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 Sun
• New Life in the Sun

The episode also references several renovation-focused YouTube channels:

• Chateau de Purnon
• How to Renovate a Chateau
• Oh No Another Chateau

Helpful resources mentioned:

• Service Public – Official French government information
• FrenchEntrée – English-language resource for living and renovating in France
• Leroy Merlin & Brico Depot – In-store advice, materials and specification sheets
• Local mairie offices and professional artisans for accurate guidance
• Facebook groups (use with caution — advice is often mixed!)

Listener comments: Thanks to Anna, Helen and Claire from our Facebook community for sharing their experiences and insights - we loved reading your comments and comparing them to what we see on TV renovation shows.

Connect:

Facebook | Instagram

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://frenchrenodiaries.substack.com/

Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.com

Find out more about us and our French reno businesses:

Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)

S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)

Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)

Credits:

• Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright
• Music: Grand Project

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 planning
• Capeb – French construction trade association with an online directory of registered trades by region
• BricoCash – DIY and building materials retailer (mentioned in the context of lower-quality materials)
• Howdens France - the French version of UK kitchen suppliers, Howdens.

Glossary (French terms used in this episode that might be new to you)

• Devis – a legally binding quote and contract between a homeowner and a trade
• Décennale / assurance décennale – mandatory ten-year insurance covering structural work
• TVA – French value-added tax applied to labour and materials
• Micro-entrepreneur (ME) – self-employed business status in France
• SIRET number – official business registration number
• Attestation d’assurance – proof of insurance coverage
• Cotisations – mandatory social charges paid by French businesses
• Mairie – local town hall
• Maison secondaire – second home
• ERP – regulations for buildings open to the public
• Notaire – public official handling property sales and legal transfer

Connect:

Facebook | Instagram

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://frenchrenodiaries.substack.com/

Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.com

Find out more about us and our French reno businesses:

Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)

S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)

Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)

Credits:

• Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright
• Music: Grand Project

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 longer than you expect
• Renting before buying — and why it can save you financially and emotionally
• Buying renovation properties with no savings (and how we made it work)
• Living in houses without heating, floors or proper plumbing
• How a house will “tell you” what it needs - if you listen
• The dangers of DIY electrics and non-compliant fittings in France
• Why tradespeople’s own houses are never finished
• The difference between renovation fantasy and real French life

Resources & tools mentioned in this episode:

• Le Bon Coin – France’s main second-hand marketplace, widely used for sourcing renovation materials such as tiles, staircases and wood burners
• Greenacres – UK-facing French property portal used to find renovation properties
• Crédit Agricole – French bank mentioned in relation to mortgages and lending requirements for new business owners

Glossary (French terms used in this episode that might be new to you):

• Micro-entrepreneur – French self-employed business status
• Diagnostics immobiliers – mandatory property reports when selling
• Fosse septique – septic tank system
• Épandage – soakaway drainage system
• Mairie – local town hall

Connect:

Facebook | Instagram

Subscribe to the newsletter: www.frenchrenodiaries.com

Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.com

Find out more about us and our French reno businesses:

Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)

S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)

Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)

Artisan Central

Credits:

• Produced & mixed by: Katy Wright
• Music: Grand Project