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 ...