Latest news with #château
Times
02-08-2025
- Business
- Times
The expensive reality of owning a château — and how to buy one
With multiple turrets, 55 rooms and a medieval moat, Château de Bourneau in western France is straight out of a fairytale. However, for Erin Choa, the British woman who bought the château with her French husband, Jean-Baptiste, in 2018, there have been many less-than-romantic moments. 'I certainly didn't feel like a glamorous chatelaine when I was covered in soot helping to fit a 16m flue for a wood-burner — our only source of heating,' Choa says. 'Or the time I threw a dinner party and was wearing wellingtons under my evening dress, because an hour before we'd been tackling a flood in the kitchen.' You can see why people are seduced by the idea of owning a château. Just a few minutes browsing online and you'll soon be wondering if you could turn that down-at-heel €500,000 (about £430,000) pile into the home of your dreams or a boutique hotel. Especially if you're living in a cramped London flat that would sell for more. But what's the reality behind the dream? Let's start with that 'bargain' asking price. For a €500,000 château, you'd need to budget for notary fees and taxes on top (about €31,000). And don't forget to check if the buyer or seller is paying the agency fees. They're considerably higher than in the UK — averaging about 5 per cent — so that's potentially another €25,000 to pay. This is before you factor in the costs of a cross-border solicitor — not compulsory but advisable for such a significant investment. Legal fees can easily reach £10,000. If you need a mortgage, take heed too. 'Few French banks are willing to lend for the purchase of a château,' says Fiona Watts of the mortgage broker International Private Finance. 'It's such an unusual building that if they had to repossess it, it's not liquid enough for them to sell easily.' Structural surveys are not commonplace in France but, if you were planning to buy a historic home for a six-figure sum or more, would you want to go ahead without one? Typical fees start at about £3,000, depending on the size, age and complexity of the estate. 'Châteaux with multiple independent buildings will naturally cost more,' says Matthew Noble of MKN Surveyors. • Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement In general, the cheaper the château, the more expensive the upgrade project. Renovation work in France is estimated at €1,700-€2,000 per sq m, but protected features, specialist materials and tradesperson skills can push that to €3,500 per sq m. 'On a normal house you might pay €35,000-€50,000 to replace a roof, but for a château it could be €200,000 due to the size,' says Tom Easdown an architect for French Plans, a firm that helps English speakers to navigate the French planning system. In fact, that's exactly the price Jon and Carmen Parker are expecting to pay next year to replace the roof at their home, Château de Cézérac in Lot-et-Garonne, southwest France. 'Don't just look at the attractive purchase price but what it's going to cost you to renovate,' Jon says. 'Bank on doubling both the money and time you'd expect.' Note too, that the cost of building materials in France has gone up in recent years. Brits over there have long been shocked at the price of paint, for example — and you'll need thousands of litres to coat a château. 'We have seen beautiful 12-bedroom-plus châteaux for €300,000, but the amount you would have to inject to get them liveable and functioning for a business could be millions,' Choa says. 'Expect to pay €100,000-plus for re-roofing, €80,000-plus for new heating systems — and consider the costs of rewiring and plumbing. Finding a project with renovation potential that wasn't a total wreck but within our budget was tricky. We love DIY but are aware of our limitations.' Often, the only way châteaux are affordable is to do much of the work yourself. 'You need stamina, the days are long and you'll end up spending a lot of money,' Jon Parker says. 'But we wouldn't change the experience for anything.' • How British gîte owners are changing tactics as the cost of living bites Once you've completed the renovation — that's if you ever do; many châteaux have unfinished rooms left for future projects — you'll need to budget for maintenance and running costs. The price of a boiler powerful enough to heat a vast château is something to bear in mind, and that's before you pay the heating bills. 'The favourite topic of conversation between château owners is the heating system,' Choa says. 'When we invest in this, it will easily be our biggest expenditure.' The same goes for Roland Salvato, the owner of Château de Balsac in Aveyron, southern France. 'Our largest annual expense is heating,' he says. 'Even with some insulation, costs have gone through the roof, literally. We pay more than €12,000 a year for energy, €3,000 for home insurance and €5,000 for basic maintenance and upkeep. Our largest renovation expenditure was creating two B&B rooms and bathrooms, at a cost of about €45,000. 'You'll probably need to reinvest into the property at least 5 per cent of its total value every year to maintain it — and 10 per cent for repairs and minor upgrades,' he adds. As well as maintenance for the château itself, you should also consider the costs involved in running a large estate. 