The Chateau Diaries #17 Royally-flushed: tales and tattles from the skeptic tank

[FrenchGirl123]

Not a new member here (I was in threads 1 to 4) but I had to leave for a while. I've read all the 17 threads though. Sorry in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes as english is not my first language (french is).

Re. the difficulties for Stephanie to get a French passport (and not to renew her French passport as she said herself that she didn't have one), it might be explained by one simple thing. BTW French passports are not expensive (30 euros) unlike the Irish passport (1000 euros).
Someone here found Isabelle's maiden name : Biggio (Italian name).
Italians emigrated en masse in the 1930's to France, USA and some to UK.
I googled this name coupled with Jarvis and found Isabelle's mother's obituary notice in a local newspaper. She lived in a nursing home in Béziers (South France) at the time of her death (she was 96).
In this notice, you can find the name of all her children and grandchildren.
She had 6 children and lots of grandchildren.
Stephanie has many cousins, some in France, some in UK or USA (haven't found where exactly but they have an English name).

The first name in this list is Isabelle's brother (who came to visit Lalande a few months ago but didn't really appeared on camera).
He currently lives in Béziers too and was born in 1944. He spent his secondary school years in Madagascar (a French colony at the time) from 1958 to 1961 (Madagascar became independent in 1960).
Stephanie said in her early vlogs that her grandfather was an officer in the French colonial army (called La Coloniale).
All this makes sense.

Isabelle was born in 1942. So she was 18 when Madagascar became independent. We can assume she was still living with her parents until then.
We are told that she went to England to become a nurse when she was 20.

My point is that Isabelle must have had VERY few contacts and links with France, with French people and with French life until the chateau de la Lande was bought.
Hence Stephanie's lack of knowledge for the French traditions (the Galette des Rois was awful to watch for me) and the French lifestyle.

So when Stephanie was born, Isabelle didn't see the interest of/think of registering her daughter's birth at the French Embassy where they lived.
And now, Stephanie must go through a complicated and long process to get her French citizenship.

This "colonial" lifestyle background might explain SJ and IS's attitude with other people too.
That was the first point I wanted to make.
To be continued

 

[Frances Nicole]

Fast Forward with Frances

Chateau Gossip

• Apologies for not bringing up anything discussed before Stephanie's new vlog aired, but the new vlog has taken up much more of the airwaves here because it seemed to address (some here may say attempted to address) every single thing we talk about on this thread!?
• Stephanie uploaded a vlog titled "How Youtube Saved My Chateau" which highlighted the financial journey Stephanie took to own the chateau, the extensive early renovations that were never filmed, how she struggled when her father died/mother left/Nic left, ETTCDIY and finally how youtube and patreon are each funding the physical and operational work at the chateau.

Takeaways:

