A Provençal Château With Picasso Frescos
“Give me a wall!” said Picasso in 1962, when he visited the chateau. Five engraved floor-to-ceiling frescos adorn the terrace walls of this iconic property, on the market with Uzès Sotheby’s.
This unique 18th century château is built upon a 13th-century fortress foundation. Its iconic style and Doric columns were added by its former owner, Gabriel Joseph de Froment, the Baron de Castille, who nicknamed the home “the chateau with a thousand columns”.
In the 1950s, Château de Castille was purchased by Douglas Cooper, a British art-historian and renowned collector. It is now on the market for the first time in over 50 years.
Cooper possessed one of the greatest 20th century art collections and was known to rub shoulders with artists like Braque, Léger, Klee, de Staël and Pablo Picasso, who frequented the château and tried to purchase it from Cooper.
Cooper had admired Picasso’s drawings engraved in concrete during a trip to Barcelona, and when Picasso visited Château de Castille in 1962, he exclaimed: “Give me a wall!”.
Picasso designed the drawings, which were later engraved by the Norwegian painter and sculptor, Carl Nesiar, a frequent Picasso collaborator. The five floor-to-ceiling frescoes which adorn the terrace walls of the eastern veranda were inspired by David’s “The Rape of the Sabine Women” and “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” by Manet.
The pieces, which cannot be removed due to the property’s historic monument status, could be worth millions. In 2020, Pablo Picasso’s painting “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” set a new price record at auction, and sold for $106.5M in just 8 minutes.
The 20 room chateau offers 8611 square feet of interior space, with several living rooms, a unique dining room, library, 7 bedrooms, and 8 bathrooms. The interiors of the property are by renowned Provencal interior designer, Dick Dumas, with a mix of traditional French fabrics throughout, juxtaposed with modern prints, and featuring both antique furnishings and modern artwork.
The imposing property is accessible through a gorgeous tree-lined drive, and the 4.94 acre property features formal gardens with a central water features and historic garden ornaments, and a park. Additional outbuildings and a staff house complete the estate.
Château de Castille has been classified as a “Historic Monument” by the French State, in addition to the 5 Picasso frescos. A rare opportunity to own a piece of art and history, this property is truly one-of-a-kind.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
A 13th Century Castle in Provence
On the market with Patrice Besse, the property is located 1 hour to the beaches of St. Tropez and 15 minutes to Cannes by helicopter.
This property is on the market for €15,500,000, listed with Patrice Besse.
The 39.5 acre estate overlooks a regional nature park and is located just outside a Provencal medieval village of Draguignan. The property is located 1 hour to the beaches of St. Tropez and 15 minutes to Cannes by helicopter.
Set behind magnificent gates, the 18 bedroom château is surrounded by lush landscaping and Italian-style terraced gardens and Roman-style sculptures. Both the gardens and the castle are listed, and offer beautiful views over the Luberon mountains and lake.
Two 18th century pavilions overlook the tiered gardens, and there is also a swimming pool and helipad.
The castle’s facade was updated in the 17th century, and in the courtyard is a lovely fountain and curved staircase ascends the grand entrance, framed by a moulded stone pediment.
The property has a wealth of period detail, seen in terracotta floors, flagstones, and stone cornices and mouldings, and monumental fireplaces throughout the 32,905 square foot château.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
A French Fortress in the Rhone-Alpes
On the market with Annecy Sotheby’s Realty, this unique fortress in the Savoy region of France offers 180 degree views, from Mont-Blanc to the Vercors Massif.
The Historic Monument was built in the 11th century and extended in the 15th and 16th century by the Barons de Miolans.
Set in the hamlet of Miolans, part of the small town of St-Pierre Albigny, this unique fortress in the Savoy region of France offers 180 degree views, from Mont-Blanc to the Vercors Massif.
Accessible via "La Basse-Cour" (Barnyard) is the Manor with its tower, as well as the stables and chapel. The main residence is very well maintained and offers beautiful period detail and a private setting in the Rhone-Alpes, and the sellers note that there is an option to purchase only the manor residence on the fortress property.
Separate from the main residence is "La Haute-Cour" (High Court) of the fortress, which attracts tourists from around the world.
