French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED
French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED is your honest, no-fluff guide to renovating, restoring, and surviving property projects in France.Whether you’re a first-time buyer, a seasoned renovator, or just dreaming of owning property in France, we provide real stories, insider tips, and actionable advice to help you avoid mistakes, save money, and navigate your renovation journey with confidence.From understanding French planning laws and insurance requirements to choosing the right people for the job when you haven't got the skills, time or qualifications to 'do it yourself', you'll find it here. And if you like hanging out with us, you ca...
Rants & Bants! (The one where we consider doing Bulgarian Reno Diaries)
What do a Bulgarian holiday from hell, a suspicious YouTube arrangement, the rise of eco villages, and an 18% energy bill discount have in common? They're all on the menu in this 'Rants and Bants' episode of French Reno Diaries, brought to you by Rosie and Sue (Micala is off doing charity work - more on that soon).
Resources mentioned:
A New Life in the Sun - C4 series following people starting new lives across Europe.Le Manoir Cachet, Merdrignac - a beautifully renovated manoir in Brittany.Label Energy - the green energy supplier Sue...Do you really need a project manager for your French renovation?
Think you can save money by managing your own renovation project in France? You might want to listen to this first.
In this episode, Rosie and Sue (Micala is off running a fundraising event - more on that next time) get into the detail on project management: what a professional project manager actually does, what it costs, the legal framework you need to understand as a homeowner in France, and the red flags to watch out for when hiring one. Frank, practical and - as ever - unfiltered.
For a detailed summary of everything discussed...
Rants & Bants! (The one where everyone's an expert)
Ever watched a YouTube home renovator call themselves an "expert" and felt your eye twitch? You're not alone.
In this week's Rants & Bants (the shorter, free-flowing episodes where Rosie, Sue and Micala get everything off their chests) the hosts take aim at the growing army of self-styled renovation gurus online, question whether Facebook is ever the right place to ask about electrics or insulation, and commiserate over the unique hell of waiting for deliveries in rural France. Will you learn something? Probably. Will you laugh? Without a doubt.
Resources mentioned:
Chambre de...Women in reno in France (and why visibility matters more than ever)
What unique challenges - and opportunities - do women face in the traditionally male-dominated renovation industry?
In this empowering episode of French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, timed to coincide (almost!) with International Women's Day 2026, Rosie, Sue, and Micala share personal stories and insights in a typically unfiltered and lively discussion.
What we talk about:
Celebrating women artisans in the renovation sector.Misogyny in the construction industry and social media dynamics.The importance of creating safe spaces for women to ask questions.The impact of visibility in traditionally male-dominated fields.Personal stories of navigating...French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where the dream meets French paperwork)
Win a château? Sounds dreamy. Until you realise you might also need a business plan, a visa renewal strategy and enough income to satisfy the prefecture.
In this Rants & Bants episode, Sue, Rosie and Micala chat about the Win a Château TV show, the realities of post-Brexit life in France, language requirements, titre de séjour delays and yet another heated Facebook debate about décennale insurance.
It’s lighter than our chunky episodes, but if you’re renovating or planning to move to France, there are some important realities woven in.
As alw...
How to be a good client (and get the best out of your artisan)
What makes a French renovation project run smoothly? And what quietly destroys trust between a homeowner and their artisan? In this episode, we reveal the secret to being a good client in France - and what it's fair to expect from your artisan.
From communication and paperwork to boundaries, payment terms and unrealistic deadlines, we share what actually helps a project succeed (and what makes trades walk away).
If you’re renovating in France and want better results, fewer delays and a more positive working relationship, this episode is essential listening. We’ve also pulled toge...
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Micala gets nostalgic about Burger King)
In this Rants & Bants episode (our shorter, more spontaneous, but always - okay, mostly - reno focused chats), we get all het up about everything from being ghosted after sending detailed quotes, to Facebook “expert” opinions on pricing, to the realities of buying and flipping property in today’s French property market. Most importantly though, we discuss Mr Kipling cakes and Burger King. Plus, the chic brackets we're importing from Poland...
