If you, like many Londoners, find yourself despondent looking at derelict homes like this one in Camden that are selling for nearly £1 million, you could consider an alternate reality.
In this reality, you’re sipping a glass of Bordeaux (paid for with the change from your bog-standard terraced house in London) in one of your many turrets, looking out over rolling hills and meandering rivers while eating the finest local cheeses.
Will the 20 bedrooms require a lot of work to keep up? Of course. And will the suspiciously appealing price tag mean you’re about to sink just as much into renovations? Perhaps. But sometimes you might just get a great deal.
Here are some of the best French chateaux on the market right now for the price of a London terraced house — or less.
14th/15th-century chateau, Prissac, £366,000
A six-bedroom bargain for £366,030
Prestige Property Group
You’d be hard-pushed to find a one-bedroom flat in London for £366,030, but that’s the asking price for this six-bedroom castle in the heart of the La Brenne Natural Park in central France.
The fairytale castle in Prissac is set in 12.7 hectares of land, with three acres of that gardens, a chapel, barn, stables and the rest meadows and woodlands.
The historic building dates back the the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and while it may need some work, the exterior alone is enough to make you start imagining a life there.
19th-century chateau, Luzech, £878,000
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A charming seven-bedroom chateau perched right on the river
Savills
This whimsical 19-century chateau perched on the river Lot in the South West of France was built by an army inspector of Napoleon III.
It is at the heart of a charming village, Luzech, and has been carefully renovated while retaining many of its original features, such as fireplaces and mouldings.
For £877,837, a similar price to many two-bedroom flats in London, it offers seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, a shaded terrace, a study, cellar, garden and swimming pool.
Contemporary mansion, Eynesse, £870,000
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A grand and light home sitting on 11 hectares
Savills
Set within a grand 11-hectare estate in the Gironde near Bordeaux this mansion may look large for only having six bedrooms, but many of these also have their own dressing rooms.
Most of the downstairs rooms also open up onto sunny terraces, while the basement has a games room and wine cellar.
Between Bordeaux and Bergerac the estate, a mix of open fields and mature trees, also host several other buildings giving the option of income down the line.
18th/19th century, Navarrenx, £860,000
A picture perfect mansion with 30 bedrooms
Hamptons International
More of a project and business than a home, this 30-bedrom property would be something for the adventurous to take on for £860,444.
The beautiful 19th-century chateau is set on an 18-acre estate of landscaped gardens and bio-farmland.
The estate also contains: a huge event space dating back to the 18th century, on which renovation has already started, a barn, a farm shop, and a bakery.
If you dream of running a hotel or wedding venue halfway between Biarritz and ski resorts in the Pyrenees, here’s your chance.
13th century, Ambeyrac, £790,000
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This 13-century building was classified as a historic monument in 1995
Savills
For a large family home with medieval character and modern comforts, this historic chateau ticks lots of boxes.
The 13-century building was classified as a historic monument in 1995, and is in the Lot valley with views over the river.
Renovated from a virtual ruin, it now boasts grand living space, five bedrooms, a swimming pool, and a two-storey barn with two horse boxes.
19th century, Seyches, £797,000
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This 19th-century chateau has characterful stone interiors
Savills
This elegantly restored five-bedroom home looks over rolling hills in south-west France.
The 19th-century building now has plenty of natural light and characterful stone interiors, including a stained glass window.
You’ll also find a heated swimming pool and remote-controlled security and heating systems all for £797,259.
18th century, near Bergerac, £788,000
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A stone manor in the Dordogne with three acres of woodlands
Hamptons International
Five minutes from Bergerac in the Dordogne, this seven-bedroom manor house also comes with another stone home and two barns ripe for renovation.
Fairly isolated, it sits in over three acres of wooded grounds.
Decorated in a traditional mansion-house style, it has kept some original interior features and has views of Château de Monbazillac from the rear bedrooms.
There is also a heated saltwater swimming pool.
19th century, Lessac, £637,000
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A nine-bedroom home with a detached lodge at the opposite end of the 1.2 hectare grounds
Savills
Originally built by a military officer of Napoleon upon his return from the Middle East, this nine-bedroom home comes with a detached lodge nestled at the opposite end of the 1.2 hectare grounds.
The current owners have apparently built up enough from their rental business across the property to retire.
There are workshop and attic spaces also ripe for use in an artists or yoga retreat, and the whole lot is set in peaceful countryside in Charente.