• She mentioned during her 'dark' time, she lived on the property with caretakers in the what I think is now Nic and Marie's apartment. She seemed to emphasize how hard that time was for her, how she wasn't in a good place, she was struggling etc. I wonder if she is alluding to the fact that maybe she regrets her behavior back then? And perhaps she regrets the way things ended with the caretakers mentioned, who we know to be the original tall Dutch men?
• She mentioned the Elusive Nic was against Cadeaux at the Chateau before it became a charity channel.
• She enlightened us with the fact that Angelina and Phil of Chateau Life had their youtube channel first which ... ouch that must hurt them. Judge her all you want but it's obvious Stephanie is skilled at presenting/hosting/interviewing/whatever because she has been extremely successful. and for Michael's channel to literally explode on the platform ... oh gosh. I had always thought Stephanie was the first and everyone copied her because it worked! Guess not
• Personal opinion here - I kind of love that Stephanie paid for the bulk of the renovations and is now the one raking in the $$ over Nic and Michael. Girl Power
• You can clearly see the connection she is making to the concept of taking other people's money to preserve an old building. Some tattlers feel she glossed over the whole "having to pay people a decent wage to work in fancy buildings brought down the industry", alluding more towards taxes being the issue.
  • I see both ends of the debate here. Opening up these estates to help preserve them does make sense, but is the reality of the lives of the people who *worked* at these estates, ran them etc. being erased so we can all fantasize about the glamour of the land owners?
  • Here is where there is a bit of confusion for me personally - many estates that have families live in them and run them as businesses, retreats, weddings, events, b&bs etc, but the idea of staying at a chateau to spend time with the people who live there? Does that mean the staff have "eat with the guests" as part of their job description? Will they not be allowed to leave if guests are there? Will Stephanie have to plan her post covid travel escapades around the stays of her patrons so she can eat dinner with them? That is very confusing to me ... also scary! In America so many youtubers are stalked and harassed by fans. I hope the safety of her staff and herself are considered before they move forward with this...
• Confirmed Dan + Selmar are paid by patreon, Nati and Philip are paid by youtube revenue
• She made a point to let viewers know she offered Marie a paying job to cook at the chateau over the summer, but does not mention if she has/has not been paying Marie for the whole time Marie has been at the chateau in the pandemic.
• Stephanie was given inheritance from her parents house, which helped her pay for the early renovations on the chateau. The sale of two apartments (hers + Nics) were what gave them the $ to pay for the chateau itself.
• Michael Potts only bought into the chateau in 2019
  • this surprised me! I had always thought he had been involved a bit longer
• Chapel restoration, terrace work, THE LAKE - all in the process of happening, some builders are already scheduled and will arrive in March
• The facade seems to be in the pipeline as well, but nothing scheduled or planned yet
• Mentioned that all exterior walls do have insulation BUT they did not (or do not?) have all the windows double glazed, so the geo thermal heat is not as effective.
• The chateau has a great roof, chapel roof on the other hand was a mess and was the very first renovation they made at the request of the previous owners.
• Gravel is pink because it was recommended to them to choose a gravel that matched the original stonework
• She links to youtube channels and instagram accounts of other chateau owners to hopefully spread some love.
  • Personal opinion - I think she addressed the criticism the right way. Now some may think she is still not being honest, grifting whatever etc etc. BUT from a "trying to run a business" perspective. She did not point fingers. She did not complain. She did not disparage anyone. She came across as honest and sincere (whether you think she is, thats to each of our own opinions), she didn't intentionally send any of her followers here!! Whether she meant to or not, she answered legitimate questions that have been raised here that her fans may have read when Michael and Ryan sent them over here. Some here may still have questions, but I bet her patrons are pretty satisfied.

Please quote and add what I missed! XO

 

[Jeeves]

Has non-profit status been confirmed (to cover up tax evasion)? It's not a monument historique in a state of ruin that is in desperate need of restoration; she lives in the château and any improvements made will improve her cadre de vie and augment the château's value. If/when it is sold she (and the two co-owners) will benefit from any profit made. How can that be non-profit? It's utterly ridiculous! Every château owner in France could do that and then not pay a penny in tax. Doesn't make any sense. There are many unanswered questions: is the YT/Patreon money declared? Has income from the flat in London been declared? Have any accounts abroad been declared?

There's a whole network of scroungers - Scrounger Jarvis, the High Priestess of Greed, who's never worked and has been scrounging since the day she was born, Get-on-Your Wiik Marie, the obsequious know-it-all Dan the Gardener, the Petherpricks, and BuyMeaCoffee No-Life Ryan (and many others) - who need to be investigated for tax evasion.

I'm not sure that one could fairly describe Dan as obsequious - I certainly don't see him fawning towards SJ. I think he is respectful towards her as his employer / customer. He does his job, he isn't afraid to offer alternative suggestions but at the end of the day, she is the client and as such, makes the final decision. I think that it would be foolish to mistake Dan's natural reserve for being a pushover and wouldn't want to push Dan too far.

 

[Marquis de Potpourri]

Modern high way robbers - taking it to the bank ...its a private home
it's not a listed building ...

I should start a Patreon account
....my parents' townhouse that was built by a very prominent New Yorker in 1877 needs a new security system (with the crime rate rising in the city my family needs better protection). My 'mummy' also wants to replace the countertops in the kitchen (pink marble is so 1990s, white is the new pink). The gym in the basement needs new glass doors (the old French doors made of wood and glass are a bit outdated). The sidewalk in front of the house needs to be pressure-washed. The back garden also needs to be redone (we need to get it ready for spring so my mom can celebrate her 48th birthday in the garden---she wants a waterfall).

