Escape to your very own French chateau

If you've been watching Escape to the Chateau, the Channel 4 series that follows Dick Strawbridge and Angel Adoree as they restore Château de la Motte-Husson, a 19th-century chateau in the Pays de la Loire, then you might have your own dreams of owning a grand pad in the French countryside.

Over eight series and 41 episodes, Dick and Angel have knocked down walls, rebuilt turrets, installed Versailles-inspired bathrooms and laboured in the garden at their 45-room castle. It's a non-stop round of repairs and hard graft in between hosting holidaymakers, organising weddings and raising their two children, Arthur and Dorothy.

If this sounds like a restoration project too far for you, fear not, for France has a majestic collection of exquisite chateaux - an estimated 40,000 plus in all - and the vast majority of them are privately owned.

Here is our selection of French castles currently on the market, ideal for you to make your own escape to a chateau in 2022.

A moated chateau in Bordeaux

For a chateau that ticks all the boxes for romance - a moat, idyllic turrets and a noble past - look no further than this majestic property that has stepped straight out of a fairy-tale. Dating back to the 14th century and extensively renovated eight years ago, it has 15 rooms in all, 10 bedrooms and a vaulted cellar.

The chateau is 30 minutes from Bordeaux airport in south-west France, an illustrious wine region, so stocking that vaulted cellar shouldn't be too tricky.

Take a closer look at the property below:

A restored chateau in Languedoc-Roussillon

This chateau between Carcassonne and Narbonne in the Languedoc has been renovated with love and a wonderfully on-trend eye for pared-back style. Panelled walls, marble floors, exquisite herringbone parquet and a curving staircase of joy: it has it all.

Accommodation is spread over three floors and includes seven bedrooms, three of them en-suite, a dining room, library, sitting room and gallery. The ground floor, with kitchen, breakfast room, TV room and bar, has underfloor heating, while the entire chateau is heated by oil.

The chateau dates to 1840 when it was built as a hunting lodge for the local elite and today still sits in 32 hectares - that's close to 80 acres - of wooded and totally private grounds. Close to the chateau, there's a pigeonnier that could be restored into a cosy guest house, gym or a perfect and peaceful work-from-home study.

Take a closer look at the property below:

A chateau among the vineyards in Bordeaux

This artfully renovated and fully furnished home in the famous wine-producing region of Bordeaux has 70 hectares of grounds, an impressive 50 of them covered in vines, fully managed by an onsite team, and all the wine-producing equipment is included in the sale.

Along with six bedrooms and four contemporary bathrooms, there is generous space for entertaining - someone has to come and help sample that wine - and covers 351 square metres in total.

Take a closer look at the property below:

A 17th-century chateau in the Tarn-and-Garonne

There's plenty of local beauty surrounding this chateau on the edge of the town of Beaumont-de-Lomagne in Tarn-et-Garonne. You're close to two of France's most beautiful villages, Sarrant and Auvillar, while Beaumont itself is a 13th-century bastide town with true medieval heritage and bustling modern life.

The chateau lies down an impressive, tree-lined drive in private grounds of over four acres with a garage and swimming pool. Internally, it was renovated 20 years ago and includes grand room sizes, beamed ceilings, fireplaces and bedrooms in two towers, south-east and north-east.

In total there are six bedrooms, five bathrooms, two sitting rooms, an office, dining room, summer room and kitchen. This would make a good choice for anyone keen to do some updating and redecoration without taking on a serious project.

Take a closer look at the property below:

A 19th-century chateau with a view of the Pyrenees

Refined sophistication and a view of the Pyrenees are all part of the deal with this glorious 19th-century chateau one hour from Toulouse, and close to equally elegant Auch, the historical capital of Gascony.

The chateau has 20 rooms, eight bedrooms and grounds of 24 acres, but the pictures tell so much more. This is a splendid home, well located but utterly private, beautifully styled with marble fireplaces and great historical charm.

Outside there is a separate gite and a covered pool, as well other outbuildings waiting for sensitive renovation.

Take a closer look at the property below:

A magnificent piece of French heritage near St Emilion

This citadel in the Bordeaux region, just a 10 minute-drive from the gorgeous pale stoned wine town of St Emilion, is a magnificent piece of French heritage. It comes packed full of history, built in the 11th Century when Gascony was part of Norman England and has its own chapel and watchtowers.

It is carefully positioned on a high and sunny plot with wonderful views over the 13 hectare grounds, and the many outbuildings include stabling, garaging, barns and even a chai - a traditional above ground wine cellar.

The chateau has 37 rooms spread over 800 square metres and requires extensive renovation. On completion it could be a magnificent family house, a dreamy wedding venue or a smart hotel for the tourists who flock to this exceptional wine region.

Take a closer look at the property below: