight over to this thread to say what the hell is going on??!

I think the son has a serious weight problem and needs help. I have just watched him trying to run!
It’s not at all good parenting letting him get that fat!

Dick is about 20 years older than Angel. I suppose they’ve given it thought about the time when Angel may be on here own and running the chateaux?
Im guessing the kids will take over it too when they’re grown up?
Also did Angela parents sell up everything in the UK to move to France? Maybe a big risk on their part,?
Or maybe they know they have the security of living close to Angel and the grandchildren?

I bloody love that Winter garden.

I also do. If I had that I would not want anything else.

Can't get over that they faffed about spending vast sums on the winter garden room and then started discussing replacing the windows of the chateau. Surely making the windows safe and secure should have been a priority at the start of their tenure or wasn't it televisual enough ?

There's no profit in doing up the windows. Tbf, they're using this series to advertise their business which then gives them the money to get the windows fixed.

Just watched the last episode and thought it was a nice way to end the programme, it had definitely run its course

^ not Dick being really controlling with his eldest son again?
He's a chef, he knows how to carry roast chicken.

I thought tonight's was tedious, it just fizzled out.

I must admit I was half watching. That marquee was amazing though and it all
looked lovely. I shall forgive them the massive advert this series has become and consider it a pleasant series.

I know it won't have been filmed at Christmas but that marquee must have been cold, the guess were all wearing coats.

Oh yes, it was definitely cold. You could tell looking at people.

I’m the same-this series has felt a bit like that all the way through, it’s felt a lot more slick than earlier series. You have to give it to them though, they’re a very talented couple!