Become my patron and help restore this amazing piece of historical property on the Upper East Side.

 

[Frances Nicole]

Fast Forward with Frances
Please 'Quote' to add anything I may have missed!

Thread Gossip

• We all agree French accents are hot
• We also all agree reading may be fundamental, but spelling is hard!

Chateau Gossip

• Before the actual zoom meeting occurred there was much discussion over if Stephanie excluding the lower tier patrons was a smart business choice or not. Would the lower tier patrons care? @ComtesseRose wondered if their audience with the Queen would lean more Marie Antoinette or Queen of Hearts?
• Chat over what the Channel 4 equivalent would be in America. Consensus came to FOX.
• Discussion over how long Chateau owners are contractually tied to ETTC DIY, @Pno brought up the excellent point that chateau owners seem to be a dime a dozen in France so they are easily replaceable
• The thread pondered if Stephanie would be accepted/cancelled/adored on American TV.
• There are a few tattlers who really have it out for Stephanie and crew, whether it's regarding taxes or business dealings or personal past.
• Zoom drama continued - Insider patrons revealed that lower tier patrons were *furious* in the comments and felt it was becoming an "us vs them" situation, calling themselves "peasant level" (side note: maybe Stephanie didn't include the lower tier patrons because she knows there are some tattlers in there??)
• @Marquis de Potpourri , resident photographer, caught Nati's incredible facial expressions in the latest vlog. If looks could kill!
• More discussion on the timeline of vlog events, inconsistent and confusing. tattlers are quite good at finding clues though ...
• Marie posted another mental health vlog and garnered much sympathy from most of us. Consensus seems to be we all earnestly hope Marie can find a more supportive and healthy place to live ASAP. The change in Marie's demeanor from 2019 vlogs to now was noted, with concern.
• Seems the zoom call was held and Stephanie is editing it to post for the lower tier patrons, and did apologize if anyone felt excluded.
• Loki Cleveland came back to the live chat with vengeance, and Philip gratefully accepted ... tattle wondered how it would feel if Loki's PUBLIC messages were sent to a woman ...
• @Linus noted that NONE of the chateau crew were present for Marie's premiere, even though it immediately followed Stephanie's
• @Geordieboy71 pointed out that Stephanie has never interviewed Marie for her patron exclusive video series. Possible Marie has declined?
• A few tattlers brought up how Stephanie seems to have skipped the cross contamination portion of the Food Safety & Sanitation course in regards to a raw meat and salt situation in the latest vlog

As always, everything and nothing. XO

 

[Milre]

Let's hope something gets changed now...

I think, because of her learning disabilities, she's slow and finds it difficult with the customers wishes in a florist shop. It must be frustrating for her and she chooses to create content at her own pace. Basic florist degree takes ~1,5yrs full time in Norway, you can continue your studies (total 3yrs.)

Thanks for the info. But cooking and waitressing is a demanding job, too. Bad working hours.

 

[OopsieDaisy222]

I'm a lower tier patron and I'm reading the comments. I can tell you they are a crap show. People are FURIOUS. One said "It's a bit like being asked to watch a party you were not invited to" Another said "Us < Them" I expect a few to find their way here. That was not the raging success she thought it would be and she's yet to post the video of it.

 

[Princess and the Pea]

Now I have stopped lurking I want to say something else which I do not agree with (I have gotten confidence now so pride comes before a fall!)

Please realise that for me democracy is very important. I read (lurk) other threads too but I have to say something about this thread. I ask here is this thread a democracy or monarchy? Other threads have votes for thread titles etc. Recently I saw a perfect title, one that strikes at the heart of a French speaking woman, words equivalent to a cold bucket of ice over the head of a vain women. Yet another thread title was chosen.

Okay, I did not think much about it, I thought probably the same amount of votes, but when I looked, my favourite title had 42 votes and the other (very good) title had 14 - but here is where the fan of democracy is woken from her slumber - someone, a new member, decided that the one with least votes should be chosen. This was supported by two other members.

Now, I am confused, because on Tattle, it is cast by a democratic vote, so explain to me why one new member and two other members have a stronger vote than 42 members? Are these 42 members less than the 3 members who made the decision? The title is not relevant but the taking of liberties is (for me). So this thread does has a sort of hierarchy with some posters very active but I don't understand a new member (who blocks views of their contribution) over-riding the votes of so many other members, some here for many threads.

