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Across Europe, there are hundreds of remote villages, hamlets, borgos and cortijos lying empty and unloved. Following the intrepid Brits who have spotted an opportunity to breathe new life into these beautiful historic houses.
2022
Kent landscape gardeners Paul and Yip explore their bargain settlement in Normandy, while Yorkshire couple Francesca and Carl complete the purchase of an Italian hilltop hamlet
In Italy, Francesca and Carl welcome the first guests of the season to their hamlet-turned-holiday complex, and two brave Brits attempt to rescue a row of cottages from decades of overgrowth
An unexpected delivery causes chaos at a medieval village in France. Meanwhile, Francesca and Carl, the owners of a hilltop hamlet in Italy, get started on a brand-new project.
Francesca and Carl race against time to reopen their Italian hamlet for business. Meanwhile, a British-run restored medieval village suffers some damage after a big party, and the owners of a derelict French settlement come to terms with the need to demolish some of its buildings.
Anneli, the manager of a restored medieval village in France, suffers a tricky time setting up the last wedding party of the season. Meanwhile, the owners of a French hamlet celebrate their first restored building. Cameras also follow the work of Marcial, a passionate estate agent who spends his life hunting derelict villages in Galicia.
Ted and Lesa embrace tent living while renovating their French village. Penny hopes to sell her Italian borgo for a million euros. Mick and Julie's hamlet has a gruesome secret.
The owners of a French hamlet visit two mysterious stone towers on the edge of their land, and a couple host the descendants of a farmer who once lived in their village.
Owners of a village in Limousin are in roof repair despair. Steve and Julie wrestle a water pipe at their cave village in Spain. And the owner of an Italian borgo clinches a deal.
Owners of a French village host the local council at their restaurant. A couple spend their first Christmas in their hamlet. The first guests arrive at a cave village in Andalucía.
The owners of a hamlet in France battle with a wonky chimney, a couple in Limousin bring down a wall and crack a pipe, and in Andalucía, a cave village has to close temporarily.
A couple from Norwich try to solve the mystery of why there are shoes in their bread oven. An Eastbourne family are moving to an abandoned village in Portugal.
The owners of a hamlet in France welcome guests to a 50th birthday party, and a couple discover the water's cut off at their village in Portugal. One owner spends Christmas alone.
The owners of a hamlet in the Limousin install a £10,000 septic tank, and a couple move ahead with plans for a sustainable lifestyle by buying hens. Plus, the progress of two estate agents who have spent 30 years rejuvenating a village in Portugal.
The owners of a village in France officially open after two years of renovations. Cameras catch up with the man who rescued an abandoned hamlet in Spain who could now lose half of what he bought. Meanwhile, in Portugal, a couple start an animal sanctuary in their village.
A couple from Norwich get married at their hamlet in the Limousin. Meanwhile, in the Dordogne region, two estate agents reveal plans to renovate a stunning chateau. And in Portugal, a couple from Eastbourne try to pick themselves up after a wild fire rips through their village.
A family from Manchester transform a hamlet in France. Meanwhile, a young couple fall in love with an earthquake-damaged Italian borgo, and a couple of B&B owners in the Pyrenees buy a ramshackle holiday village built by the Catholic church in the 1930s
In France, work is under way to repair the old church at a purpose-built ramshackle Catholic holiday village in France, and the owners of a hamlet wake up to find it has flooded. In Italy, the owners of an earthquake-damaged borgo find out that caring for their property is not as easy as they thought
The owners of a ramshackle holiday village advertise for volunteers to complete their renovations and there are worrying power failures at a village in the French countryside
A family from Manchester juggles renovations and running a holiday complex in France. A couple from Kent prepare to take ownership of a village in Portugal, and the owners of a bed and breakfast in southern France tackle the exterior of their enormous new home
A derelict building in a French village gets a new lease of life. Meanwhile, in Portugal, a couple dip their toes into their first season as holiday hosts, and in southern France, a very special event takes place in a refurbished chapel
2023
More stories of British people rebuilding abandoned historic settlements in Europe. A Scottish lawyer of Italian origin falls in love with the village his forefathers left behind, while Paul and Yip fight to breathe life into their French village.
