Good Tuesday morning! A ten-bedroom historic mansion in the South of France!
Located in the center of Castres, France, this building was likely constructed sometime in the 17th Century, when Castres was booming as the site of a key courthouse. The magistrates of the time would construct mansions as a personal statement of their power and wealth.
This property feels like a million dollar home but is much more attainable at half that price! It could be transformed into apartments, a bed and breakfast, or maintained as a private home. The sheer size of this property is amazing enough, but the possibilities for how to use the space are even greater. I hope that however it’s used, the original architectural details don’t get lost – so beautiful!
From the listing on Belles Demeures:
In the city center of Castres, come and visit this magnificent private mansion with a living area of around 600 m² on a large tree-lined garden. It offers a monumental staircase, superb reception rooms, 10 bedrooms, 3 kitchens, 4 WCs, 1 bathroom and 3 shower rooms. Many possibilities of division. Independent garage. 399,000 euros (375,000 euros excluding fees) – Fees: 6.4% TTC at the expense of the purchaser included.
More about Castres from The Crazy Tourist:
A former textile town in the southwest, Castres has been a hive of trade and industry going back 2,000 years. You can glimpse this business on the banks of the River Agout, where medieval tanners’ houses were built with basement doors to help them get to water quicker.
In the 17th century Castres was the scene of an important court, settling cases between Catholics and Protestants . The cultured Renaissance mansions built for these magistrates are personal statements that still decorate the city up to 400 years later.
André Le Nôtre, whose place in history was sealed in the grounds at Versailles designed the gardens of Castres’ episcopal palace. And this noble building holds the best gallery of Spanish art in France, with Goya, Vélasquez and Picasso all on show.
Escapist To The Country 