An Evening with Dick and Angel
Dick and Angel Strawbridge with Susan and Brendan Fenton
On Tuesday night in Brisbane, under the golden lights of QPAC, Brendan and I had one of those rare, heart-lifting experiences that remind you why you started your journey in the first place.
We were there to see Dick and Angel Strawbridge – the iconic, wonderfully eccentric couple behind Escape to the Chateau. For years, we’ve followed their story from afar: their leap of faith into a crumbling French château, their creativity, grit, and enormous hearts poured into every corner of their new life. So many of us have watched from our couches as they transformed chaos into charm, one turret and chandelier at a time.
But seeing them live? That was something else entirely.
Their show was a joyful, funny, and tender telling of their journey – how they met, how they took on the massive challenge of a lifetime, and how they’ve woven their family into the fabric of that extraordinary home. Arthur and Dorothy – now young teens – even made appearances on screen, and honestly, I may have teared up (blame the lighting... or the nostalgia... or just a good ol' French red).
After the show, Brendan and I were lucky enough to meet Dick and Angel in person and grab a photo together. They were just as warm and genuine as you’d hope – and in that brief moment, it struck me how similar our own path has been.
Thirteen years ago, after watching A Good Year (yes, the one with Russell Crowe soaking up the Luberon sunshine – the very same film that sparked Dick and Angel’s French château dream during a weekend escape), Brendan and I felt that same pull. We’d already owned a home in the charming village of Murviel-lès-Béziers for several years, but deep down we were still searching for our forever French home – something more permanent, more soulful. That film lit the spark. Not long after, we found our own forgotten beauty in the village of Mazan, in Provence – an 830-year-old home with peeling plaster, broken shutters, and the kind of soul you can’t fake. Brendan, being an architect, saw the bones. I saw the dream. Together, we brought her back to life.
Since then, we’ve opened our doors to guests from around the world, inviting them to experience the real Provence. We host small groups – just six guests at a time – for five nights and six days, guiding them through our beloved region with wine, food, laughter and local stories. It’s not fancy or staged – it’s heartfelt, authentic, and full of joy. Much like Dick and Angel’s ethos.
Their story continues to inspire us. They’ve shown the world what’s possible when love, hard work, and a bit of audacity come together. And last night reminded us that we’re not alone in this journey – that others, too, are renovating not just buildings, but entire ways of life.
If you’re ever in Provence, wandering the vineyards or hunting for antiques in the markets of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, you just might find us there – glass of rosé in hand, chairs pulled up under the plane trees, and our hearts wide open to the next adventure.
And Dick and Angel – if by some magic you ever find yourselves in the south – our home is your home.
With gratitude and sunshine from both hemispheres,
Susan x
