What the house really cost, how we found it, why we left the UK for Bordeaux, and a proper introduction to Phoebe. Our first Q&A, in blog form.

The last of the wood fibre goes into the attic roof, the whole house is finally insulated, and Romy plants a new generation of dahlias with willow supports to match.

Spring reaches the garden: first sowings in the new greenhouse, a rescue mission for the rusty back gate, and a mitre station taking shape in the cave.

The attic insulation we’d been dreading turns out to be the most satisfying job yet, helped along by a homemade cutting jig, a bakery morning in the Chartrons and a greenhouse finally getting its colour.

Spring finally reaches the garden: a lean-to greenhouse built from the house’s original windows, a woven stick border for the old tree, and a long-awaited verdict on the attic mould.

An honest look at what happens when renovation reality hits hard — from battling twisted roof beams and surprise deliveries in the rain to finding joy in small wins like custom shelves and homemade marmalade at La Chartreuse.

We finally tackle the job we have been dreading for two years: stripping out decades of old insulation from our French chartreuse attic, discovering a mould scare along the way, and preparing for the next phase with wood fibre insulation.

A rare Bordeaux snowfall exposed just how cold our 19th-century chartreuse really was. Here is how we finally insulated the cellar with wood fibre, why breathable materials matter in old buildings, and the handmade cushion covers that made the living room feel like home.

After three months of hands-on work, our bedroom in a 200-year-old Chartreuse has been transformed from a mouldy, featureless shell into a characterful retreat — complete with a custom-built wardrobe, Farrow and Ball paint, and vintage textiles found at a car boot sale.

From finishing bespoke drawer fronts in our 19th-century bedroom to treasure hunting at Bordeaux’s legendary Quinconces antique market and decorating our Chartreuse for Christmas — here is everything we got up to in our latest renovation chapter.