Hello Diana,
This reply is a ‘so called criminal’ who happened to post a simple question on this site and got a tirade of abuse from various ‘know it alls’ who were giving opinions without any knowledge of the background or context. Don’t take any notice of them. You sound as though you are going through all the correct procedures and its probably better to just concentrate on the positive responses.
I would not dare ask a question on this site again. Good luck with your renovations
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I seem to remember Cindy you received only helpful advice on how to regularise your status.
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Where was the abuse? If one doesn’t think answers hit the question then just scroll on by.
If being a bit too direct can stop the odd person here or there getting into a muddle then possibly worth being castigated for doing so?
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Oh, the irony…
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Sorry, am feeling a bit tetchy myself this morning. Am in Ireland with my old ma and she’s driving me nuts.
Thanks Cindy-- I think its the nature of social media. I would think “sophisticated French property owners” would be above the fray but people are people (and humans are flawed!).
Let’s all remember why we’re here. We love France, particularly its architecture and lifestyle, so let’s make that our focal point and be welcoming and supportive!
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Let’s all take a few breaths, assume offence wasn’t intended, then re-start the conversation with the additional information we have, and a determination to be friendly. 
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Thinking about it one of the best things to do would be get even pallier with the Mairie (I’m assuming you’ve started!) and ask them or possibly the notaire you used to buy the place, for recommendations, then have a good chat with all of them. The best will probably be booked up and it is frustrating to have to wait but it is definitely worth it. There may even be a pro maître d’oeuvre in the vicinity, mine has retired now and is too far away anyway but he was 100% worth every penny, saved me lots of money and stress.
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One thing I have learned through having been involved in online forums (and having acted as a Moderator on a photographers’ forum with a worldwide membership for a number of years) is that it’s really really easy to misinterpret the written word, especially when the response is from someone you haven’t interacted with before.
Also, I have discovered that if you ask a question that seems simple but where some relevant information is missing, you may get answers that seem patronising or missing the point!
The members of most forums (and especially SF in my experience) are very willing to share the knowledge they have acquired the hard way, and possibly prevent newcomers from falling into unexpected pitfalls.
If they say something that seems to you to be blinding obvious and suggests a course of action that you have already taken, it’s not because they want to show off or put you down, it’s because they don’t know what you already know!
And of course I hope you will take this post as a helpful explanation and not just me being a patronising git… 
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My recollection is that you got some facts that you didn’t want to hear.
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Snowflakes … some folk are direct and to the point. Some are fluffy and wordy, we are all different. People choose to take offence or not.
Coming back to building work, I’m with the people who say find a maitre d’oeuvre, especially if you won’t be there all the time.
My French isn’t bad but I wouldn’t have wanted to run a team of French workmen when we did our renovation. The maitre d’oeuvre took on all of that and was there to troubleshoot, chase up artisans who’d disappeared for a few days and generally oversee the project. He was certainly worth the extra 10%
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Me three - or is it four? Our maître d’oeuvre was excellent and managed a complete restoration of a large 350 year old farmhouse across various artisan builders, 3 devis for each element of the build.
As an example of his effectiveness, we were talking to the guy who was supposed to be doing all our floor tiling. We had already chosen the tiles we wanted, but it was evident he wanted to use his own supplier (because he would get a cut from the price of the tiles). This was 7pm in the evening. By 9pm we had a phone call from our m-d’o to say the tiler was out and he’s found someone else who would be happy to use our tiles. He’d noticed our discomfort and dealt with it. The tiler we used in the end did a superb job. Not least, this shows how that intermediary role can deal so well with any issues without it coming back on us.
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Hmm… is this perhaps the time for a culinary deviation,?
Always willing to oblige… 
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Or indeed some calming music
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Quite 
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I always think that is your default mode:open_mouth:
Unfortunately there is much truth in that…
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I have 2 16th century houses and a background in museum conservation. You are definitely off to a good start working with an architecte du batiment de France, and he may be able to suggest useful contacts. Same if there is a local group of https://maisons-paysannes.org/. If people have been living in it before you should maybe live with it for a while and see what you really need to change, bit like a garden. Change as little of the original fabric of the building as possible. It is so disappointing to go into a beautiful house and find it like a bricomarche show room inside. Work with the building, eg keeping it cool by keeping the heat out and letting cool air in, rather than installing air conditioning. If you have to take up a floor use the opportunity to put in underfloor heating, much less conspicuous than radiators or ducted air. In fact one of the biggest problems in old buildings is hiding the services. And always go for lime.
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Yes, all helpful suggestions-- thank you.