Buying or selling a château, estate or exceptional villa in France and Europe

Some châteaux, estates and exceptional villas are sold without any public listing. Owners want discretion: an inheritance, a family-to-family transfer, a property withdrawn after a first attempt, or simply a refusal to expose their address. These properties circulate between notaries, agents holding confidential mandates, family offices and direct owners.

Sourcing means activating those networks on behalf of a buyer, starting from a precise brief:

• Use: family residence, venue for entertaining, operation (vineyard, forestry, hospitality) or succession planning.
• Territory: region, access (airport, high-speed rail, business aviation), immediate surroundings.
• Property: living area, outbuildings, park, land, condition, any heritage protection.
• Timing and total budget: purchase, works, annual upkeep, staff.

Every lead is tested against the brief before any viewing, to avoid wasted trips and protect the confidentiality of both parties.

1. Viewings and first analysis: condition of the structure, roofs, utilities, drainage, access, neighbourhood.
2. Due diligence: mandatory technical surveys supplied by the seller, planning rules and easements, heritage status, status of the land (any agricultural lease), possible pre-emption rights (municipality, SAFER for farmland and vineyards).
3. Offer and preliminary contract: a unilateral promise or a compromis de vente, ideally drafted by a notary, with suitable conditions precedent (financing, planning).
4. Cooling-off period: for a residential property, a non-professional buyer has ten days after notification of the preliminary contract.
5. Final deed: signed before the notary, who checks the chain of title and registers the sale with the land registry.

In France, acting as a paid property intermediary is reserved for holders of a professional licence (Hoguet law). AC PRIVATE - A List concierge coordinates the search and the project, working with those licensed agents, notaries and your advisers.

A château may be classé (classified) or inscrit (registered) as a historic monument, in whole or in part (façades, roofs, interiors, park). This status prevents neither purchase nor private use, but it governs works:

• works on protected parts require authorisation from, or declaration to, the State services;
• near a protected monument, many works need the approval of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France;
• restoration calls for specialist architects and craftsmen, and timelines are longer.

Before any offer, we have the exact scope of protection and the feasibility of your project (renovation, layout, events) checked by the relevant professionals.

For a seller, discretion protects both the value of the property and the family’s privacy. A confidential sale rests on a few principles:

• Valuation by licensed professionals who know this segment, rather than an advertised price.
• Confidential file (photos, plans, surveys) shared only after a non-disclosure undertaking.
• Qualified buyers: verified identity and proof of funds before any viewing.
• Accompanied viewings, held when the family is away if it so wishes.
• Coordination with the notary, the mandated agent and your advisers through to completion.

We act as coordinator: the marketing itself is entrusted, under mandate, to a licensed agent.

Each country has its own rules. A few reference points to check with a local lawyer:

• Italy: deed signed before a notary (notaio), after a preliminary contract (compromesso); an Italian tax code is required.
• Spain: deed before a notary (escritura pública), then registration at the property registry; a foreigner identification number (NIE) is required.
• Portugal: public deed (escritura); a Portuguese tax number (NIF) is required.
• Switzerland: the federal “Lex Koller” restricts the acquisition of real estate by persons abroad; second homes require authorisation and are subject to cantonal quotas.
• Czech Republic: no restriction for EU nationals; see our Prague guide.

We coordinate the search through our local networks and introductions to licensed lawyers, notaries and agents in each country.

A château or large villa requires permanent organisation. This is where the private concierge takes over:

• Works: coordination of architects, contractors and craftsmen, site supervision while you are away.
• Household staff: recruiting an estate manager, caretaker, gardeners or a chef.
• Security: audit, monitoring, protection during your stays.
• Life of the estate: season opening, receptions, family or corporate events.

A single point of contact looks after the property over time and reports to you wherever you are.

Before entrusting a search or a sale, ask five questions:

1. Who pays the intermediary? At AC PRIVATE - A List concierge, the search mandate is paid by the client, never by the seller.
2. Are the agents involved licensed in the country concerned?
3. How is confidentiality protected (written undertakings, limited circulation of information)?
4. What is the actual network in the target region?
5. Who looks after the property after the purchase?

The first conversation is free and confidential; the assignment is agreed in writing, on quotation.