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France's rich countryside is home to numerous grand castles. If you like the sound of living like royalty in your own piece of French history, buying a castle in France is the way forward. Whether you are in the market for a luxury family home, or a property to serve as an events venue, there's a perfect French castle for you.
The “Mas de la Brune”, a listed, Renaissance-style gem, its 4 ha of parklands and its gardens at the foot of the Alpilles mountains in Eygalières. At the end of a row of two-hundred-year-old horse chestnut trees, three interconnected constructions comprise the buildings on this predominantly wooded, 4-ha property. The first is the Renaissance-style manor house, known as the “Mas de la Brune”, constructed in 1572; the only building of this type, standing in the middle of the land, rising up like a nave, proudly showing visitors the prow of its watch-turret. Directly adjoining the manor, a more recent construction dating from the 18th century stands in the shade of a three-hundred-year-old lime tree. This building once housed the staff accommodation. And lastly, on the east side, where a perimeter wall no doubt once existed, a rehabilitated farmhouse is separated from the manor by a row of cypress trees. Opening on to a vast courtyard that extends behind the French formal garden, it acts as a link with the rest of the parklands, where the permanent singing of the precious water, coming down from the Alpilles Mountains via the canal of the same name, can be heard. The French Historic Monument listing, dating from the 9 August 1924, applies solely to the “Mas de la Brune”, already showing on Cassini’s 18th century map under the name of “Grand Mas”. Some say it was constructed for the consul Pierre-Bruno-Isnard, who gave it the feminine version of his surname, whilst others maintain it was for an alchemist, whose name is long forgotten. In both cases, this outstanding building, entirely constructed from Baux stone, was probably built by master mason, Gaston-Flayelle, native of the Vivarais region, who also designed the “Hôtel de Manville” in Les-Baux-de-Provence. The size of the manor house, its biblical paraphrases sculpted on the façade, like a big open book, and including the secret number of steps of its spiral stairway tend to reinforce the hypothesis of an alchemist’s home. A spacious tiled swimming pool, cleverly concealed from onlookers in a copse of laurel bushes, has been installed a good distance from the main house. And lastly, a carpark, out of sight of the manor but able to take ten or so cars, has been laid out in the shade of mulberry plane trees.
…By Patrice Besse
A vast brick and stone mansion with a 20th-century extension, in the middle of a small town in the Hauts-de-France region, 8 km from the Belgian border. The mansion, which takes its name from a former mendicant order in Syria, was initially built as a convent. Construction work on it began in 1724 and was finished in 1729, thanks to funding obtained by the nuns from Duchess Marie-Célestine de Holstein-Rethwisch. In 1792, in the fury of the French Revolution, the outside chapel and part of the cloisters were destroyed before the buildings were rented, between 1801 and 1863, by a private owner to the local authorities to host the police services and prison. It was then purchased in 1927 by the municipality and transformed into a hospice which was officially inaugurated in 1933. In the meantime, between 1873 and 1885, it was revamped as a stately home for the Moreau de la Tour-Godard-Desmaret family. Lastly, from 1979 to 1983, as well as in 1989, the building was modernised with an extension to the south, part of which was demolished several years ago. An entrance porch with a slate roof leads into the grounds in front of the mansion to the east. The main façade, with three storeys, stands out thanks to its brick and stone settings as well as the symmetry of its central section. In the second half of the 19th century, a scroll pediment and two balconies were added to the initial construction of 1724, on the western façade. Additionally, the main section has a half hipped slate roof dotted with hipped dormers and a chimney stack. To the north, there is a wing with a square tower topped by a slate pavilion roof with a zinc ridge cap, while to the south there is a wing with a similar roof. To the west, two flights of stone steps lead down into the grounds, which spread around the mansion over approximately 7,000 m² and include lawns and copses as well as almost 1,000 m² which can be built upon.
