Paris Match reports sale of Mohammed VI’s castle, “most expensive in France…”

By:Souleymane Loum

Very little is said concerning the real estate that the Moroccan royal family possesses in France. In Morocco, you will not discover many people speaking about the assets of the sovereign Mohammed VI. The subject is taboo, as a sign of reverence to Her Majesty. A French magazine, Paris Match, took the plunge on the occasion of the sale of one of the King’s marvels, the castle of Gretz-Armainvilliers, nestled in Seine-et-Marne. The sale of this luxury residence built about forty kilometres southeast of the capital, Paris, had to be accomplished with the greatest discretion. This was without relying on the fine sleuths of the French magazine.

First of all, the extraordinary figures of this jewel were inherited by Mohammed VI from his father Hassan II. The home occupies 2,500 square meters, it has approximately a hundred rooms, a hairdressing salon, three elevators, five luxurious lounges and even a hammam. And then there is the sale price, astronomical: 425 million euros. The real estate agent leading the process speaks of “the most expensive castle in France and possibly the world”…

The price takes into account the worth of the property but also the surface area of the land, some 1000 hectares. The real estate agent is full of comments on the opportunities offered by this exceptional property: “An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he desired.” By its proportions, its gigantism and the French luxury that it embodies, this place will undoubtedly be the flagship attraction of the national real estate market in the coming days. Its buyer will have a sudden celebrity which he would do well without.

Remark that the castle was built in 1884 by the Rothschild family, its Anglo-Norman style was reworked by the architect Michel Pinseau when Hassan II bought it. The result surpassed all the hopes of the late monarch and the castle quickly acquired a reputation that will never leave it.

This residence is not the sole property of the King of Morocco in France, there is also the castle of Betz, in the Oise. However, it is said that Mohammed VI’s stays in the area angered the inhabitants due to his excessive consumption of water, which negatively affected the diet of his neighbours. We learned that the King is increasing gestures of appeasement such as meals graciously offered to local merchants and free vacations for the children of the town. But locals are still putting up resistance, they say.