I hope this is makeing sense, I am not telling people what to do, just wondering why bother with votes if they are ignored? Just say X is the boss and decides titles Just be honest.

I think dear Laurent you might be in danger of taking this Tattle too seriously & this is said with kindness not being judgemental. I don't care about the titles (well maybe just one of them but I won't elaborate as to why!). I've personally never noticed who has 'won' the title naming. All of the suggestions that come through just make me laugh. I hope you will take this in the spirit in which it is meant.

 

[Linus]

One of her superfans expressed their concerns that they were worried for her safety in reopening the B and B because they had been reading on that nasty site.

Yes. Heavens forbid someone from the nasty site showed up at the freckin' chateau. Especially after reading all their insinuations posted in their appalling, evil site.

(And this is a small sample)

 

[oldandoverit]

14 years??!! 14 years??? A privileged wanna be princess buys an expensive toy and now everyone must bail her out! Sell the damn grand piano or the jag or the tank watch. I'm a bit enraged right now, must step away to get a grip ha

 

[Frances Nicole]

Fast Forward with Frances
Please 'Quote' to add anything I may have missed!

Thread Gossip

• @FrannyBee has returned and enlightened us on an old school Australian loo situation
• New thread was started, thank you @lolander
• @Gibson insists he is *not* @Heathcliffe

Chateau Gossip

• thank you @Sandton for the glasses explanation! "Re glasses. After driving around without glasses since hers broke several years ago. Stefniiii decided to go get new glasses. Unlike most normal people who would get one pair or maybe two to have one as a spare sj decided to get three pairs of expensive designer glasses in true Princess stefniiii style."
• @Marquis de Potpourri confirms the rug *has* been brought back inside, conversation is had over the fact that the rug doesn't seem to have been cleaned .... even though a "carpet shampooer/vacuum cleaner" has been spotted at the chateau in a previous vlog - thank you for the reminder @Lorelei60
• More chapel chat
• @Clara Burnett's friends and Dan have been posting about severe flooding in the area, but no mention from Stephanie yet. tattler's are trying to piece together when the latest vlogs were actually filmed.
• I don't completely understand 'what' was declared, but something official was declared with La Lande on December 29, 2020 in the sub-prefecture of La Châtre - what was declared? has Stephanie shared it was declared with patreons?
  • @YoungAtHeart says "When you make an “Association 1901” in France you have to register and declare it at your local Prefecture. It’s all quite tightly controlled. You have to declare the statutes of the association, members, paid or unpaid, etc etc."
  • @arthur adds "declaration and registration don't involve necessarily non-profit"
  • @lolander wonders "Just one question: What happens to the patreon money donated before Dec 29th? Is it her private income? Patreons, keep us posted!"
• Instead of a patron video this week, Stephanie and gang are hosting a zoom call ... but are not inviting the bottom tiers. Stephanie must have assessed the risk and decided upsetting any lower tier patrons was a financially sound choice?

As always, everything and nothing XO

 

[FauxChateau]

Omg anyone else catching the premier

Lotll is reworked her narrative
someone has gotten a media advisor

apparently now monies were her inheritance
Given early - how she bought the London flat

threads have been dealt with in order
you have to hand it to her
chatelaine ..... it’s planet SSB

Watching the premier now... SJ is the best bullshit artist in the world. She's discussing all the various options she considered to make money to support the chateau. The most amusing thing is that none of the options she considered involved getting a job.

 

[Pno]

Finally caught up with the gift grab.

Whilst I like to idea of the moderators - good move, they have to be effective. Loki seemed to behave himself on the main "YTSMC" Vlog but he was his usual OTT and sexually inappropriate in the gift grab one.

Or was he.

Could he and PP be in the throws of a new relationship hence the declarations of love.

Loki admits he loves PP, has stalked him and PP has reciprocated with the same.

Even Sir Trotter came in for some of the attention.

Someone actually complained and made a great point!

 

[Linus]

Not everyone is buying it...

 

[Frances Nicole]

Fast Forward with Frances
Not to be taken as doctrine - just trying to help the hard working tattlers of the world
Please 'Quote' and add anything I may have missed!

