Project or perfection: Buy a bargain French château

These grand châteaux in France are all on the market for less than €600,000

1. €424,000, Dordogne

A magnificent home for a reduced price – this 17th-century château comes complete with fairytale towers but is a nice manageable size with six bedrooms in total. Although some work is needed to bring the interior up to date, the building is generally in good condition with a new roof, double glazing throughout and a conforming septic tank. Bonuses include 8500m2 of gardens, a garage for two cars and a large carport, a stone bread oven, large cellar, and small outbuilding. Better still, the property is just 2km from a small village where you can find a supermarket, bakery, butchers and doctor.

On the market with Leggett

2. €399,620, Vienne

A bit of love and time would have this place looking absolutely stunning. In the commune of Coulonges, on the edge of the Brenne regional park, this eight-bedroom château is set in a hectare of splendid parkland including lawns, mature trees and a fountain. Approached by a tree-lined drive the property makes a fantastic first impression, and for the price is in surprisingly good nick inside. The château has been split into two dwellings, with one half renovated and the other requiring some more work. Overall though, there is huge potential here.

On the market with Beaux Villages

3. €546,000, Manche

Wow! For a ready-made château business, in a UK-friendly location and for a great price, you can’t do much better than this. Set in two acres of parkland, this elegant Napoleon III château is currently run as a successful luxury accommodation business with a strong track record over the last 15 years. Inside there are beautiful living areas, a kitchen with a prestigious La Cornue oven, two turret rooms, an enormous cellar and large bedrooms. Plus, two lovely holiday cottages in the grounds. The property is located just a minutes from the town of Coutances which has a fantastic range of amenities. The sea is just 10 minutes away, and in an hour and a half you could be at St-Malo or Caen ferry ports.

On the market with Agence Newton

4. €594,999, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

How about not one, but two châteaux in one of France’s prettiest medieval villages? Back in the 13th-century Gaston VII Moncade chose Sauveterre-de-Béarn as the location for a magnificent castle which included a drawbridge, chapel and banquet hall. These days the castle has been reduced to ruins, but you can buy it alongside the imposing 18th-century château next to it, which requires internal renovation but is structurally in good order. The possibilities are endless – how about hosting magical evening weddings in the ruins of the old castle, followed by stunning receptions in the newer building?

On the market with Leggett

5. €420,000, Eure-et-Loir

Full of shops, restaurants and other everyday services, the pretty town of Nogent-le-Rotrou benefits from a prime location in the heart of the Perche regional park, and has a train station with routes to Chartres and Paris Montparnasse. On the outskirts of the town is this fantastic 19th-century château which will entice anyone looking to undertake their own ‘Dick and Angel’ project. The main building offers grand reception rooms, 10 bedrooms and vaulted cellars, while outside there’s a caretaker’s lodge, another small house, garages and outbuildings, tennis courts, swimming pool and walled vegetable garden. The whole lot requires a substantial amount of renovation, but imagine how special it coudl be once complete.

On the market with Leggett

6. €562,860, Lot-et-Garonne

The owners of this gorgeous château in Villeneuve-sur-Lot have invested 30 years to transform it from a derelict building into a really beautiful property – and with a little work still left to do, the next owners will need to have the same care and commitment. The château contains beautiful reception rooms with high ceilings and original features including some impressive fireplaces, as well as a small chapel, terraces and a huge loft space. Parts of the property, including the porterhouse and a barn, have been sectioned off to create lovely gites to generate some extra income. As for the outside space, there are two swimming pools, a pool house, a courtyard with a fountain, and expansive grounds.

On the market with Leggett

Click the link above for the full selection of bargain châteaux on France Property Shop

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