#1 Our uncensored French renovation stories (and what we’ve learned along the way)
Episode 1, Season 1
Listen & Read
You can listen to this episode below, and read the companion blog with tips, checklists, and resources a little further down.
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The blog
Welcome to French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, your no-fluff guide to renovating in France. Between the three of us - Rosie, Micala and Sue - we’ve weathered leaking roofs, collapsing beams, frozen loos and a few what-the-heck-are-we-doing-here? moments.
We all run trade-related businesses in France with our partners, helping others make their renovation dreams come true. But before that, we were the dreamers ourselves - armed with toolbelts, optimism and, in Micala’s words, a bucket-load of determination.
Here’s how it really began for each of us - the good, the bad, and the gloriously dusty. Plus, the lessons we wish we’d known sooner.
Micala: When determination meets French bureaucracy
When my husband Paul and I moved to France in 2012, we brought three Jack Russells, three months’ savings and big ambitions. Paul’s an electrician; I’m the “back office glue” that keeps things running. My 15 years at American Express taught me to thrive on admin, a skill that turned out to be priceless here, where paperwork multiplies faster than baguettes.
Our renovation started later than planned because, frankly, no bank would touch us. “Come back with three years’ business accounts,” they said. So we rented, kept the faith, and spent three years proving ourselves before getting the mortgage that changed everything.
The house we finally bought was a heap - hornets’ nests, missing floors, and a septic tank the agent told us to “feed with yoghurt.” (Yes, apparently that’s a thing.)
We rolled up our sleeves, and six years later it’s still not “finished”, but it’s ours. We learned to listen to the house, to slow down and work with it rather than bulldoze ahead. Sometimes the walls tell you what they need.
Micala’s Takeaways
Respect the process. French systems move at their own pace - plan for delays and pour another glass of wine.
Don’t rush the design. Live in your house before you change it; your needs evolve once you settle.
Know the norms. DIY electrics from YouTube won’t cut it here. Learn French regulations or hire someone who knows them.
Perfection isn’t perfect. No wall is straight, no window identical - embrace the charm.
Sue: From dream to dust (and everything in between)
Our story started twenty years before we actually arrived. My husband Scott and I first came to France on holiday with our baby and fell head-over-heels for the food, the stone houses and the sense of space. We said, “One day.”
“One day” arrived in 2016 when we bought a 200-year-old ‘columbage’ farmhouse in the Gers that hadn’t been lived in for 25 years. Translation: it was falling down. The main beam had snapped, the front wall sagged, and one wet spring night it rained inside our temporary kitchen. We spent the next morning setting out 30 buckets and covering the roof with bright-blue tarps that stayed there for three years. Très chic.
We came with no savings, no grand plan - just Scott’s skills and my ability to juggle admin, logistics and teenage homework. While he worked for the family building business in the UK, I registered him in France as a micro-entrepreneur. Then, after a thumb-chisel incident, he called to say, “I’ve quit. I’m coming home.”
The renovation since then has been a slow-burn saga. Alongside running our business, S.R. Charpenterie, we’ve rebuilt half the house, raised a son, and discovered treasures along the way - a Napoleonic pistol, 19th-century letters from Buenos Aires, and the certificate of a long-forgotten tax collector. Every stone tells a story here.
Sue’s Takeaways
Start with structure. If your roof leaks or beams sag, forget kitchens and curtains until the bones are sound.
Budget realism. “It was cheap” usually means “it’ll cost triple later.” Expect hidden horrors.
Live the life, not the fantasy. France is stunning, but rural living can be cold, slow and expensive. Plan for the practical.
Decor shock is real. Beautiful design exists - mostly in Paris. Out here, finding stylish lamps and curtains can test your patience and your wallet.
Rosie: Serial renovators with itchy feet
John and I have been in France nearly two decades, renovating our way from Burgundy to Brittany. You could call us serial renovators - or just gluttons for punishment.
Our first French house was a tiny one-up-one-down barn with three square metres of garden and zero drainage. The estate agent called it “charming.” We called it “how do we fit a septic tank here?” (Answer: with stubbornness and creative plumbing.)
We lived on Le Bon Coin in those days - the French eBay for everything. We’d drive hours for second-hand tiles or a staircase that looked perfect online but turned out to be child-sized. We made mistakes, learned French building regs the hard way, and froze our backsides off more winters than I can count.
But each project taught us something new: how to source local artisans, manage French paperwork, and eventually run our own renovation business, Maison Bretagne. Now, after seven years in our current home, we’re torn between “just one more project” and the fantasy of a warm, finished house.
Rosie’s Takeaways
Think heating, not just charm. Pretty stone walls won’t keep you warm. Insulation and a proper system should top your list.
Beware the ‘rose-tinted’ move. TV shows sell a dream - the reality involves septic tanks, frost and more forms than fun.
Stay flexible. French trades and materials don’t always match UK habits; adaptability is your superpower.
Don’t forget why you came. Renovations consume years - make sure you’re also living the French life you dreamed of.
What We’ve All Learned
If there’s a common thread between our three journeys, it’s that renovating in France is equal parts grit, humour and madness. Determination isn’t optional - it’s the glue that keeps the dream alive when the roof caves in or the diagnostic report makes you want to cry.
We’ve also learned that the fantasy often looks nothing like the reality. Many new arrivals fall for huge farmhouses they’ll struggle to heat or maintain. We get it; the prices are irresistible, but size can be the enemy of comfort. Smaller, manageable homes let you enjoy France, not just renovate it.
And yes, the allure of a “forever project” fades. After decades of rebuilding, we all secretly crave the modern comfort of a well-insulated, low-energy home. There’s no shame in that. France does modern beautifully too.
Our Uncensored Advice for Newcomers
Budget for bureaucracy. You’ll spend money and time just understanding the system - taxes, permits, insurance and “attestations.”
Find trusted artisans early. Word-of-mouth is gold here; build relationships before emergencies strike.
Understand diagnostics. French property reports don’t test hidden wiring or plumbing - assume you’ll uncover surprises.
Learn the language of the trade. Even a basic grasp of terms like devis, chantier and artisan enregistré will save headaches.
Give yourself grace. The French pace is slower. Fighting it won’t make things faster - it just makes you miserable.
What’s Next on French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED
In upcoming episodes, we’ll dig deeper into the nuts and bolts:
Planning permissions & permits - what you really need and what’s just forum myth.
Finding and managing artisans - how to keep projects on track and relationships intact.
French regulations decoded - CE ratings, electrical norms, septic tank rules and more.
Living through the dust - keeping your sanity (and your marriage) intact mid-reno.
We’ll share it all - the wins, the disasters, and the genuine expertise that only comes from doing it ourselves.
French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED isn’t here to sell a fantasy. We’re here to give you the real story of renovating in France — warts, wiring and all.
So pour yourself a glass, pull on your work boots, and join us as we keep the conversation honest, funny and gloriously unfiltered.
À bientôt,
Rosie, Micala & Sue
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 with us!
Email: frenchrenodiaries@gmail.com
Maison Bretagne (Rosie Ellis)
S.R. Charpenterie (Sue Peake-Russell)
Paul Wilkins Electricien (Micala Wilkins)