My Favourite Holiday George Clarke

Architect George Clarke reveals his French fancy!

Sunderland-born George is one of TV’s best known property show faces and has presented a host of series including The Home Show and Build A New Life in the Country.

But the dad-of-three has been focusing of late on his popular Restoration Man and Amazing Spaces series. Both are due back on screen this year with further series already in production.

George is the Improvements Ambassador for Ideal Home Show Scotland at Glasgow’s SECC from May 23 to 26.

He told The Sunday Post about his favourite holiday haunts.

“My early childhood memories were of caravan holidays by the beaches around the north-east. But the first one that really excited me was when we went to Annecy in France, near to Mont Blanc, on a school trip.

“It was the first year of comprehensive school and my parents saved up to let me go. I loved the experience of being abroad.

“I got a job in an architects’ practice just before I went to university and I took myself off to Paris for a week to see some of the buildings I’d heard about as a kid.

“It was the first time I’d even been on a plane as we’d gone by coach and ferry on the school trip. When I’d gone to Costa Blanca with my mum and dad when I was 15 I’m sure the journey took about 27 hours!

“It might sound a sad and lonely thing to do, but I went around Paris on my own with a book and a load of pens sketching things.

“I was obsessed with seeing The Louvre and its triangular glass pyramid. And the Pompidou Centre by Richard Rogers.

“In fact, there are buildings by architects people will never have heard of that gripped me. All of these great works were on my radar and I literally just walked the streets every day, taking in the old and the more contemporary stuff.

“Cities fascinate me. Architecture is a way of life for me, if it wasn’t my job it’d be my hobby. I really do love it that much.

“So, whenever I’m away I love it when I’m surrounded by great buildings modern or old and I can just immerse myself in it.

“California’s one place that has amazing buildings but such a lot else too. I did a three-week trip about four or five years back and fell in love with it.

“It’s got everything, from great beaches to places you can really feel remote. I went up to the north, to the wine-growing regions of the Napa and Sonoma valleys.

“You can understand why the wine is so good as they’ve always got great weather.

“I went to Mexico recently for a quick break, but didn’t get a chance to explore much. And I’ve also filmed in Brazil, which I enjoyed. But I’d really like to have the time to see a bit more of South America.”

Tickets and info for Ideal Home Show Scotland at showscotland.co.uk.