Who are these people who are going to roll up their sleeves to pimp their job castle into a palace?
Raymond (41) and Susanne (44)
Susanne and Raymond exchanged their lives in Oegstgeest for the location in the Champagne region where they got married three years ago. With the dream of turning Domaine Rennepont into a wedding and event location. With their two young children, they start a new life full of paint, plans and French lessons. They restyle rooms, install gypsy wagons and prepare for their first wedding season.
Gaston (33) and Eveline (31)
In addition to their full-time remote jobs, thirtysomethings Gaston and Eveline are also trying to do a lot of work on Château de Honnechy. © RTL
Teenage sweethearts Gaston and Eveline have exchanged the water for a castle in Northern France, Château de Honnechy in the village of the same name. They want to convert it, in combination with full-time remote jobs, into an attractive guest house. They soon discover that the romance of their dream clashes with French rules, setbacks and endless days of chores.
Sanne (49) and Wilco (54)
Experienced handymen Sanne and Wilco fell in love with a dilapidated castle in the Loire region. © RTL
Experienced handymen Sanne and Wilco were ready for a new adventure after a successful renovation in the Netherlands. This is what they found in the Loire region: a dilapidated castle that they immediately fell in love with. They threw themselves into the monster job with full dedication. Sanne is concerned with the interior and Wilco does odd jobs in addition to his job as a software engineer. Even though their perfectionism sometimes clashes with reality, the two manage to get back on the same page with their humor and perseverance. All this to make their dream come true: transforming Château Doré les Tours in Sèvremoine into a stylish boutique château.
Marcel (56) and Claudia (53)
Marcel and Claudia convert a thousand-year-old church ruin into a house and bed and breakfast. © RTL
Together with their three children, Marcel and Claudia are embarking on the biggest renovation of their lives. They have purchased a thousand-year-old church ruin, L’Ancienne Église, in sunny southern France. Here they manage to convert the dilapidated building in Vallérargues into a house and bed and breakfast, stone by stone, without gas, water or electricity. All this in the hope of a new life with more space for peace and family.
Alex (56) and Antoinette (56)
Animal lovers Antoinette and Alex first tried it in Italy, but eventually settled in Magnac-Laval. © RTL
Animal lovers Antoinette and Alex have recently moved to the village of Magnac-Laval. They left their lives behind in the Netherlands and left for Italy for a quieter life among the hills and medieval churches. In a dilapidated Maison du Maître they start their new dream: a small-scale B&B with five rooms. Former hairdresser Alex is passionately committed to the renovation of Domaine des Pommiers.
Jeroen (45) and Leonoor (46)
Jeroen and Leonoor move with their family to Château Le Grippault. © RTL
Jeroen and Leonoor left Haarlem to settle in the Loire region, just like Sanne and Wilco. At Château Le Grippault in Richelieu they are building their dream: a vibrant Académie where theater, the arts and nature come together. Their castle is both a home and a workplace, filled with easels, instruments and participants in a master class. They also try to find a balance between family, guests and endless chore lists to work on their creative sanctuary.
Bought a castle, what now? can be seen weekly at 8:30 PM on RTL 4 from Wednesday, November 12 and can be streamed in advance on Videoland.