Separated from the main residence, the medieval fortress was used as a remote prison from the 16th to 18th centuries and nicknamed the “Bastille tilt” (Bastille of the Alps). It's little wonder—with dungeons with names like “Hell” and “Purgatory”!
All photos belong to the listing agency.
18th Century Château in Normandy
On the market with Belles demeures de France, this listed 18th château in Normandy is set in 182 acres of rolling countryside in the Orne department of Lower Normandy, 2.5 hours from Paris.
This property is on the market for €3,800,000, listed with Belles demeures de France.
This listed 18th château in Normandy is set in 182 acres of rolling countryside in the Orne department of Lower Normandy, 2.5 hours from Paris.
Built in 1780, the French château offers almost 13,000 square feet of interior space (excluding its Mansard-roofed attics), built atop vaulted cellars, with 12 bedrooms and several incredible reception rooms.
Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the château with natural light, with French doors opening out to the terraces.
Beautifully preserved and restored period details enhance the romance of the property, with its parquet floors and classically French octagonal tile floors.
The estate includes an outdoor pool with pool house, as well as a converted annex with an indoor pool and wellness area. Additional outbuildings on the property include a hunting lodge, a blacksmith’s forge, and stables, as well as 2 caretakers cottages.
The estate grounds cross a river, and include an old vegetable garden and greenhouses, as well as a tennis court and 2 water features.
With its bucolic setting and luxurious amenities as a leisure property, this , this restored French château is a rare gem indeed.
Find the listing link on the blog.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Luxurious Property Near the French Shores of Lake Geneva
On the market with Evian Sotheby’s Realty, the chateau is set in the heart of a walled 4.2 acre estate in the centre of the spa town of Thonon-les-Bains, nestled at the foot of the Alps.
The chateau is set in the heart of a walled 4.2 acre estate in the centre of the spa town of Thonon-les-Bains, in the department of Haute-Savoie in Eastern France. Nestled at the foot of the Alps, the town is just 35km from Geneva, and is a part of the Grand Genève.
Thonon-les-Bains’ history as a spa town dates back to Ancient Rome, and the city’s name,“les-bains”, is a testament to its renowned mineral waters and reputation for hydrotherapy.
With a picturesque, pedestrianized old town and a charming fishing port, the town is a part of the UNESCO-labelled GeoPark of Chalais, a listed heritage area between Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) and Mont Blanc.
The main 5-bedroom chateau offers 8356 square feet of interior space, beautifully restored in the late 1980s and featuring an elevator.
The property has two additional outbuildings (guest and staff accommodation), as well as a tennis court and a heated swimming pool enclosed in the property.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
A French Country Property With Equestrian Facilities
On the market with AK.SO Conseils Sotheby's, the property is located in the heart of the Bourbonnais countryside, near the spa resort city of Vichy in central France.
This property is on the market for €1,050,000 listed with AK.SO Conseils Sotheby's International Realty.
This French country house is se within a 15.5 acre park of oak, redwood, and lime trees.
Superbly restored for modern living, there is a total of 6 bedrooms and 3+1 bathrooms, several large reception rooms, and a large La Cornue equipped kitchen at the heart of the residence.
Located in the heart of the Bourbonnais countryside and close to the spa resort city of Vichy, the property comes with an idyllic caretakers cottage, a walled orchard, meadows, and access to woodland trails.
There is a 3-horse stable with saddlery and various outbuildings, in addition to a newly constructed riding arena.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Château Saint-Calais is the 'Petite Folie' We Need
The term “petite folie” in French also fittingly translates to “splurge”, and this Normandy property provides a lifestyle we’d love to indulge in.
This property is on the market for €1,990,000, listed with Belles demeures de France.
The former hunting lodge was built in the Louix XIII-style in 1663 for Jean Martel, the bailiff’s lieutenant in Évreux.
The Normandy residence was converted into a 5-bedroom manor house in the early 18th century, and belonged to the descendants of the Martel family until 1812.
Monument Historique classifies the building as “Chateau known as Manoir Saint-Calais,” as the property is hard to define.
