Château de La Garoupe, an important address on the French Riviera, is on the market after years for more than $100 million. The spectacular century-old abode in Cap d’Antibes was once home to Boris Berezovsky, a fervent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin who died in the U.K. ten years ago. He left behind his 1990s purchase of Château de La Garoupe and a long-winded court battle for his creditors, billionaire Roman Abramovich and Russian airline Aeroflot PJSC over ownership.
The French state confiscated the masterpiece of the British painter-architect Ernest George in 2015 as part of a separate money-laundering suit. This aristocratic residence offering unbridled views of the Mediterranean Sea and southern French Alps was built in 1907 by parliamentarian Charles McLaren. It remained in his family until being acquired by Berezovsky. In 2011, the property was valued at $102 million in French court proceedings. More recently, the Nice-Matin newspaper on Monday reported an estimate of nearly $133 million.
The mind-blowing estate is surrounded by a 10-hectare landscaped estate comprising a main building of 1,300 square meters. Inside, one will find a sprawling drawing room, a music room, and a winter garden. Five luxurious guest rooms occupy the first floor. The majestic mansion includes a vast billiard room opening onto a terrace with glorious views of the Gulf of Antibes in all its glory.
Other modern amenities include a swimming pool, tennis court, sauna, and Jacuzzi. Bloomberg shared that Paris-based notary Cheuvreux is running the sale for the French government. The deadline for initial bids was June 17, and selected parties will be invited to visit the property.
Who was Boris Abramovich Berezovsky?
Russian oligarch Boris Abramovich Berezovsky who lived to be 67 years old, was the son of a nurse and a builder. He studied electronics and computer science, ultimately becoming a mathematician and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The 1990s changed his fortunes when the country implemented the privatization of state property. He gained control over the country’s main television channel, Channel One.
By 1997, Forbes estimated Berezovsky’s wealth at $3 billion. The tycoon owned several luxury apartments and houses in the UK, France, and the U.S. In addition to the Château de La Garoupe, the businessman had a $20 million Wentworth Estate in Surrey, Clocher de la Garoupe on the Cap d’Antibes on the French Rivier, and an apartment in New York.