Resources mentioned:
The Connexion – English-language newspaper covering French news and current affairsLeroy Merlin – Major French DIY and renovation retailerBrico Dépôt – Budget building suppl...Planning a dream, not a nightmare: Everything you need to know about planning permits before renovating in France!
Planning rules can make or break a French renovation. So, in this episode, we unpack how planning permits in France actually work, why the mairie should always be your first stop - and what can go wrong if it isn’t!
If you’re renovating (or thinking about buying) property in France, this episode will help you avoid expensive mistakes, delays and legal headaches.
We’ve also pulled the key concepts, definitions and resources together in written form on our website, so you can revisit the details whenever you need to.
*** www.frenchrenodiaries.com...
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Rosie slips on her Riot Women shoes)
What are you really paying for when you hire an artisan in France? Why do two quotes for the same work look so different? How much profit do artisans make on renovation work?
If you're asking yourself (or Google) these questions, you'll find all the answers here!
In this Rants & Bants episode, Rosie, Sue and Micala talk openly about the realities of running trade businesses in France - and what homeowners often misunderstand about how those businesses work (spoiler: we’re not milking you for all you’re worth and driving around in Ferraris).
We...
Why insurance IS worth the paper it's written on (despite what you're being told on Facebook)
If you’re renovating a property in France, chances are you’ve heard the term assurance décennale - along with claims that's it's not worth the paper it's written on. In this episode, Rosie, Sue and Micala explain why it most certainly IS!
There’s are lots of details you'll want to remember, so we’ve pulled everything together into a clear, written guide on our website: www.frenchrenodiaries.com
Resources mentioned in the episode
Service Public - the official French government website for rules on construction, insurance and homeowner responsibilities.Your loca...French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Sue sticks it to the man who bought a village)
Rants & Bants episodes are informal, off-the-cuff chats - think of them like secretly recorded calls. Less polish, more spontaneity - but always insightful!
What we discuss in this episode
Why renovation TV and YouTube often create unrealistic expectations (for a deeper dive into this topic, listen to Episode #3: The reality behind the dream: What YouTube and TV shows don't tell you about renovating in France.The hidden realities behind “cheap” French properties and big renovation dreams.Awkward truths about quotes, costs and why trades need to make a profit (for more about costs, listen to E...The reality behind the dream: What YouTube and TV shows don't tell you about renovating in France
In this episode of French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, Rosie, Michaela and Sue pull back the curtain on reality TV renovation shows and glossy YouTube channels - and compare them with what actually happens on real renovation projects in France.
TV shows mentioned:
Escape to the Chateau (now known as Chateau DIY)A Place in the SunNew Life in the SunThe episode also references several renovation-focused YouTube channels:
Chateau de PurnonHow to Renovate a ChateauOh No Another ChateauHelpful resources mentioned:
Service Public – Official French government in...Why budgets blow: The brutal truth about renovation costs in France
In this episode of French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, we tackle one of the biggest and most emotionally charged topics for anyone renovating in France: money. Specifically, why renovation budgets so often blow out, why DIY is not always the saving people think it is, and why French renovation costs feel so shocking if you arrive with UK (or other overseas) expectations.
Resources & tools mentioned in this episode
Artisan Central – pre-checked trades directory and homeowner resource covering devis, insurance and renovation planningCapeb – French construction trade association with an online directory of registered trades by regionBricoCash – DIY an...Our uncensored French renovation stories - and what we wish we'd done differently
In this first episode of French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, we - Rosie, Micala and Sue - share our own French renovation journeys. No TV edits, no rose-tinted fantasies - just the raw, honest truth about buying, renovating, and surviving building projects in France.
Between us, we’ve renovated multiple properties across Brittany, Burgundy, the Gers and beyond. We talk about what drew us to France, the mistakes we made early on, and the lessons we learned the hard way.
What we talk about in this episode:
Why renovating in France takes far lo...French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED - the trailer
Wondering what you can expect from French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED? We made this trailer just for you. If you like what you hear, follow the podcast on your favourite listening app to be sure you don't miss an episode.
