Picture it…you wake in a turreted stone château, the morning light slanting across a terrace overlooking manicured lawns and woodland edges. Down the winding drive, a quiet lane leads back to the village—yet you’re wrapped in privacy, history, and the kind of aura that only old Europe can provide.
You might think a property like this belongs in the pages of a glossy magazine, reserved for the super-wealthy. But you can find stunning chateaus like this for less than the price of the median home in some U.S. states.
In the Deux-Sèvres department of western France, right now there’s a grand château, built in 1874, for sale in Saint-Maixent-de-Beugné (about 90 minutes south of the city of Nantes).
Picture a chateau in France and you will probably come up with a grand building like this. But this property’s price might surprise you.
This beautiful chateau spans roughly 4,400 square feet (three stories plus full-cellar footprint), that includes 10 bedrooms, reception halls, and outbuildings. It’s all set in 6 hectares (almost 15 acres) of garden, meadow, and woodland.
And the price? An incredible €678,000…that’s about $785,000. For a property like this—turrets, oak parquet, fireplaces, storied history—that’s astonishing. (You can see the full listing here.)
Especially when you consider that in many parts of the U.S., that sum might not even get you a three-bedroom suburban home. This chateau costs less than the median price of a home in California (which is $809,227).
The main level boasts oak parquet throughout, except in the tiled kitchen. Here you’ll find a large open fireplace and ancient stone potager (a kitchen garden). A grand dining room, a reception room, and a lounge with lovely views of the main garden round out this level.
Imagine hosting a dinner party in this chateau’s grand dining room after greeting your guests in the reception room.
The impressive staircase climbs to the second floor, which originally housed staff quarters. There are five bedrooms, along with a large storage room.
Step outside onto the stone terrace and the estate unfolds before you. Manicured gardens wrap around the château, giving way to open prairie dotted with mature trees. Two substantial outbuildings offer storage or workshop space. An old stone well marks one corner of the property. To the north, a wooded area creates a natural border and provides privacy, while the southern exposure bathes the main gardens in sunlight throughout the day.
The market town of Coulonges-sur-l’Autize sits three miles away. Niort, with its TGV (high-speed train) station, is 16 miles away. Major motorways connect you to La Rochelle and Nantes airports in just over an hour.
Although in the countryside, this chateau is still close to villages with all the amenities you’ll need and two international airports less than a 90-minute drive away.
This property does need some renovation on the upper floors but that gives you so much scope to develop this piece of history into whatever you want it to be…a full-time home, a short-term rental, or something in between.
But image hosting dinner parties under ancient stone arches. Walking through woodland paths behind your home. Growing your own orchard or garden that becomes the backdrop for summer evenings.
This chateau is perfect for entertaining with its big dining room and plenty of bedrooms for your guests to stay in.
This isn’t just about buying a piece of real estate, it’s about buying a lifestyle…and bragging rights when talking to your friends back home… “Oh I’m heading to my chateau in France next week for a short stay.”
What’s remarkable about this chateau isn’t just the architecture or the land—it’s the bang for your buck. A 10-bed, 4,400-square-foot castle with 15 acres of land…for less than your average home in California.
Why live in a “regular” suburban home when you could be living in a French castle, where each day feels like a page from history?
This is exactly why I always say: “When you look everywhere, there’s opportunity somewhere.” If you’re willing to look overseas, you can find incredible value real estate.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. If you’re interested in any of these listings you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. We haven’t done any due diligence on them.
P.P.S. For more listings of affordable overseas dream homes, click here to follow the Your Overseas Dream Home Instagram account.