'You may have to invest in tractors or lawnmowers, which can be over €10,000,' Choa says. 'Our outgoings are easily €4,000-€6,000 a month and that doesn't include any renovation costs. But our château is 1,000 sq m and we have four large cottages that sleep 44, and 32 acres of land.' When things go wrong, they tend to go wrong on a huge scale. 'If a window breaks, we need to replace a 6ft pane of glass, and when you have over 100 windows in just the château alone, it's easy to see how one stormy night can leave you quaking,' Choa says. The larger and more valuable the property, the higher the annual property taxes too — and the cost of home insurance can come as a shock too. 'At one point, we were quoted €8,000 a year,' says Rory Thersby, who owns Château de Pican in Gers, southern France, with his wife, Jane. 'Local insurers told us they couldn't insure a property of this size because it was beyond the parameters they were happy to work within. It was an anxious process trying to find an affordable quote,' Rory says. 'Both our property and car insurance are twice what we were paying in the UK,' Jane adds. • How to renovate in France, by the stars of Château DIY Plus, note that any changes to the exterior of a French property — whether a humble cottage or grand château — will require planning permission. Even down to the colour of the shutters. Work on a historic home is likely to need the involvement of the Architectes des Bâtiments, the French equivalent of the National Trust. Then there's all the paperwork — tackling French bureaucracy is notoriously tricky. 'French red tape is like a hydra,' Jane Thersby says. 'You chop off one head and more grow in its place, with more and more documents being required, each of which requires multiple pieces of evidence to be produced, involving multiple authorities. That said, our village mayor has been helpful and is sympathetic when it comes to these bureaucratic burdens.' Few châteaux are bought as private homes, with commercial ventures ranging from B&Bs to huge events businesses. While this brings in much-needed income, it also adds extra costs, from fire and safety installations to staffing. 'We were surprised at how difficult and expensive it is to employ staff for a small business in France, which is why we end up doing everything ourselves, which limits our expansion,' Choa says. If none of this has put you off, France offers a great choice of locations and châteaux. Almost a thousand are listed for sale on the website Belles Demeures alone, ranging from €142,000 (just the three bedrooms) to €100 million-plus. These included formidable fortifications, Renaissance palaces, spacious country homes and wine estates. Smaller, more manageable châteaux are popular, mostly because they're easier and cheaper to run. Clearly the costs and work involved with owning a château can be immense, but there's an extra element to ownership that often comes as a surprise to a newbie. 'We didn't realise when we bought Château de Bourneau that we would inherit a role as the custodians for this generation,' Choa says. 'We are caretakers of a shared history with our community. We received visits of welcome from local dignitaries, and I have even been introduced as the 'Dame de Bourneau'!' So, is owning a château a dream or a nightmare? It can be both, with extreme highs and lows. 'It's a path fraught with unknowns, head-scratching, gut-wrenching problems and roadblocks,' Rory Thersby says. 'It takes more than a fairy godmother to turn a rundown château into a home fit for a king. But I love knowing that we are becoming a part of this old building's history.' For Choa, waking up and looking across the moat through a turret window still gives her a thrill every morning. 'It's a hard-earned privilege to call Château de Bourneau home and to be her guardians for this generation. The hours are long, the journey isn't always easy and caring for a historic monument is extremely expensive. But there is something so special about being a part of her history and protecting her for future generations to enjoy.' • Attend a formation civique — a mandatory course in how to adjust to French life — early in your residency. Contact the French Office for Immigration and Integration ( to arrange this. • If applying for a visa, or waiting for one to come through, be patient. The process can take several months. Utilise expats' social media support groups, such as Expats Move to France (177,000 members on Facebook) for tips.• You will need your visa to get a social security number, which unlocks a huge variety of state services including your carte vitale, France's health insurance card. If you don't have one, and arrive as a tourist (which allows you to stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period), you'll need comprehensive travel insurance to cover any eventualities.• Beware France's vicious cycle of bureaucracy: you won't be able to get a bank account without a permanent address … but you won't be able to get a permanent address without a bank account. Many newcomers register themselves temporarily at the French address of a family member or friend to get around this.
