Tune into Channel 4’s new Escape to the Château DIY series, which sees expats get first-hand tips for running or restoring a French château, and you’re sure to feel inspired. If you’re planning to follow a similar dream, perhaps one of these properties – each a château but in differing conditions – has your name on it. We hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the price tags too…

Normandy
Convenient for the UK, this elegant property sits in the pretty Lower Normandy countryside, 25 minutes from Caen and with a choice of Channel crossings an easy drive away. It’s in Calvados country, so fans of anything appley, including cider and Calvados brandy, would be especially at home there.

Built in the 19th Century, the property comes with 4.9 acres of shady grounds that include ancient trees, a pond and outbuildings. Structurally sound, the château’s electrics and heating system were recently updated and it’s in excellent decorative order.

The 550 metres of living accommodation includes 10 bedrooms, five bathrooms and choice of receptions rooms. Features include fireplaces, parquet flooring and wood panelling, with a particular highlight being the majestic staircase. Ready to move in, this would make a wonderful home with guest accommodation.

Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Commissioned by a famous singer of the Opéra de Paris in the early 1900s, this imposing property shouldn’t fail to hit the right notes! It occupies a hillside spot near an ancient Bearnaise village between Pau and Biarritz, not far from the Pyrenees.

Especially notable about this château is its striking architecture, including the towers on each corner and choice of stone used in its construction. First-floor accommodation centres around a central vestibule area, which leads to grand high-windowed reception rooms, the kitchen, a bathroom and four en-suite bedrooms. On the second floor are five more bedrooms and further toilets. The ground/basement floor is a wine cellar and workshop.

The property needs some modernisation, but is habitable and would make a nice project for a couple or family looking to create a B&B with the wow factor.

Midi-Pyrénées
Ever wanted your own ballroom? Well, you’d get one if you snapped up this property, located in the Tarn countryside near Albi north-east of Toulouse. Dating from the 18th Century and oozing classical charm, this château also comes with a pretty garden with its own maze and swimming pool.

Besides the ballroom, the ground-floor living space includes a large kitchen and scullery, reception room and office, while on the first floor are six bedrooms (some with en-suites), with a laundry room and four further potential rooms ready for conversion on the second floor. The property has been tastefully refurbished, keeping lots of features but injecting a bright and airy feel.

Another highlight is the grand rear terrace – perfect for a chilled glass of wine at the end of a long summer day. The property also includes a separate two-bedroom cottage and a ruin, which could potentially be incorporated into any B&B plans a new owner might have!

Limousin
More adventurous buyers might be tempted by this medieval château tucked away in the picturesque Périgord-Limousin national park, but still only 30 minutes from Limoges.

The property, built at the end of the 16th Century, is in need of much work but is undoubtedly bursting with potential, thanks to its location, history and lay-out. At present, the living space is divided into around 24 rooms, 13 being bedrooms, all of which could work as six independent areas or lodgings – suitable as a tourist accommodation or type of mixed-use complex.

There is also an old chapel and three large outbuildings, including the original forge and a shop. The river that runs alongside the property adds to the soothing, rural atmosphere.