…By Patrice Besse
A chateau with medieval origins and wooded grounds, built in the early Renaissance and nestled 1 hour and 30 minutes south-west of Paris. Once you have gone through the property’s main entrance gate, the chateau appears before you, standing out for its Renaissance style. In the inner court, the property is demarcated by the remains of a division of the chateau into two parts. Indeed, the chateau has gone through different historical periods up to the present day, apart from its western section, which has disappeared. The edifice has kept its hexagonal adjoining tower, which has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor. The main side of this tower is made of rubble stone with rendering and quoins of limestone ashlar. A huge door of solid wood leads inside this tower. This door is fitted in a stone surround with a slightly arched top that bears the remains of a coat of arms – a characteristic of the late 15th century. Each level of the tower has stone-mullioned cross windows. The main section is positioned to the east of the hexagonal tower. It is similar in design to the tower. The court-side elevation is coated with rendering that leaves the rubble stonework slightly exposed. The garden-side elevation is completely rendered. Limestone ashlar forms the quoins and carved limestone forms the surrounds around the doors and the many stone-mullioned cross windows that punctuate the elevations. On the court side, a conservatory lies beside the entrance door. A flight of stone steps leads up to the entrance door. Above this door, there is a basket-handle arch crowned with a finely sculpted pinnacle. In this stone arch, there is a badge-shaped remnant of a coat of arms that was once displayed proudly here. This coat of arms was doubtless that of the chateau’s founders. In the garden-facing elevation, there is another entrance door of solid wood. A basket-handle arch also crowns this door. In the north-east corner of the main section, there is a round tower. It is the only remaining tower of the chateau’s four original round towers. The stonework of this tower’s base was recently restored. The edifice is crowned with a slate roof of two long slopes, punctuated with gabled dormers. Lastly, beside the chateau, there are outbuildings along the edge of the property. The wooded grounds are enclosed with walls and fences.
…By Patrice Besse
A 13th and 16th century listed historical monument residence bordering the river and on 2.5 hectares of meadows in north-east Lot-et-Garonne . The discreet, almost mysterious residence is hidden behind a copse of trees, barely visible from the main road. The tarmac drive becomes a stony track as it winds its way between the rows of trees. After passing a pond and a bamboo hedge on the right, followed by the first evidence of the property in the form of two impressive stone pillars, the main driveway leads to two wrought-iron pillars supporting lanterns and to the dwelling. A few well-arranged flagstones guide visitors towards the entrance. The three-storey residence is set near to oak trees and a chestnut tree. To the east, the meadow bordering the garden provides some distance from a few neighbouring houses. On the south side, a meadow stretches as far as the banks of the river Lot below.
…By Patrice Besse
On the banks of the Rance, between Dinan and Dinard, a manor from the 16th and 18th centuries listed as a historical monument, its outbuildings, and its chapel. From a departmental road, a first gateway flanked by granite pillars accesses the estate, which extends over more than 30 hectares. A long avenue of oaks leads after more than 300 meters to a second gate, pierced in a stone wall enclosure, which protects the manor and the ancillary buildings, including a chapel. It is possible to reach a longhouse as well as part of the outbuildings independently, without passing through the lordly residence. Facing south, the latter overlooks the Rance. In Renaissance style, the facade indicates a construction from the mid-16th century. The building is notably distinguished by its cut-off staircase tower, topped by a square volume covered with a four-pitched slate roof supported by granite corbels. Terracotta finials and decorative mitrons adorn the two-pitched roof of the house. Reconfigurations and extensions date back to the 18th century, with the creation of two lower wings, surmounted by dormers with a hipped roof. Finally, a small, more recent building to the east houses a kitchen. The whole is built of sandstone and granite rubble, partially covered with a light render. The chains and the surrounds of the openings are made of cut granite stone. To the north, partially adjoining the building, the outbuildings border an enclosed area, a remnant of an old vegetable garden and a courtyard. Beyond, the longhouse was rebuilt in the 19th century to replace an old farmstead. The lands are surrounded by meadows and woods as well as by the river below, without neighbors or nuisances.This description has been automatically translated from French.
