French Chateau For Sale
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201 properties
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Authentic 7 bedroom Manor House for sale with countryside view in Lalbenque, Cahors, Midi-Pyrenees
Ref 244544
Beautifully renovated 7 bedroom enchanting 'Maison de Maitre' set in glorious landscaped gardens with pool and equestrian outbuildings, while enjoying far reaching countryside views from its peacef...
799,000 EUR
Immaculate 12 bedroom Farm Estate for sale with countryside view in Azay le Rideau, Centre
Ref 244437
Recommended
Stunning estate located in the Loire Valley, which comprises of 2 newly renovated houses, swimming pool, tennis and 109 hectares of land. Main house (south facing reception rooms) - 572m2: Entranc...
1,695,860 EUR
Character 11 bedroom Manor House for sale in Bergerac, Aquitaine
Ref 244359
Accessed view a gravel driveway, this superb property is made up of 2 buildings, which feature a 3 bedroom family house, 5 independent guest rooms, a 1 bedroom cottage and a 2 bedroom cottage, with...
1,420,500 EUR
Character 50 bedroom Chateau for sale with countryside view in Saint Cere, Midi-Pyrenees
Ref 243886
Recommended
Ideally situated right in the heart of the Dordogne Valley, this historical former convent is ripe for development. Built entirely of the local light coloured stone, the convent offers approximat...
692,000 EUR
14 bedroom Chateau for sale with panoramic view with Income Potential in Montignac de Lauzun, Eymet, Aquitaine
Ref 243784
Simply stunning and superbly renovated Eighteenth Century Chateau, featuring a seven-bedroom main residence, three gites, each with two bedrooms, and a one bed pigeonnier, set in over 13 acres prov...
1,525,000 EUR
Authentic 6 bedroom Chateau for sale with panoramic view in Saint Emilion, Aquitaine
Ref 243772
Nestling in 5 hectares of glorious land with beautiful gardens, pool and outbuildings, is this exceptional 6 bedroom French Chateau enjoying panoramic views from its peaceful location near all amen...
2,395,000 EUR
Historical Chateau for sale with panoramic view in Saint Just de Claix, Rhone-Alpes
Ref 243731
On the borders of La Drome and L'Isere, this is a genuine Medieval castle in 15 acres in a dominant position with views of the beautiful landscapes of La Drome, renovated and offering an excelle...
1,380,000 EUR
Historical 7 bedroom Castle for sale with panoramic view in Seillans, Cote d'Azur French Riviera
Ref 243723
This charming and beautifully presented 7 bedroom Gallo-Roman Chateau, with its origins dating back to before the 4th Century, is situated on the upper level of the medieval village of Seillans and...
1,250,000 EUR
Renovated 5 bedroom Manor House for sale in Nontron, Aquitaine
Ref 243527
Highly desirable historic property with swimming pool and Medieval origins set in a tiny hamlet in the Dordogne Perigord National Park. The oldest part of the chateau, dating from the 13th centur...
636,000 EUR
Renovated 2 bedroom Chateau for sale in Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes
Ref 243523
Superb and historical Sixteenth Century Renaissance Chateau (ISMH Listed), exquisitely restored by its present owners using specialist artisans from across the region to faithfully retain the beaut...
1,785,000 EUR
Income Producing 7 bedroom Manor House for sale with panoramic view in Vieillevie, Auvergne
Ref 243497
A spacious country house full of character features, income potential plus a swimming pool, in a sunny position that offers sweeping views of the mountains and valley with the river just below. T...
550,000 EUR
11 bedroom Chateau for sale with countryside view with Income Potential in Arnac Pompadour, Limousin
Ref 243463
Absolutely beautiful 3 storey, 11 bedroom stone French Chateau with separate cottage, nestling in over 7 acres of glorious landscaped gardens with expansive pool while enjoying wonderful countrysid...
2,625,000 EUR
Income Producing 10 bedroom Chateau for sale in Bergerac, Aquitaine
Ref 243331
Absolutely exceptional 10 bedroom, 17th century French Chateau with cottage and 3 gites, nestling in 33 hectares of glorious gardens with pool and vineyards, while enjoying far reaching countryside...
3,950,000 EUR
Belle Epoque 11 bedroom Chateau for sale in Carcassonne, Languedoc-Roussillon
Ref 243258
Fabulous Belle Epoque with 11 bedrooms in a great location close to the Canal du Midi, vineyards and situated in the beautiful historic Languedoc region. This spacious 455m2 property combines a t...
1,400,000 EUR
7 bedroom Chateau for sale with countryside view in Jonzac, Poitou-Charentes
Ref 243254
Enchanting 6 bedroom French chateau with guest house, approached via stone pillars and iron gates along a tree lined drive, full of charm and character and within easy reach of the thriving spa to...
689,000 EUR
13 bedroom Chateau for sale with panoramic view in Etretat, Normandy
Ref 243232
Exceptionally restored 18th century Normandy Chateau with 3 gites, separate apartment and outbuildings, nestling in 11 hectares of beautiful gardens and land near all amenities in Etretat. Built b...
5,157,893 EUR
Historical 9 bedroom Castle for sale in Tours, Centre
Ref 243191
Beautifully renovated spacious 4 storey French Chateau with separate apartment and studio, nestling in over 6.5 acres of glorious landscaped gardens and woods with pond, enjoying far reaching count...
2,747,000 EUR
Ten Bedroom Chateau with Ten Bedrooms for Sale near Limoges, Limousin
Ref 243118
Recommended
Beautifully and luxuriously renovated 4 storey, 10 bedroom chateau nestling in over 5.5 acres of glorious landscaped gardens with expansive pool, tennis court and Jacuzzi, enjoying wonderful countr...
1,350,000 EUR
Character 12 bedroom French Chateau for sale in Madiran, Gers, Midi-Pyrenees
Ref 242901
Recommended
Situated in a quiet setting in Madiran, right in the heart of the Gers area and surrounded by vineyards, this superb Gascon property offers an enchanting setting just 5 minutes from all amenities a...
2,500,000 EUR
Historical 8 bedroom Chateau for sale with countryside view in Saintes, Poitou-Charentes
Ref 242816
Recommended
Outstanding Fifteenth Century chateau set in an estate of over 230 acres, beautifully renovated and awarded a 5-star luxury furnished accommodation status by Tourisme de Charente-Maritime. Aft...
4,350,000 EUR
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Area Guide