Thread Gossip

• @MojoDublin emerged from her rabbit hole with a few receipts - could the In Our Humble Opinion facebook group be an ode to tattle? Happy Valentine's Day indeed - I think I speak for all of us when I say we are flattered! In Our Humble Opinion, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery And perhaps now you understand why we, as one of you so eloquently put it, "are very suspicious of newbies"

Chateau Gossip

• More conversation had over Loki + Phillip's live PUBLIC chats. Thread seems under the consensus that we are all adults here and if they are in a relationship, these messages could be private. It does not come across as them being in any sort of a relationship though. It comes across as extremely predatory. Read through all the evidence compiled by @Geordieboy71 - everything is there. Does Stephanie think it's funny and because of the power dynamic going on in her and Philip's relationship he "thinks" it's funny too? Even if it is a joke to them, the graphic comments could be triggering to numerous survivors and you would think Stephanie would be aware of that. Many on thread think Philip is too young to realize what is really going on. @Clara Burnett points out how quickly comments perceived as "negative" are deleted, but Loki's comments are encouraged...
• Marie has continue to stay engaged with her community and it seems to be $$paying$$ off - run Marie run!
• Much chat about the underfloor heating that just has to be installed in mummy's apartment which is effectively kicking Marie (and her floral studio) out. A few tattlers wonder if her 'lease' was up A few tattlers also wonder if it's the sudden patron support that makes the underfloor heating possible, for some reason it wasn't possible when the original renovation occurred?
• @FrenchGirl123 gave us very informative posts re: the whole passport saga - I recommend reading as my synopsis would not do justice!
• @Rory enlightened us on the **exclusive** upper tier patron zoom call, thank you Rory! "OMG the zoom call. It was a quiz with Cat. The quiz was about ...soccer, no kidding it was all about the La Lande tv show. People got upset because Boy wonder Media Manager or whoever was in charge didn't realise ALL patreons were sent an email invite to attend even though call only open to top tiers.Then to settle the complaints SJ said "oh I'll share edited video with you, I always meant to." People upset as they don't want this as part of their weekly patreon call. So she did a video apologising and offered the questions but not the answers, yet. Even Jill Scott said she didn't know all the answers. And several people wrote their unhappiness with exclusion, donating money for repair of chateau not singing and dancing or zoom calls. Attacked for comments so leaving patreon. Val brought Tattle back into the mix again (????) Not sure why but she likes to raise us like Voldemort - he who must not be named. The end."
• Scotman's latest mission seems to be one of social media PR for Princess Stephanie, he has always been her caretaker...
• @JustCommonSense dropped some historical knowledge on the thread, and added to the ongoing discussion here of Stephanie (and all chateau youtubers really) using France and it's "allure" to outsiders when it suits her, but not embracing France completely with hiring French builders, cooking French food for guests, etc.
• Chat about Dick and Angel's road to fame and fortune compared to everyone's favorite youtube crew. Are they all bumbling grifters? A consensus was not reached

As always, everything and nothing. XO

 

[Kickintheass]

Marie needs to create her flower arrangemens for the customer not to please herself or they will never sell.
When she says she is working on contracts I believe she is attempting to draft these in the hope of having clients.

The last time Marie stayed in HMN she used up her savings. If she is using them again this time, she will need lots of patreon and YT income to give her sufficient funds to set up a business.

During lockdown last year I did an online flower arranging course. It was a starter course with five arrangements to be prepared and photos submitted for certification. The flowers required were included in the cost and were shipped directly to students all over Ireland from Holland plus a kit contains the necessary sundries. We had lots of Facebook videos to watch covering lots of aspects of the business. I learned how to cost arrangements and calculate retail price which should cover fixed costs, premises. Electricity, phone, marketing etc. Cost X 3 = normal retail. X 4 for interflora and X 5 for weddings. There are minimum amounts of flowers that must be ordered so it is vital to use and sell them all or risk expensive wastage and losses.

A couple of photos attached. Probably the nearest I'll get to flowers this valentines day.

 

[Rory]

It's up to Marie to protect her son, I'm afraid. When it comes to the two boys, it's rather clear they will sacrifice each and every bit of morality for their ongoing adoration of SJ.