A restored village in Italy prepares to host its first guests and the owners of a derelict French hamlet begin renovating their most cherished building. In Puglia, renovations on a quirky hamlet grind to a halt leaving the owners devastated.
Burglars target a historical settlement in Puglia and a pair of village saviours in France prepare to welcome their first guest. Work begins on an abandoned village in Portugal.
A family feel the financial strain of trying to resurrect an Italian ghost village. The owners of a crumbling French hamlet attempt to save the decaying village bakery and its roof, while those in charge of a restored village in the Italian hills prepare to hold their biggest event yet.
Building work at a Portuguese village finally gathers pace, there are wedding bells at a rebuilt Italian borgo, and the owners of an ancient French hamlet reach a major milestone as they open their glamping site to paying guests.
An ex-Olympian and his wife take on a derelict settlement in France, and a couple pick up the pieces after their Italian village is devasted by an earthquake.
A couple turn an old animal shelter into a cocktail lounge, and the owners of a village in Italy unpack the 200-year-old painting of an ancestor who once dined with Mozart.
In France, one couple turn a piggery into a living space and another deal with ceiling insulation havoc. Meanwhile, the owners of a village in Italy deal with a scorpion invasion.
In France, a couple battle the rain to fix their leaky roof, while another discovers animal skeletons in their ceiling. And in Italy, could a two-year wait for windows be over?
The owners of a hamlet in the Limousin finally move into their renovated piggery, while a Scotsman buys a village in Bulgaria after spotting it on eBay.
An ex-Olympian and his wife celebrate the arrival of windows in their French hamlet, while the owners of a quinta in Portugal are trying to build a new roof.
The owners of a quinta in Portugal discover they need to rewire and do extensive plumbing work. A former Olympic athlete and his wife build a pétanque court at a hamlet in France.
The owners of the Portuguese quinta finally finish their renovations, and two brothers from Scotland start their project just down the coast. In France, the custodians of a medieval manoir battle high winds to take down a roof.
At an abandoned hamlet in Italy, a Yorkshire couple drive a digger through a derelict building and unearth some fascinating artefacts. There's a slip-up at a village in Portugal as guests arrive with nowhere to stay, while over in France, a medieval watchtower finally gets a new staircase.
It's bottling time for the first wine in 30 years at a village in Italy. The owners of a hamlet in Portugal lay traditional tiles to stop the leaks in their patio. Meanwhile, at a manoir in France, clearing stones from an old hayloft doesn't go according to plan.
Two former naval officers take over a French hamlet with some incredible secrets, and a young couple hope that they can eventually restore their earthquake damaged Italian borgo.
Forgotten buildings are found at an ancient hamlet, while the owners of a crumbling Italian borgo hope to bring in a bumper olive harvest to help save their village.
Power is brought to a settlement in France and mother nature wreaks havoc at an Italian borgo. A 200-year-old French hamlet repurposed as a holiday village gets its first guests.
A young couple battle with crumbling bridges and Baltic weather at their Italian borgo, while the custodians of a French hamlet uncover some ancient farming equipment.
A cortijo in Spain reopens to guests, while a holiday village in France tries to get a star rating. Plus, there's a landmark moment for a couple who are trying to expand their farming endeavours at their Italian borgo.
A man fights to save two abandoned villages in an earthquake-ravaged area of Umbria, and a French hamlet's 14th-century farm buildings get modernised.
The owners of a holiday-village-turned-B&B create a living space for themselves. A man's plans to save two villages in Umbria finally come to fruition.
Sewage works at a holiday-village-turned-B&B lead to a fascinating subterranean discovery. In Normandy, a couple transform an outbuilding into a holiday gîte.
In Italy, two abandoned villages are connected. And a man ploughs on with his 15-year project to bring a Spanish village back from the brink.
A couple in France are up against it as they finish their gîte renovation before guests arrive. A village saviour in Spain prepares to open up to guests for the very first time.
