Before and After: A French Chateau's Amazing Makeover

When Daphne Fig’s grandfather passed away five years ago, he left her his most prized possession: a 29-bedroom chateau in Lésigny, France. But it wasn’t the fairy tale you might imagine.

The property had a staggering inheritance tax and needed massive renovations. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to keep it, but I had to try,” says Daphne, an organic farmer and entrepreneur. She and her husband, Ian, a fitness director and videographer, packed up their home in California, moved to the chateau, and got to work learning everything they could to hold on to the property, including moat maintenance (!) and managing events. (They rent out the chateau for weddings and films.) “It’s not easy, but I love that I’m keeping my grandfather’s dream alive,” says Daphne.

Take a look at these amazing room transformations and shop for castle-inspired decor, then catch the reveal on HGTV’s Castle Impossible starting April 29 at 9|8c.

The Office

This is where Daphne manages the work that’s being done on the chateau and meets with couples who are hosting weddings there. Daphne and Ian got some of the furniture in this room — and many other rooms in the chateau — from online ads. “We’ve managed to find a website that’s essentially French Craigslist,” says Ian. “It’s great for antiques!”

The Bell Tower Bedroom

Before Daphne and Ian arrived, these beams, which hold up the bell tower, were rotting. “You could touch them and grab a fist of wood chips,” says Ian. “There was a real danger the entire thing could collapse and crash through the floor.” They secured the structure and then turned the space into a serene bedroom. "This space used to be filled with bats and spiders — it was gnarly. It has this lovely Parisian style now,” says Ian.

The Bathroom Suite

The chateau used to have two marble bathrooms on the second floor, but the combined weight created a crack in an old beam on the first floor. “The bathtubs alone weighed one ton!” says Daphne. The couple fixed the beam and renovated the bathroom with a lighter touch using a bathtub they found in one of the château’s outbuildings. The chandelier is from Hudson Valley Lighting Group. "My friend and I found wild roses in the forest near the chateau and used them as inspiration to paint the corner mural," says Daphne.

The Grand Staircase

"The staircase is the newest major addition to the chateau — from a renovation completed in the 1880s," says Daphne. This marble beauty makes a stunning impression on guests, but Daphne and Ian say just one thing is missing: an equally grand chandelier. “The chateau was occupied during World War II, and the occupiers stole most of the valuables,” says Daphne. The previous chandelier was likely one of them. “Hopefully, we can replace it one day,” says Ian.

The Dungeon

The medieval dungeon is likely one of the oldest parts of the chateau. Daphne and Ian disagree on whether it’s haunted. “Everyone on our crew has had strange experiences there,” says Ian. Daphne says she has never found it creepy, even at 4 a.m. They’re considering turning the space into a cozy tavern or bar in the future.

The Moat

The chateau’s medieval security system requires tons of upkeep. “None of the companies we approached would even give us a quote to maintain it,” says Daphne. So they do it themselves, cutting back the ivy and seedlings that could damage the moat or building. “It’s like an annual cleaning of the gutters on a house, except massive,” says Ian. “Once we’re done with the whole thing, it’s time to start over again.”