…By Patrice Besse
A late 19th-century chateau with its grounds and farmland over 140 hectares, between Châtellerault and Poitiers. From a small road, a long drive, lined with plane trees, traverses the property’s farmland before reaching the chateau and its enclosed grounds. Although the impressive edifice only dates back to the late 19th century, the estate itself has been occupied since the Middle Ages. With plaster-coated exteriors cadenced by arched windows on the ground floor and rectangular ones upstairs, all surrounded by ashlar stone, its jagged two or three-sided slate rooftops are punctuated by dormer windows, while a farm with outbuildings and two small dwellings are located behind the chateau. Last, but not least, fields surround the chateau on all sides and woods seal off the property to the north.
…By Patrice Besse
A family chateau where a famous novelist lived, tucked away in the beautiful countryside of France’s Anjou province. The chateau stands in the shade of age-old trees that tower in English-style grounds. The edifice was recently restored. Its roofing, insulation, electricity, plumbing, windows and sanitation system were renovated. Its 40-metre-long facade stretches from north to south. The chateau has a main section with dual-aspect rooms. This section is framed between a pavilion at its north end and a second pavilion at its south end. Two towers also adjoin it. One of these towers houses a chapel. To the south and west of the dwelling, there are 6,500m² of tree-dotted grounds that are easy to maintain. The property was the family home of the famous French novelist Hervé Bazin. The current owner recreated the atmosphere of Bazin’s novel ‘Vipère au Poing’ here and opened the chateau to visitors. The property has been entirely adapted to comply with norms for France’s accreditation for a building to be open to the public. It now resembles a museum and can be used as a business.
…By Patrice Besse
A noble Renaissance-era dwelling, its holiday cottage and outbuildings in a 2-hectare enclosed park overlooking the valley, within the Périgord Blanc region. Dating from the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries, the property stands on a hillside, protected by woodlands to the south and overlooking the valley to the north and west. The high north end walls of the main edifice, with sparse openings, the buttresses and the round tower of the current guest house testify to the fact that this was once a fortified castle. A tree-lined driveway leads from the entrance gate to the noble residence, while a track running alongside the tennis court meets the outbuildings and a swimming pool at the bottom of a slope. A barely visible lap pool is perfectly embedded in the park surrounding the complex. The residence is framed by two enclosed spaces, each offering a breathtaking view: the courtyard where the main entrance is located, a well topped by a pyramid-shaped roof, an outbuilding used as a garden shed, a hangar for vehicles, as well as a pool facing a low pilaster and dressed stone wall. All of these are accessed via a carriage gate, a pedestrian gate and a recently installed gate. On the other side of the residence, the lawned garden with bountiful flowers features a summer dining area under a covered patio.
…By Patrice Besse
A listed historical monument medieval castle in tree-filled land, with 4-hectare grounds, a swimming pool and a tennis court in the Hautes-Pyrénées area. This castle is an admirable remnant of the Hautes-Pyrénées’ heritage and is perfectly preserved. It boasts a thousand-year history and is a listed historical monument. Its first foundations date, in all likelihood, from the 11th century when the defensive tower was used to protect the surrounding fields from pillaging and plundering, in particular by the Aragonese forces. Although the building has undergone many transformations as time has passed, its 15th-century eastern façade has remained unchanged. The edifice was acquired by the Count of Lavedan in 1274, a year during which he received the seigniory of Horgues from the Count of Bigorre to clear a debt. From Raymond-Garcie IV de Lavedan to Jean-Pierer Ducasse de Horgues, over a period of more than 500 years, the castle had almost twenty illustrious owners. From that point in time until 2018, the estate was owned by the same family. The medieval castle with two towers was built on the outskirts of the village and was overhauled in the 17th and 18th centuries. Through a double leaf wrought iron gate, a plane tree lined drive runs alongside rubble stone built former stables with a roof of half round tiles, opposite the castle and its imposing silhouette, built in the 15th century and since transformed several times. In addition to the two towers on either side, the seigniorial residence is made up of two four-storey rectangular sections in a T-shape, each with a sprocketed, gabled slate roof. The two towers, one of which is square and the other which is rounded on one side and squared on the other, are both topped by an octagonal level adored with a slate roof of the same shape. It is thought that the tower to the southwest was added in the 18th century. Lastly, the castle’s former water mill can be found behind the residence. It is currently used as a holiday cottage, while the grounds spread out all around the buildings and, to the left of the castle, play host to a swimming pool.
