Renovating in France - French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED is your honest, no-fluff guide to buying and renovating French property - and living to tell the tale!
Whether you're a first-time buyer dreaming of doing up a rural French ruin, a seasoned renovator deep in the dust and chaos, or an entrepreneur planning to turn your French property into a gîte, chambre d'hôtes, wedding venue or retreat - you'll find real stories, insider tips, and actionable advice here to help you avoid costly mistakes and navigate your French renovation journey with confidence (and a healthy dose of humour!).
We cover the topics that YouTube channels and TV shows like Escape to the Chateau and A Place in the Sun don't - or won't:
French planning laws, building permits and mairie requirements
How to find and manage reliable French artisans
Renovation budgets, real costs and why DIY isn't always the saving you think
French property diagnostics, DPE energy ratings and what they mean for buyers
The French buying process - compromis de vente, vice cachée, notaires and more
Insurance, decennale guarantees and your legal obligations as a property owner
Living on site during a renovation (yes, really)
Turning your renovation into a business - gîtes, tax, SCI, micro-entreprise and exit strategies
The realities of working with French tradespeople - devis, deposits and travail au noir
The reality behind YouTube château renovation channels
What renovation reality TV gets wrong (and why it could cost you dearly if you follow their lead)
We also bring in the experts - estate agents with 40 years in the French market, accountants, interior architects, and business consultants who've seen it all and aren't afraid to say so.
Hosted by Rosie Ellis and Sue Peake-Russell, two women with over 30 years of combined French renovation experience, who run trade businesses in Brittany and the Gers respectively. In earlier episodes (1–16), they're joined by founding host Micala Wilkins, whose background in providing back-office support for her husband's electrical business and marketing for trades in general, brought a brilliant additional perspective to the show.
Expect honest advice, plenty of laughs, and more than a few WTF moments.
Get more French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED! Subscribe on your favourite listening app and find downloadable guides for each episode, plus our newsletter, at frenchrenodiaries.com. Join the community on Facebook and Instagram.
Site
RSS
Apple
Classements récents
Dernières positions dans les classements Apple Podcasts et Spotify.
Liens partagés entre épisodes et podcasts
Liens présents dans les descriptions d'épisodes et autres podcasts les utilisant également.
Découvrez des podcasts liées à Renovating in France - French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED. Explorez des podcasts avec des thèmes, sujets, et formats similaires. Ces similarités sont calculées grâce à des données tangibles, pas d'extrapolations !
Our uncensored French renovation stories - and what we wish we'd done differently
Saison 1 · Épisode 1
mardi 6 janvier 2026 • Durée 54:39
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
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.
Why budgets blow: The brutal truth about renovation costs in France
Saison 1 · Épisode 2
mardi 13 janvier 2026 • Durée 51:40
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
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
The reality behind the dream: What YouTube and TV shows don't tell you about renovating in France
Saison 1 · Épisode 3
mardi 20 janvier 2026 • Durée 50:32
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.
Local mairie offices and professional artisans for accurate guidance
Facebook groups (use with caution — advice is often mixed!)
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Sue sticks it to the man who bought a village)
Saison 1 · Épisode 4
vendredi 23 janvier 2026 • Durée 24:42
Rants & Bants episodes are informal, off-the-cuff chats - think of them like secretly recorded calls. Less polish, more spontaneity - but always insightful!
French renovation TV & YouTube shows – inspiration, but not instruction manuals
Facebook renovation groups – shared experiences (advice should be verified)
Mini glossary (for new renovators in France)
Devis – a formal written quote for works
Artisan – a qualified tradesperson in France
Mairie – the local town hall; key for local rules and admin
Micro-entrepreneur – a small-business status in France (with legal limits)
Why insurance IS worth the paper it's written on (despite what you're being told on Facebook)
Saison 1 · Épisode 5
mardi 27 janvier 2026 • Durée 01:01:16
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 local mairie - a key point of contact for renovation rules, declarations and local requirements.
Qualified French artisans - always ask for a valid attestation d’assurance décennale before work starts - and check it covers the work being done.
Architects / maîtres d’œuvre - particularly useful for larger renovations, structural work or coordinating multiple trades.
Facebook renovation groups - helpful for shared experiences, but advice should always be verified.
Mini Glossary: Key French insurance terms
Attestation d’assurance - the insurance certificate you must check before work begins.
Assurance décennale - a mandatory 10-year insurance held by professionals.
Garantie décennale - the 10-year legal guarantee that applies once work is completed and signed off.
Garantie de parfait achèvement (1 year) - covers defects reported within the first year after completion.
Garantie biennale (2 years) - covers fixtures and equipment such as heating systems.
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Rosie slips on her Riot Women shoes)
Saison 1 · Épisode 6
mardi 3 février 2026 • Durée 27:18
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 also hear about Sue's upcoming adventure in Kenya, where she’ll be building a mud hut for a family. Please consider supporting the project via Sue’s Just Giving page - even the smallest contribution will help provide tools, classroom resources, hot meals, and support for families who have so little.
Planning a dream, not a nightmare: Everything you need to know about planning permits before renovating in France!
Saison 1 · Épisode 7
mardi 10 février 2026 • Durée 56:59
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.
Géoportail – National mapping tool showing zoning, flood risk and boundaries
Mini glossary: French planning terms
PLU (Plan Local d’Urbanisme) – Local planning rules set by the commune
Déclaration Préalable (DP) – Simplified planning permission for certain works
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where Micala gets nostalgic about Burger King)
Saison 1 · Épisode 8
mercredi 18 février 2026 • Durée 30:31
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 affairs
Leroy Merlin – Major French DIY and renovation retailer
Brico Dépôt – Budget building supplies chain in France
How to be a good client (and get the best out of your artisan)
Saison 1 · Épisode 9
mardi 24 février 2026 • Durée 59:07
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 together the key takeaways on our website if you’d like to revisit them.
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.
