A world record price of more than €275 million has been paid for a property outside Paris. Chateau Louis XIV is a “villa” in a 56-acre park between Versailles and Marly-le-Roi and took three years to construct. The house includes an aquarium, cinema and a wine cellar, while outside there’s a fountain covered in gold leaf.
“With elegantly planted parterres, a gleaming gold-leafed fountain, an infinite array of flowers, marble statues, bridle paths and a hedged labyrinth, the property’s park and gardens evoke the genius of Le Notre, ” Cogemad who developed the property, said on its website referring to the gardener of King Louis XIV of France.
The house was sold to a Middle Eastern buyer who asked not to be named because the sale is private. Christie’s International Real Estate was involved in brokering the deal.
The previous confirmed record price for a home was set when a penthouse in London sold for about $221 million (€ 200.9m) in 2011, Christie’s International said in September. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov lost a 10 per cent down payment on a €390 million villa in southern France after he failed to complete the purchase, a court ruled in 2010. Put another way that 10% lost deposit ( € 39m ) is equivalent to a 3 year contract for Real Madrid’s Christiano Ronaldo !