An ancient well throws building plans into chaos at a 17th-century hamlet in France, while urgent repairs are needed at a community of cave houses in Andalusia
A hamlet near Toulouse is thrown a lifeline, a community of cave houses in Spain prove tricky to clean, and floods wreak havoc at a hamlet in France.
A landslide hits a cave settlement in Spain. Will a French village be ready for its first guests? A hamlet near Toulouse starts its journey back to life.
We meet an artist captivated by his Italian village with a view, and in France, a couple resuscitate a sleeping water mill at the heart of their hamlet.
An artist who saved an Italian settlement prepares to launch his own gallery. And there are problems with a French water mill... can its owners save it?
2024
A family of seven from Suffolk begin to renovate a hamlet in rural France, and we meet holiday hosts Ben and Susana, who've turned a Spanish village into luxury B&Bs. Plus, a chance to catch up with serial renovators Paul and Yip, as they battle storms and burst riverbanks at their settlement in Normandy.
Justin and Mel return to their village in France after the winter only to find it's being strangled by vegetation. At their hamlet in Spain, Ben and Susana are finally able to open their restaurant to guests. Village owners Paul and Yip start to feel overwhelmed by the scale of their renovations.
In France, Justin and Mel find horses in their field and wasps in their attic and Roberto's record-breaking bridge linking two ghost villages is almost ready to open. At Ben and Susana's Spanish hamlet, a cement truck gets stuck on the boggy road. And Normandy village owners Paul and Yip consider selling up.
After a crisis of confidence, Paul and Yip visit Italy to see other village projects, including Roberto's record-breaking bridge. Meanwhile, Justin and Mel discover a First World War document hidden in the beams in their French village. Over in Spain, Ben and Susana's plans to convert a barn into more guest accommodation run into trouble.
Roberto's bridge finally opens to the public, bringing thousands of tourists to the two villages it connects. Paul and Yip have risky work to do to prevent their barn from collapsing. Across at Ben and Susana's village in Spain, there's a party for the organisers of a local fish festival.
Patrick and Mihaela have swapped life in Kent to take up residence in a once-regal but now time-worn aristocratic estate in France. Dan, who owns a secret settlement that saved hundreds of lives during the Second World War, takes his French restoration to new heights to fit a roof. And in Italy, Lucie and Jerry seek extra help to ease their workload as they battle to re-awaken a lost farming community.
Dan continues his mission to make the centrepiece of his chateau watertight and in western France, Patrick and Mihaela renovate a former worker's lodge into holiday accommodation. In Italy, Lucie and Jerry's already earthquake-damaged village is dealt another blow as it's hit by floods.
Patrick and Mihaela face new problems at their country estate and in Italy, Lucie and Jerry attempt to turn a profit from their olive oil.
In Italy, videogame professionals Mike and Jools lean into their hamlet's medieval history to create a new game. Lucie and Jerry are determined to revive their borgo's olive-farming heritage. And in western France, Patrick and Mihaela turn to hospitality to rescue their time-worn estate.
In Italy, Mike and Jools start work to upgrade the ancient infrastructure of their medieval settlement, while Lucie and Jerry begin a salvaging mission as their village's properties begin to fall down. And in France, Patrick and Mihaela prepare to put their newly renovated holiday rental to the test before re-opening the gates to their rural estate.
Ken and his partner Pauline find themselves the new owners of a French hamlet and Carrie and Ross from Northumberland are property-hunting in Bulgaria's land of lost villages.
Carrie and Ross face a reality check in Bulgaria as they fight to save a settlement from dereliction and Ken and Pauline suffer a mechanical meltdown in France as Brexit threatens the future of their hamlet. Lolly and Sean battle to resurrect a historic manoir in the winter.
Carrie and Ross try to turn back time in Bulgaria and Ken and Pauline struggle to save a historic cottage in France. Lolly and Sean welcome a new resident at their French manoir.
In Spain, Michael battles decades of decay in the mountains. Bulgaria becomes a lonely place for Carrie and Ross, who are trying to save a settlement that nature has consumed. Ken and Pauline try to safeguard the future of their entire French village, and Lolly and Sean herald a new era at a forgotten hamlet.
