0:00:02 > 0:00:05Today's county is for many people all about this -
0:00:05 > 0:00:08autumnal apple orchards full of fruit-laden trees,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12including rare varieties like this one. I'll see if I can pluck one.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Newton's Wonder.
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Mm.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Now, here on Escape To The Country,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20we've also got people putting down their roots.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Find out where we are in just a moment.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Today's couple are saying au revoir to life in France
0:00:43 > 0:00:46and hello to the English countryside.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48So English!
0:00:48 > 0:00:52A cosy country cottage is definitely on the agenda.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Wow!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Wow. Fantastic. This is surprise, surprise
0:00:59 > 0:01:01and then followed by another surprise.
0:01:01 > 0:01:07And there are no surprises when we show them something very close to their ideal property.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10We actually like it a lot. Yeah. You're ready to move in.
0:01:14 > 0:01:15Today, we're in Somerset,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18which has always been synonymous with apples.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22The mystical heart of the county, Avalon, means Isle of Apples.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26There are more than 150 varieties of Somerset apples,
0:01:26 > 0:01:3035 of which are grown in this family-owned orchard here,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33typical of a lot of the smallholdings across the county.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Hoary Morning, Tom Putt, Golden Knob -
0:01:36 > 0:01:39those are just three of the names of the varieties
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and colourful apple names are not the only thing
0:01:42 > 0:01:44that's good about this county.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46A mostly rural county,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Somerset's location between Devon and Dorset in the West Country
0:01:50 > 0:01:53is famed for its agricultural produce.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56But there's much more to the county than cider and cheese.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Cheddar Gorge is a spectacular limestone formation
0:02:00 > 0:02:03and a site of specific scientific interest
0:02:03 > 0:02:05lying in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:02:05 > 0:02:08known as the Mendip Hills.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10But it's not without a rich history.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15Granted city status by Elizabeth I in 1590,
0:02:15 > 0:02:21Bath was named after the Roman baths that were built here in 43AD.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22The local golden-yellow stone
0:02:22 > 0:02:25used in the magnificent crescents and cathedral
0:02:25 > 0:02:28are reflected in the charming villages
0:02:28 > 0:02:30tucked into the folds of lush green countryside.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Somerset has some very beguiling properties,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40just the thing to lure you back to England if you've been living abroad,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44and that is what we're trying to do with our buyers today.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Philip and his wife Chantal have been married for 30 years.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52After living in Oxfordshire, they retired to France seven years ago
0:02:52 > 0:02:56but have decided to return to England to downsize
0:02:56 > 0:02:58because their French home is becoming unmanageable.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02We have three bedrooms. We have a magnificent bathroom
0:03:02 > 0:03:04which would fit in most hotels.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08We have a mezzanine with a library for 1,500 books.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11You can imagine that since we're retired,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13that's going to be a bit too much for us.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17They will be selling their French house in Cognac to fund the move
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and handing this two-bedroom terrace in Sussex over
0:03:20 > 0:03:22to their two children.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25But Philip and Swiss-born Chantal have rural backgrounds,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28which has prompted their decision to make the move.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32And they're both keen on an active country life.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Something that we both enjoy doing is cycling
0:03:34 > 0:03:38and it's something we can do outside in this countryside.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41They've decided on Somerset as a location
0:03:41 > 0:03:46because access to the motorway will mean they're within easy reach of their children in London.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49So let's find out what they want from the house itself.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I think in our new property we would have, perhaps, two bedrooms.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Minimum. Or more than that, wouldn't we? Yeah.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58And a kitchen, dining room.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Sitting room. One garage.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Of course, it has to be detached.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08They're also after a property with period features
0:04:08 > 0:04:09and a decent-sized garden
0:04:09 > 0:04:12in which Chantal can practise her painting.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16So when they've sold their French home and topped up the budget with savings,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18what will they have to spend?
