A Dilapidated French Chateau Gets a Fairy-Tale Renovation in 'Castle Impossible'
Daphne Reckert and Ian Figueira are taking on the challenge of renovating Daphne's grandfather's chateau in France — and the stakes are high.
The premise for HGTV's new show sounds like a movie: married high school sweethearts abandon their plans of tiny-home living in California after inheriting a 500-year-old chateau on a 130-acre estate just outside of Paris, France. But this is Daphne Reckert and Ian Figueira's real life, and Castle Impossible — featuring Daphne's late grandfather's chateau — premieres on Tuesday, April 29 at 9|8c.
“Our lives changed forever when I inherited my grandfather’s 500-year-old chateau in France,” says Daphne. “If we don’t keep up the renovations, the chateau will become a ruin.”
“We don’t exactly have a financial safety net,” adds Ian.
“If we lose the chateau, we lose everything,” agrees Daphne.
Step Inside the Castle
The main floor of the sprawling property — which once welcomed guests like King Louis XIII — provides a steady income stream hosting weddings, but Daphne and Ian must take on the daunting task of restoring the remaining dilapidated floors and buildings on the grounds. They'll utilize their carpentry, conservation and landscaping skills, as well as lean on their families' backgrounds in construction, design and renovation. With passion, determination and grit, the duo will confront budget constraints, battle bug infestations, hunt for rumored hidden treasure and tackle a seemingly endless list of projects head-on to preserve her grandfather’s legacy.
In the season opener, Daphne and Ian take on their first renovation in the chateau: transforming the bell tower into a luxury bedroom suite. With the tower in a dilapidated state, rotten roof beams and a windstorm could turn the project into a catastrophe.
Before and After: A French Chateau's Amazing Makeover
A California couple inherited this French chateau — and then they had to fix it.
