Bonjour everyone,

Right, I'll be honest with you: this fortnight has been an absolute slog at the Chartreuse.

Our latest video is now live! Fair warning though, it's less 'dreamy French renovation' and more 'why did we think this was a good idea?' But that's the reality of this journey, isn't it? Watch it now:

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January decided to throw everything at us: constant rain, an actual storm (thankfully we escaped with minimal damage, touch wood), and then, of course, the universe decided that nothing should go smoothly.

We're currently installing the supports for the roof, which will eventually hold the insulation and plasterboards. Sounds straightforward, right? Wrong. The roof has four sloping planes, and the old beams have twisted over the decades, so getting everything level is like trying to solve a particularly sadistic puzzle. After four solid days of work, we've managed about 25% of the surface. At this rate, we'll be at it for weeks.

Oh, and here's a fun surprise: our insulation arrived weeks early, naturally during a downpour. Cue a frantic scramble to find space in the cellar to store it all before it turned into a soggy mess. Nothing like an impromptu weightlifting session to keep you on your toes.

But here's the thing about tough weeks: sometimes you need little wins to keep your spirits up. Hugo built these brilliant custom shelves in the bathroom to hide some ugly plumbing, and I spent a therapeutic afternoon making marmalade. Small victories, but they remind us why we're doing this.

Watch the full video here to see the chaos, the problem-solving, and yes, the marmalade-making in action:

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Thanks for being on this journey with us, even through the soggy, frustrating bits.

À bientôt,

Hugo & Romy