0:04:18 > 0:04:22The budget for the new property is ?350,000.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30It's going to be pretty difficult for Philip and Chantal
0:04:30 > 0:04:32to leave that beautiful home in France
0:04:32 > 0:04:34they've built up over the last seven years
0:04:34 > 0:04:37but it seems like a sensible move
0:04:37 > 0:04:41and they're looking for that certain English je ne sais quoi
0:04:41 > 0:04:43that we call cosiness.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45And Somerset is going to be a great place to find it
0:04:45 > 0:04:48because they want a smaller property, cottagy,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51smaller garden, stone built,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54and that is something that Somerset has in abundance
0:04:54 > 0:04:56and it's going to be in their budget.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04We'll searching for properties between the M5 in the west
0:05:04 > 0:05:06and Glastonbury, in the heart of Somerset,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09striking a balance between attractive countryside
0:05:09 > 0:05:11and ease of motorway access.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14We'll be showing Philip and Chantal three properties
0:05:14 > 0:05:17without telling them the price until the end of the tour.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And then there is La Maison Mysterieuse,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24a property that will give our French re-pats a fresh perspective
0:05:24 > 0:05:26on their dream home in the country.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Bonjour! Ah! Welcome to Somerset. Bonjour, Alistair.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Now, you're moving from France to Somerset
0:05:35 > 0:05:38but you're not cutting links entirely with France, are you?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42No, we're lucky enough to have a pied a terre in France,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44which was belonging to Chantal's parents.
0:05:44 > 0:05:45That will still be there.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49We still love France. There are still nice things about France
0:05:49 > 0:05:51but you feel for England, don't you? I love England.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I always feel happy here. Great. Yeah. That's good.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59So you're going to keep a foothold in France but live here? Yeah.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01It's like a swap, really. Yeah.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04We're excited about this move and looking forward to it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06And your budget is what? 350.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10So 350 in England... Yeah, it's going to be quite a...
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Is it a shock to see what you can get for your money here?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15It's terrifying, frankly.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18We thought we were never going to do this move
0:06:18 > 0:06:22but we don't want a large house. Good.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25We would like the same house that we have in France,
0:06:25 > 0:06:30only half the size. Right. But we still want the cosy feeling.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33A stone house, and I love English cottage.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Cosy, we can do. Cosy - you're on, then.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Cottage we can do. We're on a winning streak. Oh, good.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41We can't wait. We can't wait.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45We don't have to wait. We can go right now. Brilliant. Super.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49For a top budget of ?350,000,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Philip and Chantal want a character property
0:06:52 > 0:06:53close to road links.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56They'd like a minimum of two bedrooms
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and ideally, they'd prefer a separate kitchen and dining room.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Finally, the garden should be a decent size
0:07:01 > 0:07:04but still manageable.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Our first property is in a village
0:07:13 > 0:07:16two miles from the town of Wellington.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Named after the first Duke of Wellington,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21the obelisk on Wellington Hill that overlooks the town
0:07:21 > 0:07:24commemorates his victory at the Battle of Waterloo.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Receiving its town charter in 1215,
0:07:27 > 0:07:32Wellington grew up as a centre for trade between Exeter and Bristol
0:07:32 > 0:07:35and today has a lively high street with plenty of period buildings
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and a beautiful grade-I listed church.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Just a few minutes away by car, our first property is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Here it is. Our first Somerset property.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Wow. It's pretty, isn't it?
0:07:50 > 0:07:54What do you think from the outside? We're happy with it. Very nice.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58We like the size and we like the way it looks. Just right.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00It looks as if we could live there. Yeah.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Extended over the years, the cottage was built in the 1800s.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08There's a handy double garage for storage
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and inside, the period features give this cottage an inviting atmosphere.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15In you come. This is the sitting room.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Wow. It's got beams but they're not too low.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21And I'm not that tall, so it doesn't really matter.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Painted white. Yeah. It makes it very light, doesn't it?
0:08:25 > 0:08:30A nice burner, there. It's a cosy country cottage. It is. It is.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33And it's cosy as we see cosy. Yeah.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36So there is a nice bright study room, there,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39but let's take a look at the kitchen now.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Wow. So, Chantal, is this going to be enough for you?
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Yeah, it's plenty big enough.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48A lovely view to the garden. It's brilliant.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Yeah, that's actually very pretty. I'm pleasantly surprised.
