The world’s “most expensive house” has hit the market, and its price tag is jaw-dropping. A 100-room mansion, nestled on over 1,000 hectares near Paris and once owned by royalty, is up for grabs at a staggering £363million.
Chateau d’Armainvilliers in Seine-et-Marne – believed to be the priciest home globally – was erected on the ruins of a 12th-century castle. The Rothschild banking dynasty acquired the vast estate in the late 19th century before King Hassan II of Morocco bought it in the 1980s and embarked on an extensive renovation.
The Moroccan royals introduced a plethora of modifications, including a hammam spa, a beauty and hairdressing salon, and a fully-equipped medical and dental facility. They also added a basement level with a vast network of tunnels, kitchens, cold rooms, storage spaces and staff quarters.
Additionally, there’s a stable on-site large enough to accommodate 50 horses.
In 2008, the property was sold to an undisclosed Middle Eastern buyer for £170m. However, the new asking price – more than double the previous one – has raised eyebrows among estate agents and property experts.
Ignace Meuwissen, who claims to be a real estate advisor to the global elite, described the home as opulent and grand.
Speaking to Paris Match magazine, he stated: “It is the most expensive castle in France and perhaps in the world. The price of €425 million is justified by the property itself but also by the 1,000-hectare land which offers numerous possibilities. An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he wanted.”
In a conversation with French real estate publication Le Figaro Immobilier, luxury property agents expressed their doubts about whether the nine-figure price tag would attract a buyer.
One described it as “unrealistic”, stating: “It doesn’t make sense, it’s absurd Properties of this type could sell for 20-25 million, or even 30 million if we really fall in love with them. I’m not even sure that Vaux-le-Vicomte (a Baroque French chateau), which has no marketing plans, would sell at this price.”