…By Patrice Besse
Less than 10 km from Fontainebleau, 1 hour from Paris, an impressive royal castle from the 16th century, with outbuildings, greenhouses, a park, and 60 hectares of woods. The castle traces its origins back to the mid-16th century when, during a chase, Francis I discovered the site. He then commissioned the construction of the castle and the development of the vineyard. A local legend tells that the king had his mistress installed in the nearby riverside village, who was alerted to his presence by a large fire lit high on the estate. Henry IV and Gabrielle d'Estrées, his favorite, stayed there for five years at the end of the 16th century. From the 17th century to the end of the 19th century, the castle was successively owned by princesses and counts. It also experienced an industrial period, marked in the 18th century by the construction of a brick factory, probably linked to the building of the estate's stables. At the end of the 19th century, modernization and the arrival of the railway line changed the organization of the estate. The vineyard activity was then abandoned in favor of its use as a public establishment (ERP of level 5). The main castle has nearly 2,300 m² of floor space, of which about 1,800 m² is livable. It is spread over three levels, a half-level, and attics of about 900 m² at ground level. It includes 19 bedrooms, an apartment, and a professional kitchen accessible by vehicle, several laundries, and reception halls. Although the castle has undergone transformations, more than half of the second level retains its original features. The ceiling height, close to 5 m on the east side, restored oak flooring, marble fireplaces, cornices, and woodwork still allow one to imagine the balls and feasts that took place there. The estate also includes five outbuildings to be restored, providing nearly 1,700 m² of additional living space: stables of about 700 m², a director's house of nearly 250 m², a recent outbuilding contiguous to the castle of more than 100 m², and a caretaker’s house of about 70 m².This description has been automatically translated from French.
…By Patrice Besse
A villa with art nouveau decor, outbuildings and 4.5 hectares of grounds, nestled in a calm environment between Lyon, Dijon and Geneva. The secluded estate lies in an undisturbed setting and is accessible via two 800-metre long driveways through the woods. The manor house, built at the beginning of the last century, overlooks the plain, a patchwork of pastures, a river and woods as far as the eye can see, while, behind the dwelling, equestrian outbuildings contain a stable, a covered riding ring, a workshop and a caretaker's cottage.
…By Patrice Besse
An 1850s mansion, with a wine store and estate keeper’s house, in 2 hectares of landscaped grounds, 45 minutes from Lyon, on top of a hill in the Beaujolais vineyards. This estate was previously a winemaking property surrounded by vines. It includes the around 700-m² mansion facing east over the grounds. To the left, via a separate entrance, the winemaking buildings stand, including two which are dedicated to equipment storage and, to the north, the almost 1,000-m² wine store. Next to it, the estate keeper’s house overlooks the walled vegetable garden that was previously used to provide food for the estate’s residents and workers. The large circular grounds surround the main residence.