0:08:51 > 0:08:57And the second reception room could be the separate dining room Chantal is looking for.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58This is the other big space.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01There's a connecting door through to the kitchen.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04They call this the family room. That's fine.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07There's a lot of light through. It's brilliant.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10This is the modern part of the house,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13so it doesn't have the character features.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14So that's your lot downstairs. OK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Upstairs is a little bit more complicated. Oh, right. Right.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24The downstairs seems to have appealed to them
0:09:24 > 0:09:30and moving upstairs, there are a total of four bedrooms.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34So this is where the upstairs gets interesting.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Wow. Goodness gracious.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It's all about the views. It is from here.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43That's a fantastic view. Incredible.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45So this is the extension at the back,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47so there's quite a lot of space, here.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50You've got this lovely balcony. A private balcony.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51It's absolutely fantastic.
0:09:51 > 0:09:58So if we go through here, there's a sort of glorified landing
0:09:58 > 0:10:00but it's almost like a sitting room upstairs.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02That leads you through to your bedroom.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09And this is your master bedroom.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Wow, this is big, isn't it? That's quite amazing.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17It's surprisingly big, isn't it? Yeah. I like the shape of it.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22The style and dimensions seem to be working for Philip and Chantal.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25There are another two cosy bedrooms on this floor,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29a family bathroom and a shower room.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Outside to the rear, I'm hoping the garden will continue to impress.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Is this garden going to be big enough for you?
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Absolutely. Absolutely, yes. It's manageable. It's fantastic.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42You can see the extent of the house
0:10:42 > 0:10:47and how it's bigger at the back than it seems at the front.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50And yet for two people, it would work.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Plenty big enough for us. It would.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55What do you think this is on the Somerset market for?
0:10:55 > 0:10:58I don't know. I would say 380.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00380. Over budget. OK. Yeah.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Mm. 320.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Under budget. Very good. An optimist and a pessimist.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Well, it is slightly over your budget as it stands.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12It's on the market for 365. Right.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14But it's been on the market for six months
0:11:14 > 0:11:18and I know that the vendors are happy to negotiate.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Although it's over budget at ?365,000,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28the vendors are open to offers and it does deliver four bedrooms,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30two more than they asked for.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35There's a good-sized kitchen and a separate room that could be used for dining.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Both seem pleased with the size of the garden,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42so, all told, a very positive start to the day.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46We've got one more to see today. Brilliant. Let's follow.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The British love affair with the apple
0:11:53 > 0:11:56dates back to when the Romans brought them to our shores
0:11:56 > 0:11:58nearly 2,000 years ago.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02By the 18th century, Somerset grew 156 varieties,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06making it an agricultural mainstay for the county.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Deep in the heartlands of the county,
0:12:08 > 0:12:1181-year-old Patricia Thompson is rather proud
0:12:11 > 0:12:13of her 19th-century orchard.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17For 25 years, she's owned four and a half acres containing 60 trees
0:12:17 > 0:12:19with 30 varieties of apples.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23For the last five years she's been pressing and bottling apple juice
0:12:23 > 0:12:25that she sells at local farmers' markets.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29It takes four pounds of apples to make a bottle of juice.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33We did about 1,000 or 1,200 bottles of juice last year.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36That's just from your orchard? Yeah.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38She's developed a community apple-pressing programme,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40creating quite a buzz locally.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44So what's the idea? That people in the community bring their apples?
0:12:44 > 0:12:48They bring their apples and their recycled wine bottles
0:12:48 > 0:12:51and they spend a good, fun morning here making juice
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and they bring their lunch, so it's very good, yes.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59It's now so popular that people come from over 30 miles away
0:12:59 > 0:13:01to make use of the apple press.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02This is Sarah and William.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Hello, guys. Hi. Is this your apples that you're doing there?
0:13:06 > 0:13:09This is, yes. From your garden? From our own trees, yes, it is.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14And what happened to it before? It went on the manure heap. Really?
0:13:14 > 0:13:16It was a terrible waste.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19The press highlights the importance of locally sourced produce
0:13:19 > 0:13:23but at the end of the day, it's all about the finished product.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Is it drinkable here? There's a glass down there.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Fresh from the press. How exciting.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Mm. There's nothing added and nothing taken away.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34How long does it keep?
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Once it's been pasteurised, it will keep for a year.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Oh, that is delicious!
