French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED
Rosie Ellis, Micala Wilkins and Sue Peake-Russell
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About This Podcast
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 can join us in between the 'meaty' shows for our 'rants and bants' episodes - where we get everything off our chests, no holds barred!
Hosted by Rosie, Micala and Sue - three women who, along with their partners and husbands run trade-related businesses here in France and have completed a fair few renovation projects of their own - expect honest advice, plenty of laughs and a few WTF moments.
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Recent Episodes
S1E18 How to design and decorate your French renovation - without wasting money, with Christina Rougerie
Ever wondered why your beautifully renovated French property isn't getting the rental return you expected? Or why sourcing affordable decor in France feels so much harder than it…
S1E17 Don't buy that French ruin until you've listened to this — with veteran estate agent Dan Newton
Thinking of buying a renovation property in France? Before you fall in love with a ruin on the internet, you might want to hear what someone who's been selling French property for 40 years has to…
S1E16 Living on site while renovating in France - how to survive the dust, the chaos and each other
Wooden pallets for a bed. A family flannel. A toilet that froze solid. A husband sleeping next to the Rayburn all winter so it didn't go out.Nobody's Instagram feed is showing you this - but Rosie,…
S1E15 Rants & Bants! (The one where the London brain meets rural France)
Micala's back - and there's lots to chew over! In this episode: a Facebook post about deposits that had Micala seething before 4am, the growing crackdown on cash-in-hand work in France, and a very…
S1E14 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'…
S1E13 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…
S1E12 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…
S1E11 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…
S1E10 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…
S1E9 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 -…
S1E8 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,…
S1E7 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…
S1E6 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…
S1E5 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…
S1E4 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 episodeWhy…
S1E3 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…
S1E2 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…
S1E1 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…
S1 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…
Frequently Asked Questions
French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED has published 19 episodes since December 2025, covering topics in Education, Home & Garden.
French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED is currently active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 45m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED, including email and social media links.
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