For those who want more than just a place to hang their hat – who crave a unique property with a colorful history that has played host to a slew of illustrious guests, and who are willing to pay a princely sum to make these goals a reality – European markets are currently ripe with opportunities. We’ve compiled a list of four celebrity-linked properties that are currently available for purchase.
Property: Le Plan-de-la-Tour
Celebrity: Johnny Depp
Location: Near Saint-Tropez, France
In 2001, Hollywood legend Johnny Depp snapped up a run-down hamlet on the outskirts of France. In the years that followed, he poured upwards of $10 million into renovating the sprawling property, reviving the exteriors of its 18th century structures and imbuing their interiors with his own quirky style. Despite his intensive labor, Depp has placed the property on the market, giving one lucky (read: deep pocketed) buyer the opportunity to make a home of this hidden oasis.
The property spans 37 acres (15 hectares) and features olive orchards, vineyards and oak trees that have been around for upwards of 300 years. It includes a main house, as well as several guest cottages, a historic church that has been converted into guest space, a bar/restaurant, a gym, a painting studio and two swimming pools, one of which is surrounded with sand for a beach-like effect. In all, the property boasts 15 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms.
Property: Le Palais Bulles (The Bubble House)
Celebrity: Fashion designer Pierre Cardin
Location: Cannes, France
Some 20 years after having sent shockwaves through the fashion world with the introduction of the iconic bubble dress, French designer Pierre Cardin merged his passion for bubbles with another unsuspecting industry: architecture. In 1974, Cardin teamed up with Hungarian architect Antti Lovag to create Le Palais Bulles (the Bubble House), a fascinating abode on the French Riviera.
The mansion consists a series of globes and circles spanning some 1,200 square meters. Its interior has been described as reminiscent of a modern art museum. The property features 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a banquet hall, a recreation area, swimming pools, tropical gardens and a 500-person-capacity amphitheater overlooking the Mediterranean.
Property: Casa Monte Tabor
Celebrity: Erich Maria Remarque
Location: Porto Ponca, Switzerland
Erich Maria Remarque is widely renowned for his unparalleled ability to depict the horrors of war, perhaps most famously through his novel “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Following the enormous commercial success of the latter, he purchased Casa Monte Tabor, a rustic three-story villa on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Maggiore. Two of the numerous celebrities to have graced the property when it belonged to Remarque included his American wife, actress Paulette Goddard, as well as German actress Marlène Dietrich.
The home offers stunning panoramic views of the lake and its verdant surroundings from three large balconies, as well as the large windows that line the walls of each floor. A stone stairway leads from the ground floor directly into the lake, its path surrounded by a lush garden. Though the property has been subject to numerous renovations in order to preserve its interior and exterior charm, it is in need of some modernization.
Property: L’Oasis
Celebrity: Salvador Dali
Location: Argelès-sur-Mer, France
Just before the turn of the 20th century, Danish architect Viggo Dorph-Peterson was commissioned to create a Belle Époque-style villa along a stretch of the Mediterranean in the south of France. Over the years, the gorgeous property has attracted no shortage of well-heeled guests, including beloved Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali, who is said to have vacationed there regularly with his wife in the 1930s.
Though the home was modernized in 2007, the renovations were conducted so as to preserve its historical charm. The property offers incredible sea views and private beach access. The home, which features five bedrooms, a sauna, a spa and a wine cellar, offers verdant surroundings and generous terrace and veranda space.
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