…By Patrice Besse
A 17th-century chateau listed as a historical monument with a large outbuilding and splendid grounds looking out at the Rhône valley in France’s Drôme department. The local village was once a fief of the Poitiers-Valentinois family. It became part of the Kingdom of France at the start of the 15th century. The village had a chateau before this one. That old chateau was known as the region’s most important fortification, but it was destroyed in the French Wars of Religion. That was when a new chateau was built just outside the village, along the side of a road linking the village to the nearest town, a short distance north of it. Its location was not chosen at random: a spring lies beyond the ditches and it once filled up the property’s ponds and brought its fountains to life. A vast earthen terrace of more than one hectare is edged with embankments and dry moats. Upon it stand two fine edifices built in the style of the Italian Late Renaissance. The chateau towers in the middle of this grassy terrace. Construction of the chateau began in 1591. The edifice continued to be built during the second half of the 17th century. It is a large square-shaped structure with corner towers and a central inner courtyard. It has three levels and a floor area of over 1,300m². In front of the chateau, at the property’s entrance, stands an edifice that was built at the end of the 17th century. It is about 60 metres long and edges a road that runs along the other side of the moat. This structure is made up of a gatehouse flanked with two wings. This gatehouse controls access to the property. The whole building offers a floor area of around 450m². Together, the chateau and the gatehouse with its wings represent a splendid feat of architecture: a classic symmetrical layout going from east to west on an open, grassy terrace. Beyond this section of lawns on which the edifices stand, the grounds extend through meadows and woods over a naturally undulating area. The chateau has been listed as a historical monument since 1990 for its walls, roofing and interior decorative features.
…By Patrice Besse
An elegant, 19th century chateau and its outbuildings in Vendee's lowland bocage countryside on the outskirts of La-Roche-sur-Yon. A central, 200 m long alleyway, lined with oak trees, crosses 10 hectares of fields before reaching the main entrance. This is guarded by a hunting lodge and tall metal gates. A perimeter wall encloses the property. The 3 hectares of parklands, gardens landscaped in 1893 and redesigned in 2002, are planted with several trees over a hundred years old, including sequoia, ash, oak and lime trees. They also have numerous camellia, azalea and boxwood bushes. Alleyways lead to the various outbuildings of the chateau, some of which have been so well renovated that they are able to accommodate up to 40 guests. The property’s two swimming pools, one heated indoor pool and one outdoor pool, make it possible to take relaxing dips from April through until October. An orangery is but an invitation to read and relax. On the sides and in front of the chateau are the old wash-house, the bread oven and the moat, all bearing witness to its history.
…By Patrice Besse
A 19th-century chateau with outhouses, a pool and 7.5 hectares of grounds facing the historical town of Lectoure in France’s Gers department. A track leading to the property leaves a small country road on the hillside. A discreet spring covered with stones marks the entrance to the grounds. The chateau’s facade appears at the end of a drive shaded by tall, old trees. The edifice enjoys absolute privacy and calm. It looks out over a valley, in isolation from the rest of the world. You can admire several stunning vistas from the property. These views stretch to the town of Lectoure, perched on its rocky outcrop. The chateau is built on a large gravel terrace with a round ornamental stone pond. The building is rectangular and has an adjoining tower in the middle of its west elevation. It has four flours that can be seen from its east side, lower down. The top floor is a loft space. The edifice offers a liveable floor area of around 800m², spread between the ground floor and the first floor, which can be seen from the south driveway. The chateau was built in 1805. It is made of dressed stone, rendered with a beige lime coating. Its facade reflects the architectural traits of its era: 14 rectangular openings are arranged symmetrically around a central bay that stands out for its dressed stone and its double door that forms the main entrance. The quoins, cornices and door and window surrounds are made of exposed dressed stone. The building is crowned with a zinc and slate mansard roof with hipped ends, punctuated with three bull’s-eye windows on its south side, three on its north side, one on its east side and another one on its west side. The grounds are dotted with age-old trees and vast clearings. This wonderful outdoor space includes an isolated swimming pool, a dovecote, an old washing place and an Italian-style garden. The style of this Italian garden goes well with the chateau’s north elevation and brings out its elegance. At a lower level, there are two large rectangular outbuildings made of rubble stone. They face each other and can be reached via a separate drive on one side.
…By Patrice Besse
A 15th-century chateau, listed as a regional historical monument, its dwellings, pond and pastureland, the whole resembling a peaceful hamlet on 21 hectares in the historic Bourbonnais province. The name of the village translates into English as “stone chateau” and, perched on a rocky outcrop, the fortified chateau with its adjacent Romanesque church has overlooked the surrounding rural countryside since the 11th century. The property for sale takes up a large part of the neighbouring village of one hundred inhabitants with its chateau, three dwellings and a mill, all on a parcel of real estate totalling 21 hectares of unoccupied pastureland, woods and a lake.