Things get messy in Bulgaria, as Carrie and Ross battle to save an old tavern that time has forgotten. In France, Lolly and Sean battle against fatigue to finish their barn restoration. Michael goes to war with Mother Nature at his dilapidated Spanish hamlet.
Kev begins singlehandedly restoring an old quarry village in northern France and mother-daughter team Carol and Beau start upgrading a small hamlet for the 21st-century traveller. Sarah and Steve hope to finally finish their village restoration.
Sarah and Steve mark an anniversary at their Portuguese quinta while Carol and Beau continue to face problems with their renovation. Kev learns about the history of his little slate village in northern France.
Carol and Beau's renovations are halted by an infestation at their Italian hamlet and the update to Kev's slate village is slowed down by antiquated building techniques. The new doors and windows are installed at Sarah and Steve's Portuguese quinta.
Kev's ancient village in northern France prepares for a modern music festival. While Sarah and Steve approach the end of their renovation - and their budget - the installation of a spiral staircase at a holiday let gives them a headache. In Charente, Simon and Racheal's barn conversion takes shape. And Carol and Beau welcome their first guests at their renovated Umbrian hamlet.
In Charente, Simon and Racheal complete their first project at their ancient hamlet - with breathtaking results. Kev gives his music studio its first test run at his old quarry village. Meanwhile, after nearly four years of work, Sarah and Steve's holiday accommodation at their Portuguese quinta is finally open for business.
In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France, disaster strikes just before Nicky and Graham prepare to welcome their first ever guests to their renovated ghost village. In Normandy, Hayley and Lee try to renovate their 18th-century hamlet into holiday lets, under the constraint of Brexit rules, and in Italy, Francessca and Carl begin work on their second abandoned settlement.
Francessca and Carl set up a new business venture to help fund the renovation of their second ghost village in Italy and in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Nicky and Graham receive an unpleasant surprise as they peel back years of neglect. Hayley and Lee wade into the deep to find out what lies beneath their village pond.
In Normandy, Hayley and Lee try to master the craft of lime mortaring and an obstacle stands in the way of Francessca and Carl as they try to bring water to their Italian village. Nicky and Graham go all out to get a five-star rating for their renovated ghost village in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
The steep and winding roads cause problems for Francessca and Carl as they try to transport a heavy stove to their forgotten Italian village. Storms hit Hayley and Lee's ancient hamlet in Normandy, while Cesidio's vineyard, which provides the main source of income at a borgo in Italy, is in danger of drying up.
In Normandy, Hayley and Lee deal with the fallout from some very wet and windy weather. In Italy, Francessca and Carl juggle running one village with the renovation of another, while Cesidio looks to the future of his borgo and puts plans in place for the next generation to take the reins.
Becci and Micheal from Doncaster are beginning to turn a run-down Portuguese quinta into a family home. Louise and Paul are turning a storm-damaged 300-year-old French hamlet into a holiday village, and Ivano and Tracey's renovation of a trulli village in Puglia in southern Italy has halted after they discovered a large crack in one of the ancient buildings.
In Portugal, a precarious ancient roof concerns Becci and Micheal. In Italy, emergency repair work delays Ivano and Tracey's renovation schedule.
Louise and Paul uncover their 300-year-old French hamlet's fascinating past. There's more damage to ancient structures in Ivano and Tracey's village.
In France, Liz and Dave battle storms to save a crumbling cottage. In Montenegro, Anya hopes to bring new life to a mountain village.
Ivano and Tracey race to get their Italian trulli village guest-ready. In Montenegro, Anya meets George, whose family used to live in her village.
2025
Martine, a former wine merchant from Norfolk, is determined to save the ghost village of Rabatana in southern Italy. Gloucestershire couple Tony and Terry have bought a hamlet in France but need to sell their own home to fund renovations.
Martine starts renovating the cellar in one of her houses in Italy and welcomes guests to sleep under the stars. In France, Tony and Terry install a heavy wood burner in Chicheville and Paul and Yip battle to save their middle cottage at La Buslière.
Paul and Yip pick up the keys to their new cottage in Normandy. In southern Italy, Martine's builders dig up the cobbled street to connect her cellar to the mains. Tony and Terry return to the UK following the death of their beloved dog.