0:13:40 > 0:13:44It's a real pleasure to taste apple juice the way nature intended
0:13:44 > 0:13:48and more importantly, to know that Somerset's remaining apple trees
0:13:48 > 0:13:50are still being put to good use.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55Now it's time to get off the beaten track
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and back onto the property path as we continue with our house hunt.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Our second property is in the village of Cheddar.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Situated next to Cheddar Gorge,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08the home of the Palaeolithic skeleton known as Cheddar Man,
0:14:08 > 0:14:14the village has also given its name to the UK's most popular cheese.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Nearly 6,000 people live in and around the village
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and the homes are predominantly made from locally sourced stone.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23On the outskirts of the village,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26our next property is typical of local architecture.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Welcome, my friends, to the spiritual home of cheese.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31This is Cheddar.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Wow! Yeah. And this is the property I want to show you.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Wow. It's really pretty, isn't it?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39And when Cheddar was just a few houses,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42this was one of the original houses. It was barn buildings then.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46It's like a long house. Yeah. Nice. Absolutely fantastic.
0:14:46 > 0:14:47It's very pretty.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51And the little thatched porch is so pretty. The little thatched porch.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55So English. Ah. It's lovely. That is English, really.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58All you need to do now is fall in love with the inside.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00I'm sure that won't be difficult.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Philip and Chantal are after character
0:15:02 > 0:15:05and this stone build has plenty to offer on the outside
0:15:05 > 0:15:07but inside it's been modernised,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11so it'll be interesting to see their reactions.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Let's go into the kitchen first,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17get an idea of what's going on in this property. Wow.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20This is fantastic. That's a nice kitchen. I like that.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24It's got some lovely original features, like these beams
0:15:24 > 0:15:27that date from the original building.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30So it's not quite as country cottage cosy as the last property.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34No, but we're happy with this. That's fantastic.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Let's continue the tour. Right.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43This house really does have a clearly defined dining area.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Yeah, that we need. It's lovely. Yeah.
0:15:46 > 0:15:52A lot of light and also this amazing lintel piece,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54which comes from an Elizabethan galleon.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56It's beautiful.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Well, let's look at the last room, which is the most impressive.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07This, then, is the biggest of the rooms downstairs.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08Wow. Yeah.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13It's not easy to find a house where the vibes are your own vibes
0:16:13 > 0:16:16but here you feel that the vibes of this house are ours.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21So we've found a perfect match. You have. I think you are pretty close.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I can think quite seriously about this house.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26We're glad that you're thinking seriously.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Downstairs there's also a cloakroom
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and we'll see if the three bedrooms upstairs
0:16:31 > 0:16:34offer the right vibes for Philip.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Wow, look at this with the sun. Another sunny room.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42It has a lovely aspect, hasn't it? Gosh.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44And the sun goes down there every day.
0:16:44 > 0:16:50I'm not a negative person but you have to see the downside as well as the upside.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53So what are the downsides? I don't see one yet.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Not yet. I don't see one yet but... Fantastic.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It sounds like this house is to your liking.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02It's something we'll follow up.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Let's check you like the master bedroom. Wow.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11I'm not sure you'll be able to control yourself. This is your room.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15Wow. I think we could fit in here very well indeed.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18And it has its own little bathroom suite.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Which is something we didn't even ask for. Lovely. Double shower.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25We like it a lot. Yeah. You're pretty much ready to move in.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31The third bedroom is cosy and light and there's also a family bathroom.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Outside, there's a petite south-facing garden,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38possibly a little more petite than our buyers were expecting.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43It's a compact and bijou garden. It isn't what we expected.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46No. But I think
0:17:46 > 0:17:48with all the other things we've seen,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52I think we would compromise. We could find a way to live with it.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Yeah. Yeah. We really could. Couldn't we? Yeah.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58I love pots and plants in pots. We could fill this with greenery.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02You have to be serious about a property and we could be serious about this. Good.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07Are you serious about the price? Ah! Frighteningly serious.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10What is it?
0:18:10 > 0:18:14I... I would be surprised if we could rise to it
0:18:14 > 0:18:19but I would straddle on 360,000. Mm-hm.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21I would say it is perhaps even more.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25I would go for 400.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30Well, I'm afraid you're way out. Yeah. Are we?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33This is on the market for 335,000.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35I'm stunned. You're joking?
0:18:35 > 0:18:37And what a price.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42?335,000 buys Philip and Chantal a stone-built character property.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45There's a large kitchen and a separate dining room,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47as requested.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Upstairs, there are three spacious bedrooms,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52so it seems like we're going from strength to strength today.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Hello. Hello. Hello.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Did we work magic on you? It's fantastic. Very close.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04Only close? Closer than we expected. That you expected? What more do you expect?