…By Patrice Besse
An impressive, 18th century chateau, its outbuildings and its parklands, just 30 minutes from Fontainebleau. The view from this chateau, standing in a dominant position, gives a vista of the Gâtinais bocage countryside. The garden laid out in front and composed of wide areas laid to lawn, gives unobstructed views over the countryside below. It is extended to the rear by a wooded section. The main, rectangular building in the centre stands facing the wrought iron entrance gates that open on to parklands spanning approx. 10 ha, one section of which is building land. A little further away, on the east side, are the outbuildings, laid out in a V-shape around a level courtyard. They have their own entrance from the village and are followed by a few utility buildings. Gravel pathways make it possible to move around and park cars.
…By Patrice Besse
A 19th-century chateau with outhouses, a chapel and a lake, nestled in 30 hectares of grounds in the south of France’s Touraine province. The seigneurial home that was built here on the ruins of a medieval mansion, of which no vestiges remain, was endlessly redesigned until it collapsed in 1860. In 1890, the decision was made to rebuild the edifice on the site. A renowned architect, Louis-Alfred Trolliet, a specialist in the reconstruction of chateaux, was entrusted with this task. He was responsible for the edifice you can see here today. Trolliet was nicknamed ‘the Viollet-le-Duc of the Berry province’ in a nod to the famous 19th-century French architect Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc who restored many medieval monuments. Trolliet won his spurs as a leading figure of the Troubadour style in French architecture with his restoration of the Château de Romefort in the town of Ciron. To rebuild the present property, he did not adopt the Troubadour style but rather the style of the Loire Valley chateaux that was also in vogue at the time. Trolliet opted for a long rectangular dwelling crowned with tall hipped roofs of slate tiles recalling the Château de Chenonceau and the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau. The grand edifice comes into view once you have gone through the entrance gate and made your way up the long central drive punctuated symmetrically with topiary box shrubs neatly clipped into cones. The château faces east and west. Its main section has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor in the roof space. The adjoining square tower has a third floor in its roof space. The symmetrical elevations are rendered and punctuated with large small-paned windows fitted with wooden louvred shutters that are painted sky blue. Gabled dormers punctuate the roof of the main section and that of the square tower. Beyond the château, the drive crosses dense woodland on this estate, which covers around 30 hectares and includes a 1.2-hectare lake. Trolliet also decided to build two large lodges as foreparts of the château exactly opposite it. These two buildings are rectangular. They have a ground floor and a first floor. A third lodge stands at a right angle to one of them. This third structure has an eclectic style and recalls a train station. On the south side, a circular dovecote with a cone roof of terracotta tiles adorns the grounds. On the east side, there is a heated swimming pool. Behind the outhouses, a secondary entrance leads to a gravelled car park. Lastly, on the north-west side, there is a private lake. In the middle of this lake there is a small tree-dotted island.
…By Patrice Besse
In the Drôme hills, a 18th-century château with medieval origins, classified as a historical monument, along with its dependencies and park. The property presents itself as a coherent set established at the center of a wooded park, slightly elevated above the road leading to the village. The château is built following a rectangular plan, with a tower at each corner and a square keep flanked at the north wall. Covering an area of approximately 720 m², it rises to four levels. The broken rooflines and old tiles testify to successive construction campaigns. The façades, made of stone and light ochre plaster, alternate between regular openings and older openings, reflecting the evolution of the dwelling over the centuries. A straight path leads into the park and serves the dependencies set back: old stables, an orangery, barns, and a wood shed, organized around a service courtyard. Tall trees form a natural barrier that isolates the estate from its immediate surroundings. A wide terrace extends to the south, while the landscaped park gently descends towards the lowlands. The whole is designed as a lordly estate on a contained scale, where each building occupies its place in an ordered composition.This description has been automatically translated from French.
