The biggest mansions in France and Italy to buy, rent or visit
Chateau de Chambord, in the Loire Valley region of France.
DEA / C. SAPPA | De Agostini | beautiful pictures
France and Italy are home to some of the grandest castles, palaces and homes in the world, from Loire Valley castles to Sicilian strongholds and French Riviera mansions. Many are available to rent for weddings or parties, overnight stays or wine tasting. You can even buy one – if your budget is in the millions.
CNBC has selected some of the largest French and Italian castles and palaces you can find.
Buying:
The Godfather’s Castle
Piazza Agostino Pennisi in Sicily, Italy
Piazza Agostino Pennisi / Sotheby’s International Reality
Want a piece of cinematic history? The 22-bedroom neo-Gothic Piazza Agostino Pennisi, featured in “The Godfather Part III,” is for sale. The castle – on the Italian island of Sicily – has an asking price of $6.8 million and has 12 reception halls, a private park, cave and separate caretaker’s home. Covering approximately 43,000 square feet, it also houses a chapel decorated with frescoes in 19 .order– middle-aged artist Giuseppe Sciuti. Sotheby’s International Realtythe company is marketing the property, describing it as a “single-family home”.
Castello nel Chianti
If you’re interested in cultivating a taste for wine, consider it This great Italian castle in the Chianti region of Tuscany. It could be yours for 20 million euros ($22.3 million) and listed by Christie’s International Real Estate. Dating back over 1,000 years, it was restored in the 1980s by its current owner. The castle is surrounded by vineyards of some 30 acres – which can produce up to 150,000 bottles of wine a year – as well as olive groves and countryside. It has plenty of room for guests, with 25 bedrooms and 33 bathrooms, and there’s plenty to do nearby, as it’s located between Florence and Siena.
Cannes Palace
Cruises in the harbor of Cannes, France.
Alf | Moment | beautiful pictures
Cannes, the playground of the rich and famous in the South of France, is home to Le Palais Venitien, is for sale for a staggering $136.9 million. The 32,300-square-foot home was built in 1990 and has nine “residential blocks,” along with a movie theater, nightclub, hammam and wine cellar. Also listed by Sotheby’s, it sits on a 6-acre site that includes a woodland, tennis court and lake, all of which overlook the Mediterranean.
To rent:
Sleeping Beauties
Chateau des Joyaux in France’s Loire Valley
Courtesy: Oliver’s Travels
If buying a palace feels a bit out of reach, why not rent a castle? Chateau Des Joyaux in France’s Loire Valley looks straight out of a Disney movie with its spiers, lake and 22 bedrooms. It costs about 33,000 euros for a two-night stay in the middle of the week – for the whole place. Built in 1854, it is sometimes called “Petit Chambord” because of its resemblance to 16 .order– Chateau de Chambord center in the same area and there is a 600-capacity Catholic church nearby for wedding planners at this location. The castle is available to rent through Oliver’s Travels.
Luxury Lake Como
Views of Italy’s Lake Como from a luxury vacation rental.
Courtesy: SopranoVillas
Premium rental site SopranoVillas allows properties throughout Italy, including Art Nouveau luxury villa
high above Lake Como, an area famous for its celebrity homes. Formerly a medieval lookout, it offers lake and mountain views and features a chef and concierge. Along with eight suites that can accommodate 14 people, the rental features an entertainment deck with two rooftop terraces, an island bar, observatory and music system. Week-long stays start at 41,250 euros.
Stay:
Chateau du Grand-Luce Hotel
Hotel Chateau du Grand-Luce and its grounds.
Adam Lynk, Hotel Chateau du Grand Luce.
About a two-hour drive from Paris is the Chateau du Grand-Luce hotel, a palatial 18-acre house.order– century property in the Loire Valley, which the hotel claims is “most likely the most lavish apartment in Europe.” The gilded Baron’s Suite, €7,502 per night, features 17-foot ceilings, garden views and two reception rooms including Salon Chinois, with walls hand-painted by 18order– century artist Jean-Baptiste Pillement.
Hotel de Crillon, Paris
Hotel Crillon, Paris, view from La Place de la Concorde.
Christophe Lehenaff | Moment | beautiful pictures
No list of luxury buildings would be complete without the Hotel de Crillon, dubbed the grand hotel district in Paris – parts of which date back to the 18s.order century. Architect Richard Martinet’s 2017 renovation added an underground spa and two suites designed by late designer Karl Lagerfeld, and each room includes butler service. Rates start at 1,070 euros for a double room.
Visit:
Castello di Ama
Siena is a short distance from Castello di Ama.
Peter Zelei images | Moment | beautiful pictures
If you don’t have the budget to rent a castle, consider Italy’s many options for wine tasting and day tours. 18order-century Castello di Ama, near Siena, combines contemporary art with wine tours, and includes works by Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor and Roni Horn, with works both indoors and on the surrounding grounds. Tours start at 65 euros and include tastings of two Chianti Classico wines. Five suites are available.
Palais des Papes
The Palais des Papes dates back to the 14th century in Avignon, France.
Sylvain Sonnet | Image Bank | beautiful pictures
14 giantsorder– the central papal palace in Avignon, southeastern France, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and described by the medieval writer Jean Froissart as “The strongest house in the world“It is the largest Gothic palace in Europe and is made up of two buildings – the Palais Neuf (new palace) and the Palais Vieux (old palace). The latter includes the Pope’s private apartments, large halls and halls. and the 52m Trouillas Tower, while the new building Palace contains the Grand Chapel. Prices start at 12 euros for the day.