TV SHOW Escape To The Chateau has millions of us dreaming of buying a French mansion and living the good life like Dick and Angel Strawbridge and their kids – and one family have done just that.

James and Lauren Crease quit their jobs in Manchester to buy a dream home and business with young sons Oscar and Eli which they hope to rent out to guests.

Their efforts to transform Manoir Beaulieu, an 18th century manor house in the village of Salles-Lavalette on the border of the Dordogne and Charente in south-west France, feature on a new daytime TV show on Channel 4 in January.

The five-bed main house sleeps up to ten adults and four additional children and comes with a huge pool and barn complete with 200inch cinema screen.

There's also an orchard.

For families wanting an indulgent multi-generational escape, their new foodie weekends running in April, May and June 2021 will see experienced chef James cook up a storm and encourage guests to get involved in creating delicious al-fresco meals.

Their Dough, Smoke + Fire weekends include chances to have a go at creating sourdough pizza, barbecue specials and fire pit flame fuelled meats, all washed down with delicious local wines and beers.

In the light of Covid 19, the couple are now taking group, full house bookings.

Three night weekends start from £430pp, based on ten sharing and including all accommodation, food and drink.

For more details, see doughsmokeandfire.com and manoir-beaulieu.com.

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A number of villages and towns across Italy are also inviting families to renovate their run-down houses – by selling them for €1.

Lockdown has also seen a boom in renovating campervans.

One Yorkshire couple spent £23,000 converting theirs into a mini hotel with a fully working bathroom and kitchenette.

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