In Normandy, Paul and Yip attempt to renovate a well, but they're up against terrible weather and in southern Italy, Martine is granted access to a cellar where she makes some remarkable discoveries. Londoner Marcial has been trying to raise funds to buy a village in Spain for the last four years.
In Normandy, Paul and Yip make big sacrifices to ensure the future of their village. In southern Italy, Martine uncovers fascinating artefacts while painting a picture of her village's past. And in northern Spain, Marcial hopes that, after a five-year wait, he may finally secure ownership of a sleepy hamlet.
Former soldier Mike pushes forward to save a crumbling mountain village in Spain. In Sicily, the lure of a one-euro home sparks George's interest in reviving an ailing ghost town. Paul and Yip's village in France reveals new clues to its past.
In France, Paul and Yip must scale new heights to save an important part of La Buslière. In Spain, Mike and his team race to finish the first roof in his abandoned settlement. And, having bought a one-euro property in Sicily, George is in the market to buy another.
George tries to find out why his one-euro Sicilian townhouse was abandoned. Mike struggles to bring power to his ancient settlement in northern Spain. And in France, Paul and Yip try to cope with a heartbreaking loss.
Mike takes living conditions back to basics at a 200-year-old mountain village in Spain, while in France Paul and Yip balance the demands of multiple unstable structures in their hamlet. Over in Sicily, George aims to expand his one-euro property empire.
In France, a new purchase takes Paul and Yip to a momentous milestone. Mike's restoration of his Spanish mountain village grinds to a halt. George tackles major structural issues in Sicily.
Karen and Steve from Northamptonshire begin their mission to rescue a vast settlement with royal connections in southwest France. In Spain, Mother Nature wreaks havoc at Mike's mountainside village. And we rejoin Andrew and Katja who, after 16 years, are still battling to save their medieval Italian settlement.
Mike battens down the hatches at his mountainside village in Spain in the hope that he can see out the harsh winter. There are celebrations in France as Karen and Steve make the move from their home in Northamptonshire to their village. And Andrew and Katja reach a major milestone as building work begins at their Italian palazzo.
Winter storms destroy Mike's work at his Spanish mountainside village, while gale force winds take their toll on Andrew and Katja's medieval palazzo in Italy. In France, time-worn buildings and testing bureaucracy leave new village custodians Karen and Steve feeling the strain.
In France, Karen and Steve unearth some long-buried secrets at their ancient settlement. There's progress at Andrew and Katja's Italian palazzo, but the protracted process has taken its toll. As work resumes at Mike's mountainside village in Spain, will there be calm after the storm?
In France, Karen and Steve are forced to rethink plans for their 17th-century settlement. In Italy, after a 17-year battle, Andrew and Katja hope to finally be able to move into their medieval palazzo. Meanwhile, work at Mike's mountainside village in Spain grinds to halt - for a very important reason.
Kevin and Anna from Buckinghamshire are fusing French and British heritage to revive a forgotten rural estate. In central Italy, young couple Lucie and Jerry are more determined than ever to make their earthquake-damaged borgo habitable, while Sarah and Steve's Portuguese project proves that you never know what lies ahead, even after a village comes back to life.
In Italy, Lucie and Jerry try to secure planning permission to rebuild their earthquake-damaged borgo. Kevin and Anna discover a secret underground cave at a former wine-making estate in France.
Francesca and Carl have committed to bringing two abandoned Italian hilltop villages back to life, while tricky climate conditions lead to a worrying olive harvest at Lucie and Jerry's borgo. Kevin and Anna hope the opening of their new French pub will bring back the community spirit to a lost rural estate.
In France, Kevin and Anna scale new heights as they tackle tricky roof repairs in a bid to save their historic estate. In Italy, Lucie and Jerry kick-start a new phase of their borgo's resurrection by re-instating its old lake, and Francesca and Carl face plumbing problems as they try to make their abandoned village fit for 21st-century life.