Living the dream of owning a large, spectacular and historic building in many countries can often be somewhat difficult to realise. Not so, France. Almost every department has its share of imposing tower-topped chateaux dominating the landscape, if no longer the people. From long-forgotten manorial houses to the very largest monastic and secular palaces, a French chateau offers a vision of mystique and romance that perhaps the more solidly defensive English castles cannot touch.

Why buy a French Chateau?

At present, large estates are offering superb value for money compared to other prestige property around the world. Boasting acres of land, lakes, outbuildings and their own capacious floor spaces, a French chateau gives one the opportunity and space to choose how to live and work. Taking the figure of 1 Million Euros as an example, a French chateau costing this will far outweigh, in real terms, the real estate offered by other luxury and prestige property of the same price. In many locations, you are paying for exactly that - location - and will no doubt be jostling with other similar properties for the best view. A French chateau offers the rare ability to look out from your window and survey no land but your own.

The rise in disposable income and the freedom to travel between countries ensures that there is strong interest in buying such property for a family home or a tourism business - perhaps for fishing, an equestrian school, hunting, outdoor sports, walking or wildlife watching. The fairytale bulk of a French chateau is also one of its main attractions, particularly for weddings or hotel accommodation. What bride would not wish to be married within an ancient chapel bathed by soft light streaming through its stained glass windows, then withdraw across the lawn to the main building with its ornate decoration a background to the big day and the sounds of history echoing from its walls?

Many such properties also have existing income from timber or wine production.

French chateau types

If you are looking to buy a French chateau, be it for pleasure or business, we have many beautiful properties to choose from with prices of approximately 300,000 EUR to over 20 Million EUR. These properties take many forms, from smaller Logis and manor houses to fortified farmsteads and enormous stately homes encompassing many hectares of land with woods, lakes, guest houses and outbuildings.