Definitely not something to wonder, I bet you know the answer. Really good question to bring up in a patreon discussion. Do we know what the zoom with the top tier patreons was about?

OMG the zoom call. It was a quiz with Cat. The quiz was about ...soccer, no kidding it was all about the La Lande tv show. People got upset because Boy wonder Media Manager or whoever was in charge didn't realise ALL patreons were sent an email invite to attend even though call only open to top tiers.
Then to settle the complaints SJ said "oh I'll share edited video with you, I always meant to." People upset as they don't want this as part of their weekly patreon call. So she did a video apologising and offered the questions but not the answers, yet. Even Jill Scott said she didn't know all the answers. And several people wrote their unhappiness with exclusion, donating money for repair of chateau not singing and dancing or zoom calls. Attacked for comments so leaving patreon. Val brought Tattle back into the mix again (????) Not sure why but she likes to raise us like Voldemort - he who must not be named.
The end.

 

[FrenchGirl123]

I cannot see why you say there is a lack of interest in anything remotely French. It is bound to be mixed up with being born in the UK for SJ & for her mother having lived in UK since age of 20. But there are lots of references to French special days, food & interest in history & culture & fabrics & museums. I guess a lot of it may be for the camera but I don't see a complete lack of interest.

I've never seen any French food being cooked or eaten at Lalande. Except this poor Galette des Rois.

Culture... Souleiado maybe ? That's not French culture. Many French people don't even know this brand because...they can't afford it ! It's a luxury for rich people.

I've never heard SJ speaking of french literature (Balzac, Zola, Rimbaud, Molière, etc etc) or philosophy or music etc. Painters ? Oh yes, with Oliver, one video about one French painter who came nearby.

Special French days... Epiphany ? She clearly had no idea what it was about and how to do it... apart from destroying her slice of Galette des Rois, in a way a kid would never been allowed to do in a French home.

History... Marie Antoinette welcome by a Lalande owner ? Don't make me laugh about this please (when you know how these sort of ceremonies were organised and why at that time).

In her videos, SJ speaks of British food, British culture and British lifestyle most of the time. Which I found ironic when she's trying so hard to sell her YouTube channel as a "French life in a French Chateau".

Ah yes, I forgot : something is French in her videos : the Chateau de Lalande

 

[JimmyJams]

The whole thing is evil and gripping but not in a good way!

I have not girded my loins to watch any but the first 5 minutes of 'how her chateau was saved' but I will say this, from the off I thought she looked uncomfortably nervous and she was very obviously trying really hard to retain her normal smiley, happy self. Also there was lots of eye fluttering going on which is usually a sign of deceit. Whoever said she looked relaxed, nah, not to me, it was a performance!

I think she is very worried by the Tattlers and knows for sure there are people out in the real world who see her for what she really is, and we ain't going away Steph, just so you know.

By the way I am planning to start a channel on how I am going to renovate my 1840's granite pile in Scotland, forget the one in New York, mine is far more worthy because I said so!

 

[Frances Nicole]

Fast Forward with Frances
Not to be taken as doctrine - just trying to help the hard working tattlers of the world
Please 'Quote' and add anything I may have missed!

Thread Gossip

• Title Naming - should we create a more official democratic process for title naming?

Chateau Gossip

• Marie has posted another youtube video and Stephanie and Philip graced the court with their presence at the premiere.
• A very thoughtful comment was left (and shared here) about Loki Clevelands latest "cage" comment and how it is completely inappropriate. *side note - are there guidelines on youtube for comments?* This specific patron said they will no longer give their patronage because of the behavior as it has caused distressed.
• We were alerted that D&A are starting a new facebook page
• Dear Brenda says all opinions are welcome but we are learning that but actions speak louder than words ... and she is deleting comments
• Two words - Philip's pants. Philip said he grabbed them from Stephanie's discard pile, but also posted himself wearing them 4 months ago. Perhaps Prince Philip has had his eyes on those precious pants for a while now? Maybe that is why he decided to stay? He's not leaving without those pants!!
• A bit of discussion on Marie's video where she explains her journey to La Lande, her childhood and having a learning disability. And also discussion of the awkward moment where Stephanie films Marie when Marie obviously does not want to be filmed

As always, everything and nothing XO



oh and Free Britney!