When I am not in France I really miss it. Don’t get me wrong, I love being back in the UK for many reasons but a little more of my heart stays in France every visit. I find myself longing to be back there so much that, to satiate the ache, I have become fascinated (ok, slightly obsessed; let’s call it “dedicated research”) with watching other people’s journeys on YouTube.

Watching these videos gives me great comfort, but I’ve also learned so much. From navigating the house-buying process to picking up renovation tips that I’ll almost certainly never use myself, these videos are a lifeline. I thought it was only fair that I share my favorite “productivity-drain” of the week with you guys.

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For my first offering, it seems only right that I go back to where my little obsession began. About four years ago, I stumbled across this channel, and I have been an avid viewer ever since. Escape to the Dream: Restoring the Chateau chronicles a lovely family from Middlesbrough in the UK. They bought an abandoned chateau in rural France and made the full-time move to restore her to her former glory—a task that makes my DIY attempts at renovation look like a mild inconvenience.

So why do I love this channel? Well, firstly, these guys, like me, hail from the North East of England. Listening to their dulcet tones soothes my soul and reminds me of home, even when they’re knee-deep in 18th-century plumbing nightmares. This renovation is a true family affair, with three generations getting stuck in and doing the majority of the work themselves (mostly without calling each other names, which is the real miracle). Chateau de Lalacelle is an amazing place and watching it transform from a neglected piece of French history into a castle fit for a king and a vibrant hub for the local community has been and continues to be an absolute pleasure.

This particular video I’ve chosen is fairly recent and shows a time-lapse of the renovation to date. It’s perfect for when you want to feel the satisfaction of four years of hard labor in about twenty minutes from the comfort of your sofa. I hope you love these guys as much as I do.

Happy Viewing ❤️🇫🇷

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