A chateau, because of its size and history, usually has over 1 hectare of land - usually this is much more, even with lower budget examples. While there is a limited supply of French chateaux that are up for sale at any given time, there is likely to be a great variety. You may wish to buy a large building with little land to make your money go further. Or you may wish to buy a smaller Logis-style property, but utilise the land for horses, hunting or wildlife. However, there are many examples of chateaux for sale on the market with a large floor space and several dozen hectares, but they are understandably more expensive but not overly so. 1 million EUR can easily buy you 500m2 of floor space on several levels plus 20 hectares of land.

Whether a chateau dates from the 10th or 20th century, it will have its own style and history of decoration. Some can be a mix of styles from different periods as fashion and the owner's availability of funds changed. Other examples of French chateaux appear not to have changed since they were built. Many were built in the early 19th century as France became more dominant and wealthy. There are similarities between properties in that you are likely to find original features such as stone fireplace, parquet flooring, mouldings and carvings dotted around the rooms.

Where to buy a French chateau for sale

You can buy a French chateau in all states of preservation; from windowless shells requiring total renovation, to those requiring part-decoration, to immaculate 19th century bourgeois stately homes, the amount you will need to spend will depend on how much work you are willing to undertake. Being large properties, renovations can be very costly and time-consuming but need not be outside the budget of most serious buyers if planned correctly. Typically, to arrive at a habitable building you will need to spend around a total of around 500,000 Euros, whether you opt to renovate or buy an already renovated example.

Obviously, the more you spend to begin with, the larger the chateau, outbuildings and land you will acquire. While not always true, like most things it is usually sound advice to spend more at the outset to buy a good example than spend money creating one. In other words, it is better to let the previous owner use their money and time!

Our portfolio includes a great selection of French chateaux for sale in many areas of France. The Loire valley and the nearby departments offer particularly good investment opportunities for the chateau property buyer and we have over 30 examples in the Indre-et-Loire, Loir et Cher, Indre, Maine et Loire and Seine et Marne alone. Other good 'populations' exist in the Parisian departments and the south east, south west and north east areas of France. The market is remarkably fluid below 1.5 Million euros, with highly desirable properties changing hands within weeks of being offered for sale. This compares favourably with other prestige markets with regards to 'on-market' times.

Buying a Property in France

1. Signing the Agreement (Compris)

On finding a property you wish to purchase you will need to negotiate the terms, price and conditions of the sale with the owner.

The next step, once you are in agreement, is to sign the preliminary contract (Compromis de Vente). This is a legal document and after ten days will be binding on both parties. Rules change frequently in France and it is best to consult with your notary about when this period starts. Generally the compris will be signed in France with the Agent.

Variants can be included in the compris, for example an Acte (clause) can be added if the name or names to go on the title deed have not been finalised. If a mortgage will be required to purchase the property, the details for this, including the name of the mortgage company, must be on the compris.

2. Paying the Deposit

Generally the deposit will be 10% of the agreed purchase price. This will normally be paid to the notaire. There are exceptions to this, if the agent holds a carte professionelle, is bonded and fully registered then you may pay them, but do not hand over the deposit to anyone else. If for some reason the purchase does not go through, for example, if you write to the notaire and the agent that you do not wish to go continue with the purchase before the contract is binding (within seven days of signing the compris), then your deposit would be repaid. This would also apply if a condition had not been met, or the mayor or S.A.F.E.R. (a government agency that has the right of first purchase on most rural property that comes onto the market in France) could oblige the purchaser to give way. If you decide after the seven days 'cooling off' period that you do not wish to complete the purchase and pull out of the sale you would lose your deposit. If however the vendor pulls out of the sale then you will receive your deposit back plus the same amount from the vendor.

3. On Completion

Generally it will take around two or three months to complete the purchase.

During this time the balance of the purchase money must be paid into the account of the notaire, this must be done well ahead of the completion date. The notaire will prepare the documents, check that the deed of sale (Acte de Vente) is in order and have the legal title ready to be signed over. It is possible to have someone sign on your behalf if you give them power of attorney. An interpreter may be of use at this point if your French is not very good and many Notaires will suggest (or insist) that an interpreter is with you.

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