0:19:04 > 0:19:06It was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18As the sun melts into the horizon,
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Philip and Chantal will have plenty to consider
0:19:20 > 0:19:23after their first day house-hunting in Somerset.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29It's another glorious autumn day here in Somerset
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and it's going to be difficult to top the delirious devotion
0:19:32 > 0:19:36that Phil and Chantal showed to that house yesterday afternoon
0:19:36 > 0:19:40but I was struck by the fact that even though they're moving back to England,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42they referred to their home in France a lot.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46So I thought with the mystery house we could combine England
0:19:46 > 0:19:48with a taste of the Continent,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51although being the mystery house, there is a catch.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Yesterday was all about Cheddar, today we're heading to North Curry
0:19:59 > 0:20:01for our mystery house.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04North Curry boasts 68 listed buildings,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07including this 14th-century grade-I listed church
0:20:07 > 0:20:09known as the Cathedral of the Moors.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13It's a veritable buffet for connoisseurs of architecture.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16With a wealth of local stone on hand,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18it's no surprise our mystery house makes the best
0:20:18 > 0:20:21of the materials available.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25OK, so, first things first, it's not all of this.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Ah! Wow, that's a start.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It is this chunk in the middle with the pitched roof. Yeah.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36This was built in the 1800s, 1760,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40and then it was engulfed by this Victorian addition.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Yeah. Yeah. It's an attached property.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44How do you feel about it?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47We said that we'd prefer to have a detached property.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I'm hesitant.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Hesitant is about as negative as you will let yourself be,
0:20:53 > 0:20:55so that's not good. Normally, yeah.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58We brought you here because it's a beautiful village
0:20:58 > 0:21:02and because this property strikes us a very European,
0:21:02 > 0:21:03nay, Swiss.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Wow. Even Swiss! Wow. How did you do that?
0:21:07 > 0:21:08Let's have a look.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11This property certainly has quirks on the outside
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and inside, it's an upside down house,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17so two of the three bedrooms are on the ground floor.
0:21:17 > 0:21:23Come on in... into the downstairs rooms.
0:21:23 > 0:21:29Oh, right. This is different. Yes! It's unusual, isn't it?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Quite unusual.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The pine flooring, the vaulted ceiling -
0:21:34 > 0:21:36it feels like a Swiss chalet. Yeah. Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:42What do you think, Chantal? Erm, so far it's good.
0:21:42 > 0:21:48You know, I have to see the whole house and...
0:21:48 > 0:21:50The whole ensemble. Yes. OK.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55This twin bedroom is mirrored on the other side of the entrance hall
0:21:55 > 0:21:56with another large bedroom.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59And up one level is the main living area.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05Now we come into the more light airy... Wow, it's lovely. Yeah.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07This is more impressive, isn't it? Yes.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09I think you feel less enclosed. Yes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14The dark wood works very well against this lovely white wall.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Next door to the living area there's a snug
0:22:17 > 0:22:21that could be used as a small dining room
0:22:21 > 0:22:24and next to that there's a family bathroom.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27But we're heading to the heart of the home.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32And then we go down these steps into the new extension, which is the kitchen.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37Wow. It's lovely. It's super. Absolutely superb.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Not so keen on this idea.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43You mean of having the dining room in the...? It's not our style.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48That room is very big, so you could have the dining room up there,
0:22:48 > 0:22:49partition it. Yeah.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52I can tell that the property is growing on Chantal.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Philip I'm not so sure about,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59so I'm hoping that the bedroom on the second floor will win him over.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03So you come up this big box staircase
0:23:03 > 0:23:07into a huge master bedroom.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Wow. Wow.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Yeah. Fantastic. This is surprise, surprise
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and then followed by another surprise.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18So as you can see, the whole attic space has been converted
0:23:18 > 0:23:21into a master suite.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23You've got a dressing room and an en suite at the end.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25I think it's really lovely.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29There's a warm feeling with these beams showing through.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30It's different.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32It is the mystery house. It is.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Great. Let's look into the garden.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Today we have another walled garden
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but this time there's a lot more space to play with.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46So much more of a garden than yesterday. Yes.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50It's walled in by this new stone wall on these three sides
0:23:50 > 0:23:54and this brick wall that goes quite high above the lane.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59And you can see now the Victorian building surrounding yours.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00Quite amazing.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05What do you think this property, that's in a very attractive village, is on the market for?