Kevin and Anna's ancient French estate finds itself in the eye of a storm. Lucie and Jerry visit a factory in Slovakia to see how the walls of their new eco-house will be made, as they continue to rescue their earthquake-damaged Italian borgo. Meanwhile, as wedding bells ring at one of Carl and Francesca's villages, disaster strikes at the other when one of its oldest buildings collapses.
John and Tara have bought a Portuguese quinta and are about to get stuck in. In France, Liz and Dave battle with leaky pipes at Lac de Maison. And in central Italy, Cesidio prepares to welcome his daughter Sofia and her family from Scotland, continuing a historical cycle that began with his grandfather's emigration.
A demolition team are onsite at John and Tara's Portuguese quinta, and the couple discover an amazing connection between their builder and the house he's knocking down. In Italy, Cesidio welcomes his daughter and her family to the village. And in France, Liz and Dave need help after a storm brings down the wall of one of their cottages.
Heavy rain threatens to wash out Cesido's harvest in Italy and in France, Liz and Dave are investing in solar panels for Lac de Maison.
In Spain, Tony and Lauren discover a giant uncracked safe in the village that they've bought. Meanwhile, Cesidio meets his newborn granddaughter, John and Tara fill their bio pool, and Claire and Joe fight storms as they try to renovate.
In Spain, Tony and Lauren hire a safecracker to try and uncover the mysteries of their village's past. In France, Claire and Jo demolish an old barn. Meanwhile, in Portugal, John and Tara visit a quarry searching for stone for their house build.
Former truck driver Kate plans to leave Bournemouth to join a community of Brits renovating a Bulgarian village. In neighbouring Romania, husband-and-wife team Jonas and Ulrike are determined to carry on the legacy of their forefathers, as they inject new life into a traditional Saxon village in Transylvania. Plus, catching up with Lolly and Sean in France, nearly three years into their manoir renovations.
In Romania, Jonas and Ulrike are on the lookout for innovative ways to fund the restoration and upkeep of their Transylvanian settlement. In Bulgaria, wannabe village saviour Kate is considering a brand-new project. And after laying derelict for decades, Lolly and Sean's French manoir is about to welcome its latest guests.
Aspiring village saviour Kate finally moves her old horsebox to Bulgaria to start her brand-new life. In Romania, a water shortage threatens to derail Jonas and Ulrike's battle to save a historic Saxon settlement. And heroic renovator Dan's battle to save a derelict French château reaches its pinnacle.
There's delicate demolition at Jonas and Ulrike's Transylvanian village, as a church organ receives a makeover. In Bulgaria, strict Brexit rules threaten to derail Kate's journey. In France, Lolly and Sean welcome family to their manoir, and passionate renovator Dan turns to content making to help with his battle to save a storied château.
In France, after three years of hard work, Lolly and Sean dig deep to finish their once-abandoned manoir, while an army of workers battle to restore Dan's fire-damaged château. And in Transylvania, excitement builds as Jonas and Ulrike aim to resurrect one of Romania's oldest Saxon era churches.
In Normandy, Tracey and Budo have big plans to transform a former farming hamlet, while Louise and Paul get started on converting a derelict building into accommodation to complete their village restorations. Plus, Neil installs essential utilities into his village in Asturias in Spain.
Louise and Paul receive devastating news about the walls of their abandoned Normandy farmhouse, while Tracey and Budo follow in the footsteps of the traditional ornamental plasterers of the past. And in Spain, Neil deals with the aftermath of a huge storm.
Neil visits a Spanish knifemaker who is keeping an artisan craft alive. In Normandy, Tracey and Budo use traditional French tools to finish off the roof of their kitchen extension, while Louise and Paul get started on the underpinning work that will complete their hamlet.
In Normandy, Louise and Paul's farmhouse transformation moves onto an exciting new stage, while Tracey and Budo unearth some treasures from the past at their hamlet. Meanwhile, Ben and Susana have big plans to transform a previously abandoned area of their village in Galicia.
In Normandy, Louise and Paul approach the completion of their village as they finish off their dream home, while Tracey and Budo celebrate their kitchen build coming to an end. Over in Spain, Ben and Susana's plans for their upper village move 'upper' gear.
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