…By Patrice Besse
Located 2.5 hours from Paris, in the land of Talleyrand, a completely restored manor, its heated pool, and its garden. A poplar avenue leads to the manor, surrounded by meadows and woods. Dating from the 15th century, it features the characteristic silhouette of typical Berry dwellings. The building is two stories high, under a steep roof of flat tiles. On one side, a square tower with a four-pitched roof has been recently added, in keeping with the rest of the building. On the opposite corner, a round tower topped with a pepperpot roof is original. A veranda connects the main body to a lower return wing. The courtyard facade, coated, is pierced with small-paned cross windows. A bay window with angled glass precedes the central door. The entire property, currently operated as guest rooms, has been carefully restored. The pool is next to a pavilion with a living room and kitchen, as well as a summer dining room. The park of approximately 1.3 hectares is open to the surrounding countryside.This description has been automatically translated from French.
…By Patrice Besse
A neo-Palladian chateau with outhouses, set in nine hectares of lawns and woods near Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and 35 kilometres from the French capital. Railings painted bottle green form a concave shape that is centred upon a wrought-iron gate leading into the property, where a remarkable neoclassical chateau built in 1846 stands proudly. A vast lush lawn extends immediately beyond the gate. The chateau lies further on. Straight to the right of the wrought-iron gate there is a pedestrian gate in the same style as the main gate and a caretaker’s lodge made of brick and rubble stone. The chateau’s design is neo-Palladian. The magnificent edifice has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor. The building is rectangular and made of dressed stone. All its elevations are coated with white rendering that has a slightly pink tint. A raised terrace and a series of evenly spaced columns form a portico at the top of four front steps. This portico leads to the chateau’s main entrance door. Four majestic Doric columns feature in this tetrastyle portico. A terrace lies above their capitals. This terrace is edged with an architrave and a finely crafted balustrade. Along the facade, 11 bays per floor offer sweeping views of the beautiful grounds in front of the chateau. The window ledges and their corbels are made of dressed stone. The windows are fitted with shutters, the pale blue tone of which brings out the edifice’s hues. A neoclassical pediment with three windows rises up in the middle of the facade, on the chateau’s top floor. A long row of Greek dentils underline the entablature, adding a light touch of elegance to the grand edifice. Dormers and skylights neatly punctuate the roof. The rear elevation has an architectural design that is similar to the facade. But here a distyle portico marks the entrance where a tetrastyle portico adorns the front. The chateau’s hipped slate roof is in perfect condition. Red-brick chimney stacks rise up from it. Beyond the chateau there is an annexe that looks like a grand country house. Work was carried out on the property in the late 19th century. During this phase, a farmhouse, an outbuilding and a dovecote were added in the property’s north-east corner. An outer wall encloses most of the grounds, where vast lush lawns extend, edged by broad-leaved trees. Archaeological remains may be buried beneath these grounds. The property is remarkably peaceful and soothing. Tranquillity reigns here.
…By Patrice Besse
An estate to be restored, with outbuildings and 4.5 hectares of meadows and vines, 45 minutes from Bordeaux, on the outskirts of a village in the Gironde area. The estate is located in the heights of the village of which it is part, near to a street that runs past it. However, it is sufficiently far from any form of noise pollution. An earthen drive running past an hedge of hornbeams leads directly to it. The property is not fenced or walled, which would be superfluous, given the location set back from the road, the natural protective screen formed by the vineyards as well as the peace and quiet of the area. It is located in a semi-rural area, on mainly flat land, as is the case for the surrounding villages, standing between the Garonne River and its canal. This massive and noble stone residence with a tiled roof can be seen from the road, partially hidden by the estate’s rows of vines. It is made up of a rectangular main building with an adjoining, one-storey outbuilding set at a right angle to it, to the right-hand side of the house, on the eastern side, which is used as a store and a garage. Opposite, a hut houses the water pumping system, very near to the well. The grounds, including several hundred-year-old trees and notably a cedar planted in 1875 as well as copses of more recently planted shrubs, is made up of lawns stretching from the walls of the house to the vines to the northeastern side of the property. They account for approximately a third of the 4.3-hectare estate. The rest is made up of two plots of cultivated vines, separated by a tarmac road. The property has been in the same family since 1844 and is a recognised element of the region’s heritage, as proved by its classification as a picturesque site for the last 50 years by the local authorities.
