Why are there so many abandoned castles in France?

Time and weather, war and looting, dwindling family fortunes, split inheritances and rising maintenance costs have left the countryside with thousands of eye-popping but decrepit monuments that are beyond the budgets of all but the most fabulously wealthy to maintain.



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Why these properties are so seemingly cheap is obvious to the French: The castles are a money-suck. They demand constant repairs. The lower-priced ones are often located in isolated areas, far from the nearest train station or grocery store. They consume massive amounts of energy.

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Olivier de Lorgeril, chairman of La Demeure historique, credits the upsurge in sales to the houses' expensive maintenance as well as to a shift in generational mindset. The chairman concludes, 'the younger generations are urban. They often want to have international careers and to live in towns and cities'.

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Why are there so many abandoned houses in France? They are mostly old, unrenovated country properties. French inheritance law says that all inheritors have to agree to any sale, and they share in the sale costs and any inheritance tax. All of them.

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French Buyer's Mistakes: During Your Property Visit
  • Viewing your property through rose-tinted glasses. ...
  • Being unrealistic about renovations. ...
  • Not getting the right documentation. ...
  • Not seeking independent advice before you purchase. ...
  • Making direct payments without your notaire. ...
  • Not budgeting for fees and taxes.


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There are said to be over 4000 castles in England. These huge monuments stand as a reminder of England's tumultuous past. Nowadays castles are great places to visit to learn more about what life was like in the past as well as how people were able to build such impressive buildings.

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The Burj Al Babas is an abandoned ghost town in Turkey filled with Disney-like castles. Construction of the luxury community began in 2014. When Turkey's economy fell, the project halted. Today, 587 castles remain empty, and tourists often visit to see the eerie ghost town in real life.

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