Is it a chateau, a manoir or a folie? The property definitely has the allure of a country chateau, in miniature, with its Baroque architecture and charming French formal gardens.
A folie is a smaller structure designed to look grand, typically designed with no other purpose than adding extravagance to the landscape—Château Saint-Calais certainly fits the bill with its double allée of landmark lime trees planted narrower closer to the chateau, creating a forced perspective of grandness.
The term “petite folie” in French also fittingly translates to “splurge”, and this property provides a lifestyle we’d love to indulge in.
The property has been tastefully and professionally updated and expanded with a guest pavilion, a cottage, and the summer pavilion, restored to perfect condition, with an additional guest pavilion waiting to be restored.
The 9-bedroom, 8-bathroom property offers a total of 6781 square feet of interior space, set in a walled 4.44 acre estate.
With its French formal gardens, period vegetable garden, and woodland setting, the property is truly a pastoral paradise.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
French Manor House in Normandy
This lovely French manor home in Normandy is located just 20 minutes from the beaches of Deauville and 1 hour 45 minutes to Paris.
This property is on the market for €1,400,000, listed with Ivan Ballini Estates.
This lovely French manor home in Normandy is located just 20 minutes from the beaches of Deauville and 1 hour 45 minutes to Paris.
The 4.2 acre estate offers an idyllic lifestyle, with beautiful views of the rolling countryside of the Pays d’Auge.
The property has an orchard and hundreds of rose bushes in the garden surrounding the 18th century mansion.
The 8 bedroom, 3 bathroom home is spread across 2691 square feet, with several large reception rooms and featuring lovely period detail throughout.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
French Riviera Villa Overlooking the Bay of Pampelonne
On the market with Cote d’Azur Sotheby’s, this hilltop villa is within walking distance to St. Tropez’s famous Pampelonne Beach and Club 55.
This property is on the market for €20,000,000, listed with Cote d’Azur Sotheby’s Realty.
This hilltop villa is within walking distance to St. Tropez’s famous Pampelonne Beach and Club 55 beach club, named after the year “And God Created Woman” was filmed on the beach. Directed by Roger Vadim (1956), it was the film made Brigitte Bardot a sex symbol and a star.
With its stunning 180 degree coastal views, the 1 acre property is located in a quiet residential area, with lush, landscaped gardens and a swimming pool offering striking views of the bay of Pampelonne.
The 4844 square foot residence offers 7 ensuite bedrooms, and there is also a caretakers house and garage on the property.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Picturesque French Château in the Sologne Region
The château is listed (ISMH) and has been a private residence for the same family for the past 60 years, fully restored to an excellent condition.
This property is on the market for €4.5M, listed with Unique Estate.
This picturesque château is located 200 km from Paris near the Sancerre wine region and within the Sologne region of natural forests and lakes, in the heart of a village with shops.
The entire estate spans 42 acres of woodland park with terraced French gardens and an English park with ornamental trees and pond, and 37 acres of bridle paths.
Edged with dry moats, the castle dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries when it was first constructed entirely of pink brick on the site of an earlier fortress dating back to the 11th century.
The chateau was further expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the addition of the striking Louis XIII-style courtyard which creates an imposing first impression at the end of a tree-lined driveway, one of 3 gated access points onto the estate.
The château is listed (ISMH) and has been a private residence for the same family for the past 60 years, fully restored to an excellent condition. Notable period details include French-beamed ceilings, large open fireplaces, parquet floors, and intricate woodwork throughout, a dream property for heritage enthusiasts.
The 11-bedroom château has several large reception rooms, most notably a historic dining room with 16th century Flanders Cordoba-leather wall screens, decorated with pewter and painted in relief, and a regency-style library with carved panelling.
The entire building offers over 21,500 square feet of habitable space with 3 staircases, including a lovely wooden spiral staircase in the dungeon.
The donjon (tower) houses the staff accommodation across 4 levels, with a kitchen, guard room, and ensuite bedrooms, and an ice room at the base of the tower. The property includes a wine cellar, and its attics and cellars are in excellent condition.
A truly exceptional property with immense potential for boutique tourism, or as a lavish family home in the French countryside.
All photos belong to the listing agency.