…By Patrice Besse
Close to Bordeaux, in a village of the Côtes de Bourg, a medieval castle rebuilt in the 19th century and its historic vineyard estate. The property is dominated by the castle, the main body of the building, recognizable by its iconic tower. Several residential houses add to this diversity of uses, suitable for residential or hospitality projects. The estate is also equipped with complete technical infrastructures, including a winemaking and aging cellar, a concrete fermentation tank, a barrel cellar, and a storage cellar. Agricultural buildings, warehouses, and workshops complete this coherent set for an immediate transfer of the wine activity. The vineyard, vigorous and well-maintained, is based on recent plantings and a terroir conducive to environmentally respectful viticulture. The entire estate presents strong oenotourism potential, in a calm and green setting, ideal for the development of accommodations, tasting tours, or spaces dedicated to the art of Bordeaux living.This description has been automatically translated from French.
…By Patrice Besse
A sophisticatedly decorated, elegant manor rebuilt in 1912 in the ‘Arts and Crafts’ style, in 1.76-hectare grounds, 50 minutes from Toulouse and its airport, close to Montauban. A dead-end lane leads to the main entrance to the estate, which is framed by two imposing umbrella pines with twisted trunks. Two ashlar pillars crowned by pyramid-shaped capitals topped with spheres stand either side of wide, grey, double-leaf, metal gates topped by railings. Once though the gate, visitors’ gazes are drawn by two fenced meadows, dotted with cedars and oaks, while a hedge hides the spaces set aside for parking. Opposite the drive, a brick fountain babbles away regularly in front of the main building in the property. The three-storey manor boasts living space of approximately 520 m² and its façades are made of pink brinks punctuated by white dressed stone or rendered stone. The roof made of interlocking tiles and formed by unique series of interlinking sections is in very good condition. The 18th-century former dowager’s manor was entirely rebuilt in the 20th century by a Dutch diplomat, who became a benefactor of the village following the floods of 1930. He drew his inspiration from the modern Arts & Crafts movement that was fashionable in northern Europe at the time. He combined the architecture of noble aesthetics with the wealth of traditional craftsmanship know-how, as demonstrated by the sculpted panelling, oak flooring and staircases, moulded or coffered plasterwork on the ceilings, Italian marble fireplaces, white Quercy stone or stained-glass windows in each room. Away from the main stoop, a clearing houses a swimming pool with light-coloured stone decking, surrounded by shrubs, flower beds and small bushes of aromatic plants. The pool’s technical facilities are housed in a nearby building. A shaded terrace stands next to the swimming pool. An orchard made up of old fruit tree varieties stretches out below to the left. Lastly, a wood occupies the edges of the entirely fenced property.
…By Patrice Besse
A château and outbuildings with potential for 50 bedrooms, in the heart of the châteaux of the Loire Valley, 2 hours from Paris. Close to the surrounding walls, the property begins with its imposing 17th and 18th century château, which is extended by a 16th century wing with a chapel attached to it. The outbuildings, grouped around a vast shaded courtyard, consist of a large number of buildings which were either renovated or rebuilt in 1968. From the château, the view stretches first down into the grounds and then, beyond the surrounding wall, to the River Loire. To the side of the château, a vast grassy area extends into the woods, towards the ancient castle mound. There is a vast vegetable garden below. The grounds cover a total of 17 hectares.
…By Patrice Besse
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The Loire Valley is famous for its royal châteaux. As well as those open to the public, this area is home to many privately owned castles. Easily accessible from Paris, it's the ideal location for international buyers looking for a castle for sale in France.
Many historic French castles are converted into elegant hotels. Often located in picturesque villages or towns, visitors come from far and wide to spend a memorable French vacation, or to get married in a romantic castle wedding venue.