THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE IN THE WORLD?
- Château d'Armainvilliers is located in Seine-et-Marne on the outskirts of Paris
A French château once owned by the King of Morocco has been put up for sale for a whopping £363million - a price tag that would make it one of the world's most expensive private residences.
The sprawling Château d'Armainvilliers, located in Seine-et-Marne on the outskirts of Paris, is a true sight to behold.
Constructed in the late 19th century upon the foundations of a 12th century castle, it was owned by the Rothschild banking empire before being acquired by Morocco's King Hassan II in the 1980s.
Since then, the Moroccan monarch is believed to have made a battery of renovations and improvements to the huge mansion, which boasts more than 100 rooms, 2500 square metres of living space, 1000 hectares of land and a private lake, among many other decadent features.
Hassan II's son sold the property following his father's death to an undisclosed buyer in the Middle East in 2008 - and now it has returned to the market for a stunning €425million.
Ignace Meuwissen, a self-described 'real advisor to the global elite' who is managing the sale, said the estate embodies 'opulence and grandeur'.
But it remains to be seen whether potential buyers will meet the astronomical asking price after French real estate experts described it as 'absurd' and drastically inflated.
The château, nestled in the countryside less than 20 miles from the heart of the French capital, is undoubtedly fit for royalty.
Besides the enormous living space, the massive property is replete with luxurious upgrades made by the Moroccan monarch.
It is said to include a hammam spa, beauty and hairdressing salon, and a fully-equipped medical and dental facility so the King and his family could receive top quality care in the comfort of their own home.
The interior has been painstakingly decorated with classic Moroccan mosaics and wall tiles, and there is also a set of stables large enough to house 50 horses - more than adequate for any equine enthusiast.
But perhaps the most decadent addition made by the King is found underground.
Underneath the property sits a huge network of tunnels, kitchens, cold rooms, storage spaces and staff quarters dubbed 'the metro'.
This not only houses huge quantities of food and goods, but enables residents and guests to enjoy their stay without ever having to come into contact with staff.
Meuwissen said of the property: 'It is the most expensive castle in France and perhaps in the world. The price of €425million is justified by the property itself but also by the 1,000 hectare land which offers numerous possibilities.
'An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he wanted,' he told Paris Match magazine.'
But French real estate sources cast doubt on what they said was a highly inflated price tag.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to French real estate publication Le Figaro Immobilier, three luxury property agents said the nine-figure asking price 'doesn't make sense, it's absurd'.
They also expressed concern over the secrecy of the current owner who bought the property for €200million in 2008 and whose identity remains a mystery.
'If a transaction was concluded at these price levels, I even imagine that the Safer (Land Development and Rural Establishment Company) would look closely at the transaction, estimating that this would overvalue the land,' one source said.
Château d'Armainvilliers hits the market weeks after what is believed to be America's most expensive estate was listed in February for $295million.
The beachfront compound in Naples, Florida, was built by financier John Donahue for his family of 13 children and 84 grandchildren in the 1980s, after he spotted a plot of undeveloped land during a plane ride and paid $1m for it.
The Donahue family enjoyed decades of gatherings and celebrations at the Naples property, hosting notable figures such as former President George H.W. Bush and Arnold Palmer, their son Bill Donahue said in a Wall Street Journal exclusive.
The property boasts three houses and a private yacht basin, and represents the highest-priced listing in the US.
It could set a record for the most expensive residential sale in the country if it achieves its asking price - and realtors say its likely buyers are so rich they could end up tearing down the existing mansions, then rebuilding them.
The main residence, spanning approximately 11,500 square feet, was built around 1989.
Two additional homes were added later, one around 1990 and the other in 2013.
The compound also includes a portion of Keewaydin Island, where the family constructed a 16,000-square-foot house around 2005 for additional accommodations.
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