Much renovation has already been done and a pool has been added, but the second floor lies untouched since its orphanage days. “The major chunk of expensive work such as the roof, electrics, wiring and installing a country-style kitchen has been done, what is left really is decorative,” says Griffin.Ch?au de Mareil lies at the very top of the market but many British buyers are tempted by the often dilapidated ch?aux. Two dining rooms cater for intimate or grander occasions and one room has a horticultural theme with corner panels carved with gardening motifs. Internally, the rooms include two striking salons with elaborate fireplaces and Versailles parquet floors.
“It is big but, if you had a large family and lots of friends, it would be perfect.” Griffin believes that, despite its price tag, the house represents good value although arriving at the sum was difficult. “It’s incredibly cheap compared to properties of this size in the South-east of the UK but, while here it is easy to get comparables by looking at equivalent properties that have sold, in France and especially Paris very few large houses such as this one ever come on to the market.”Behind iron gates, the house is surrounded by parkland, gardens and woods. “There is an awful lot of bureaucracy involved, which is why we undertook this ourselves. We approached them in July, but they all go away in August, so it wasn’t until October that we finally met with the mayor and got approval.”The path should now run smoother for potential hotel owners but Griffin feels that the house could also make a wonderful family home. Today the property is a blend of 17th-century architecture and 21st-century living.London-based agent Powis Properties is marketing the ch?au. “We don’t get a huge amount of properties like this coming onto the market. It is extremely rare and we’ve already had a lot of interest from buyers who are considering turning it into a boutique hotel.
It would be an incredibly beautiful one,” says Guy Griffin, the director who personally investigated planning consent needed for change of use. It was built in the 1680s before being bought by the Chaumonts family in 1710, who kept it until 1846. During the Second World War it was commandeered by the Gestapo as their HQ. After the war the Red Cross used the ch?au as an orphanage and it wasn’t until the 1970s that the house was restored to its former glory by interior designer Pierre Scapula. Exchanging life in the UK for a better one abroad is a dream that grips many of us. But a truly unique house that has just come on to the market ensures that living the high life need no longer be the stuff of dreams.
Just 21 miles from the heart of Paris, Ch?au du de Mareil, a 25-acre estate incorporating a 17th-century chateau and landscaped grounds and woodlands, is for sale with a guide price of £5.75 million.
Steeped in more than 400 years of history, the ch?au is in the village of Mareil de Guyon surrounded by unspoilt countryside. When we moved in a lot needed to be done, so we added a garage while doing the other work. It didn’t surprise me when the agent said the garage was our big plus point and told us how much value it added. We are moving for more space and a bigger garden, but top of my wish list for the next home is a parking space right outside the house, and a garage.”Mullucks Wells: 01787 319319Browns: 01483 531166.