Listed on idealista for €7.9 million, the Château de Collias is in Gard, in southern France’s Occitania region. It offers more than 2,000 square meters of floor space on a plot of nearly two hectares.
France has no shortage of luxury castles for sale, but few come with a story quite like this one. The Château de Collias is more than 1,000 years old, once hosted Louis XIII and later belonged to one of Napoleon’s spies.
A thousand-year-old estate in a scenic riverside village
The Château de Collias is an 11th-century private residence in the heart of the village of Collias, on the banks of the Gardon River. It is less than 30 minutes from Nîmes and about 40 minutes from Avignon. View the listing on idealista
Its most famous neighbor is the Pont du Gard, a first-century Roman aqueduct that stands nearly 49 meters tall and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Also nearby is Uzès, a medieval town known as France’s first duchy. The Gardon Gorges, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, offer opportunities for kayaking and hiking, with viewpoints overlooking the surrounding landscape.
A lower price per square meter than in Madrid or Barcelona
The castle sits on a 17,282-square-meter plot and has 2,088 square meters of built area, including 1,729 square meters of usable space. Based on the total built area, the asking price works out to around €3,784 per square meter, a figure comparable to what buyers might pay for an apartment in a desirable neighborhood in Madrid or Barcelona.
From Roman roots to a hotel, with ties to Louis XIII and Napoleon
Perched on a rocky outcrop above the Gardon Gorges, the castle bears traces of successive eras. Its medieval tower, Renaissance portico, classical façade, painted ceilings and Romantic garden each tell a different part of its story.
– 5th century — The Gallo-Roman poet Sidonius Apollinaris mentions Colleivacum, a name historians associate with Collias.
– 11th century — The medieval tower is built. It belongs to the bishops of Uzès and later passes to several noble families.
– 1584 — The castle is damaged by fire during the French Wars of Religion.
– 1614 — The castle is rebuilt in the Renaissance style.
– 1629 — Louis XIII, King of France and Navarre and Co-Prince of Andorra, spends the night at the castle.
– 18th century — The estate enters a golden age, and its park is laid out.
– 1815 — Joliclerc, one of Napoleon’s spies, moves into the estate after Napoleon gives it to him. He commissions Italian artists to paint the ceilings and installs marble bathtubs. As mayor, he mortgages 100 hectares of land to pay for a bridge for the village.
– 1866 — The Romantic garden is laid out.
– 1911 — The estate is sold at public auction.
– 2019 — A full restoration begins.
Historic interiors with a contemporary touch
The recently renovated interiors pair stone, wood and decorative wrought iron with understated contemporary furnishings. Bright lounges, vaulted rooms and reception spaces can accommodate large events.
The property has 36 rooms in total, including 22 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. It also features three separate guesthouses, three apartments and a fourth apartment in need of renovation.
An estate with room to expand
The nearly two-hectare grounds include terraces, a swimming pool, themed gardens and woodland, with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. An area has also been set aside for a future spa.
The Château de Collias currently operates as a five-star hotel and is available for exclusive private hire by families and groups of friends, as well as for events and weddings. Its existing hospitality business gives a buyer the opportunity to generate revenue from the outset.