0:24:05 > 0:24:10Maybe well above our budget.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12I would go for 410.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15So quite a bit over. Well...
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Let's... I think probably over.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I think probably 360,000.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24360. OK, you're both being a little pessimistic.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27It's on the market for 345. Really? Oh, well...
0:24:27 > 0:24:30So a bit under your budget. Yeah.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37Not a bad result considering Philip and Chantal don't want an attached property.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Below budget at ?345,000, this house offers three bedrooms,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45plenty of period features, two reception rooms
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and a good-sized walled garden.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52But Philip and Chantal seem at odds over whether an attached property
0:24:52 > 0:24:53could be their dream home.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Smiling. Smiling, yes. Smiling.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Ish. No, it's a pretty house. It's...
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Hold your thoughts, we'll discuss them later. OK. OK.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12I'm pretty pleased with our campaign
0:25:12 > 0:25:15to seduce Phil and Chantal over to Somerset
0:25:15 > 0:25:20but has Phil managed to dampen Chantal's enthusiasm for the mystery house?
0:25:20 > 0:25:23I got the impression that he didn't like it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24Let's go and find out.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33Have we won you back to England? I think you might have, yes.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36We think you've done a fantastic job. Yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Well, let's analyse that fantastic job into pieces.
0:25:38 > 0:25:45At the beginning, the first one was a very charming period property with a lot of character.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47What are your thoughts about that now?
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It was perhaps too many bedrooms upstairs
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and perhaps not enough space downstairs for us.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58But the house had a lovely garden and it was a lovely house.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Yeah. We were actually pleasantly surprised.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03The second house didn't deliver on the garden at all
0:26:03 > 0:26:08but on every other count it seemed to completely wow you.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Yeah. I think the second house, for me, was absolutely fantastic.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16That was the gem because the quality of it, first of all, is fantastic
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and the space, as well, just right for us,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21with a separate dining room.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24And the garden was something quite different...
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Different is the word, yes.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30..but I think with the help of a good friend of mine,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32with his lovely pots and lovely flowers,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34he'll give me a good hand there. Yeah.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36What about the mystery house? Let me ask Chantal.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Yes. You butt out of it. What did you think, Chantal?
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Well, the mystery house was quite different.
0:26:42 > 0:26:47I loved it. For me the only down point was the bedrooms downstairs
0:26:47 > 0:26:49I could not handle.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50It was the wrong way round? Yeah.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I think if I'm honest,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57if you could have taken away the huge Victorian extension,
0:26:57 > 0:27:02the house on its own, you'd have had a different vision of it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06There's always something that you'd want to change. That's a big change.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09So overall, is there anything you'd like to proceed on?
0:27:09 > 0:27:13If the property in France is sold when we get back there,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15we will buy the second house.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Well, it's been a real joy because you have such enthusiasm
0:27:18 > 0:27:22and it's such a lovely story, that you're coming back to England
0:27:22 > 0:27:26and I really do, do seriously hope
0:27:26 > 0:27:28that it does work out with your house
0:27:28 > 0:27:31and that you come and join us. Brilliant.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Come back! We will. Yeah. Merci mille fois. Merci, merci.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Tres bien. I think it's tres bien that we managed to find in Somerset
0:27:42 > 0:27:45a house that equals Philip and Chantal's beautiful French home
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and is going to lure them back to England.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52If you'd like to see more beautiful country properties wowing buyers,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55then join us next time on Escape To The Country.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56Au revoir.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02In a welcome twist to our story, the vendors for the second property
0:28:02 > 0:28:04were very interested in moving to France.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08In the end both parties decided on a house swap
0:28:08 > 0:28:10and the exchange is proceeding,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14so Philip and Chantal are trading Cognac for Cheddar
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and we wish them well or as they say in France, bonne chance.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22If you'd like to escape to the country in Northern Ireland, Wales,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Scotland, England or to the continent, and need our help,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27please apply online at:
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:59 > 0:29:02It is an honour, I shan't let you down. Easily said, Constable.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Harder to prove. This sideshow is now shut down.