Sophie Duncan

After an English childhood, Sophie moved to France as a newlywed and immersed herself in renovating a 16th-century château in the Aude. She managed holiday homes, welcomed volunteers, and created a Cathar tour business, falling in love with the Pyrenees. In 2016, Château St Ferriol featured on Channel 4’s Escape to the Chateau DIY.

Inspired, Sophie traveled France meeting other “Châteaunauts,” discovering what really mattered behind the TV pool-pump dramas. Beyond France is full of humour, warmth, and practical advice. Born in Dublin, she is the eldest granddaughter of Gaelic author Eithne Strong.

Sophie is now working on a comic novel satirising family law, offering a sharp yet lighthearted view of a system in need of reform.