
French Reno Diaries - Rants & Bants! (The one where the dream meets French paperwork)
From French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED by Rosie Ellis, Micala Wilkins and Sue Peake-Russell
March 3, 2026 · 34 min · Season 1 · Episode 10
About this episode
The hosts discuss the realities of moving to France and the challenges of renovation amidst bureaucratic hurdles.
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 and Micala chat about the Win a Château TV show, the realities of post-Brexit life in France, language requirements, titre de séjour delays and yet another heated Facebook debate about décennale insurance. It’s lighter than our chunky episodes, but if you’re renovating or planning to move to France, there are some important realities woven in. As always, we’ve pulled together the key points on our website if you’d like to revisit anything - www.frenchrenodiaries.com Resources mentioned Château DIY: Win a Château – Channel 4 spin-off competition show The Connexion – English-language publication covering expat legal issues in France CAPEB – French trade body representing building professionals Mini glossary Décennale – 10-year structural insurance required for artisans Préfecture – Regional administrative authority handling residency matters Titre de séjour – Residency card DCEM – Travel document for minors residing in France Pompe à chaleur – Heat pump Raccordement –…
People in this episode
Hosts: Rosie Ellis, Micala Wilkins, Sue Peake-Russell
Topics covered
- French renovation
- expat life
- post-Brexit
- language requirements
- residency issues
Keywords
- French paperwork
- titre de séjour
- decennale insurance
- visa renewal
- expat legal issues
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Château DIY, The Connexion, CAPEB
Places: France, Bretagne
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