Times
20-07-2025
- Times
Win a luxury seven-night French château stay for ten guests worth £12,000
Just imagine . . . you and nine of your favourite people embarking on une balade around the grounds of a glorious château in the heart of the Loire Valley — glass of local wine in hand — having feasted on a lunch of regional cheeses, charcuterie and artisan baguette. Well, that dream could fast become reality: we've paired up with Oliver's Travels to offer you the chance to win a week-long stay at Château Les Bains, a stunning belle époque residence set in a dreamy riverside location near the spa town of La Roche-Posay. The property delivers views across 17 acres of parkland and vines that undulate to the river and there's space for up to 20 guests — seven bedrooms are found in the main house, and there's an additional trio of rooms in a separate cottage. Days here can be spent basking poolside, getting competitive in the games room or tending the vines (before pootling to the in-house cellar). There's also a grand kitchen that inspires trips to the local market and will have you wondering why you didn't move here years ago. So what are you waiting for? Oliver's Travels is providing this prize, offering the winner exclusive use of the property for seven nights on a self-catering basis, plus daily housekeeping service. The fridge and pantry will be fully stocked with up to €200 worth of products. The prize also includes two LeShuttle car passes that will cover ten people. As the château's capacity is 20, you're able to invite an additional ten guests at your own expense. You'll need to book your stay at least six weeks in advance, and travel between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026. Blackout dates are July, August, Christmas and Easter. For more information, click here. For your chance to win, simply vote in each category in this year's Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards. There are 17 categories in total. Click here to vote. For the full list of prizes, see closes at 23.59pm on August 31, 2025. Open to residents of the United Kingdom who are aged 18 years or older, excluding employees and agents of the Promoter and its group companies, or third parties directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion and their affiliates, and their immediate families and household members. One entry per person. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. No cash alternative and prize is non-transferable. Subject to availability, Prize must be redeemed within one year and booked at least six weeks in advance of departure date. Prize must be taken between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026, subject to availability and blackout dates apply including Christmas, New Year, Easter, and July 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026. All parts of Prize must be used in conjunction with same booking. Winner and his/her guest(s) are solely responsible for ensuring they are available to travel and have valid travel documentation (including passport/visa/visa waiver as may be required), obtaining adequate travel insurance and appropriate vaccinations/inoculations for foreign travel at their own expense. Winner can invite additional guests, up to a total of twenty (20), at their own expense. Travel insurance, food and drink (outside what is previously declared in the board basis), spending money and all incidental expenses are the responsibility of the prize-winner. Prize is subject to Oliver's Travels terms and conditions. Stay must adhere to the terms listed here: Your information will be used to administer this Promotion and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy at and those of the partners. Promoter is Times Media Ltd. Full T&Cs apply — see
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
A Perfect Parisian Wedding To Remember In Château de Ferrières
A grand 19th-century château in Paris allowed a sumptuous ceremony full of surprises to come to life New bride Mariam Boustani Chehab admits to taking 'zero' photos when her fiancé, Lebanese entrepreneur Karim, proposed to her in London last year. 'He knows I don't like proposals, so it was very casual on the side of the road after dinner,' she laughs. 'I loved how it was such a private and intimate moment, but I regret now not taking any pictures.' The couple first met in Dubai through Mariam's cousin, and it was her now-husband's thoughtfulness that immediately drew Mariam to him. 'I've always loved how he remembers the smallest details about me from the first day we met.' After dating for 18 months, followed by a six-month engagement, the couple tied the knot in May this year at a beautiful ceremony in the City of Light. 'The wedding was at Château de Ferrières in Seine-et-Marne, Paris. We wanted to celebrate aboard due to the unstable situation in Lebanon,' Lebanese-American marketing specialist says. 'We wanted do something different, surrounded by our family and friends.' The 19th-century Italian Renaissance château set the scene perfectly for the couple's 200-guest wedding. Hiring Lebanese wedding planner Robert Hykl allowed the duo to dream up something fantastical that became reality. The venue was strewn with floral decorations of peonies, hortensia and roses in a soft pink palette, complemented by golden fruits inspired by the château's mouldings, that really brought their vision to life. Inside, a showstopping centrepiece created a fantastical element of surprise – a hot air balloon set against the opulent interiors, frescos and decorative artwork of the château, and surrounded by fuchsias and pink and orange sofas. As per tradition, Karim made his entrance to a Dabke song, decked out in an Amer Ejjeh tuxedo, followed by Mariam who walked down the aisle in a high-neck, beaded Tony Ward Couture gown. 'It was the first dress I tried on, and the last,' Mariam smiles – with the evocative Now We Are Free by Hans Zimmer playing in the background. Gianvito Rossi platform heels ('The most comfortable shoes ever!') and emerald-cut drop earrings by Lebanese jeweller Yasser Younes, completed the look, with Mariam explaining: 'I wanted to keep my jewellery very simple.' Having already celebrated their Katb Kteb (religious ceremony) in Beirut, the Paris wedding eschewed the more formal traditions of readings and vows. 'This wedding was more a party for the young,' Mariam says, evidenced by music that segued from Young and Beautiful by Lana del Rey for the slow dance, into a live band, followed by R'n'B and deep house. Looking back at the day, Mariam learned that it's not worth stressing about the small stuff when planning a wedding. 'It's important to be picky, but if I could go back, I would definitely try to stress less.' As for the most magical moment? 'Seeing it come to life, just as I dreamed, and sharing every moment with my closest family and friends,' the bride attests. 'Also meeting Robert Hykl, too – he and his team became like family.' All imagery supplied
