These are trying times. Much has been written on how to cope with—or temporarily avoid—the stressful circumstances in which we find ourselves. When it comes to the latter, some people like to binge Netflix shows, while others prefer online gaming. My preferred vice is different and maybe a bit…quirky: I shop for castles.
For sale in the Finistère area of Brittany, complete with its own chapel
I have two rules. First, I go to Zillow and find our house’s current estimated worth. That’s my budget. This is all a daydream, of course, but to enjoy my immersion in it, it has to be something that could actually happen. Then I go to one of several websites (below), set my budget as the upper limit of my search, and browse the results.
On offer near Aix-les-Bains, with its own restaurant, pool, and farm
Second rule: the property must be within a half hour of a congregation of my church (which tends to rule out a lot of cool stuff, but no matter; there’s plenty). To figure that out, I check our Meetinghouse Locator. Again, this is all about realism. If I moved to a castle in the French countryside, I’d still want to go to church on Sundays.
I’d prefer something old and with a fair amount of land, although I’m open to an urban hôtel particulier. Bonuses include capacious attics, hidden doors/passageways, vaulted cellars, orchards, and private chapels. (I see all of these often!) I also like it if the properties have outbuildings or fields that can potentially be rented out for income.
France is my favorite place to shop. My preferred areas are Ile-de-France, Normandy, and the Loire Valley, though I often look at things in Burgundy or along the Swiss border as well. Areas that don’t interest me are anywhere north of Paris (so much destruction and modern rebuilding due to the World Wars) or anything in the southern half of the Hexagon (far too hot, except for the Rhône-Alpes region).
A vicarage for sale in heavenly Chipping Campden, England
As much as I adore it, the U.K. comes in a distant second in my daydreams—basically whenever I can convince myself that I could learn to drive on the other side of the road. Frankly, I’d rather work on my fluency in French than attempt that.
There are other places I dream about living. But for some reason, properties in Italy are much scarcer and more expensive, and Switzerland doesn’t tend to have a lot on offer in the charming/historical category. Once in a while, I’ll search for flats in Paris or London (no need for driving!), but the landed properties tend to spark my imagination more often than not.
Here are my favorite places to shop:
Sifex was the first place I discovered buying a castle was actually possible. Based in the U.K., they specialize in large-scale French properties and obligingly list prices in pounds, euros, and dollars. They generally have excellent photos and thorough, room-by-room descriptions.
Patrice-Besse focuses on “properties of character,” which aren’t necessarily huge or fancy. They’ll list a delightful converted water mill or deconsecrated chapel right alongside manors and mansions. They’re also my favorite place to look for Parisian apartments. The website defaults to French, and I often count my browsing as part of my daily “French study.” But you can also click on the Union Jack for English.
Cabinet Le Nail sends out a lovely newsletter with their latest offerings every Sunday—always a nice post-church treat for me. Their listings overlap somewhat with Sifex’s, but there’s plenty that’s exclusive as well. The website translates into several languages with apparently highly varied results. (Sometimes the literal translations are hilarious.)
Country Life publishes great digests of the best “character properties” on offer in the U.K. Their website in general is a great rummage for anglophilic fantasy/inspiration.
Paris Perfect has an intriguing premise: fractional ownership in gorgeous apartments in Paris. You get four weeks per year—two weeks “prime” and two weeks that are generally less desirable. (My considered opinion: there’s no undesirable time to visit Paris.) They seem to have slowed down quite a bit since the pandemic, but they still have a couple of shares left in a stunning studio for a (relatively) small investment.
Escape to the Continent is a fun BBC show featuring British families who want to move to Europe. Confession: I’ve only watched the episodes set in France or Italy. Another confession: My friend David gleefully hate-watches it, but I can’t abide House Hunters International.
France may not be the cheapest place to move, though it’s less expensive than Los Angeles. However, it does have excellent healthcare, a pleasant climate, a beautiful language I’ve been studying since childhood, and my favorite food, aesthetics, and culture. But I know it’s not for everyone. If you were moving, where would you go?
Here’s an old photo of my current obsession, which pretty much has it all: gargoyles, chapel, orchard, moat, income potential—all on 75 acres just a 20-minute drive from Le Mans.
Love this. I chateau-shop all the time. A compromise I'm considering: an apartment within a chateau.
And here I thought I was the only person in the world that does this. I am constantly sending my husband DMs that say things like “Why live in CT when we can live HERE <insert link to châlet in Brittany or rustic farmhouse in the fjords of Norway>!”