Residence for sale, Maussane-les-Alpilles VBE79198

1. KEY ELEMENTS Use – category: Historic castle for hotel and event or residential use Location: Provence, between Arles, Alpilles and Camargue Documented origins: early fifteenth century Dominant architecture: nineteenth-century recomposition, classical and neoclassical architecture associated with neo-medieval historicist elements Total area of the property: 52,800 m², or 5.28 hectares Number of rooms: 30 Number of rooms: 11 Chapel: family chapel built in 1845 Hotel project: 5-star hotel with 27 rooms and suites: permit granted Floor area: 1400 m² Surface area created as part of the project: 1,011 m² Sale price: €5,450,000 agency fees included 2. The documented history of the estate dates back to the beginning of the fifteenth century, with the mention, as early as 1416, of a farmhouse established in Crau. A tower and a farm are then attested on a rocky hill, on the edge of the former seigneury of Les Baux. This ancient origin constitutes the first known state of a complex that will gradually evolve over the centuries. Around 1700, the farm was transformed into a mansion and new buildings gradually completed the ensemble. However, the nineteenth century marked the decisive transformation of the property. A family chapel was built in 1845, before a fire in 1847 led to a major reconstruction and embellishment campaign. The various buildings were then connected, the tower was rebuilt and raised, while work continued for several decades, particularly in the 1870s. The estate thus became an important prestigious residence and a place of sociability and culture, while retaining its historic agricultural vocation. Its current architecture bears witness to this succession of periods: an ambitious nineteenth-century aristocratic recomposition has been superimposed on a much older collection. The property also benefits from a heritage environment that is particularly remarkable for its immediate proximity to one of the great hydraulic complexes of Roman Gaul. Ancient remains are present nearby and some benefit from protection as Historic Monuments. At this stage of the research, this protection concerns the ancient remains and not the castle itself. 3. BUILT PROPERTY The castle Architecture The castle has a particularly expressive architectural composition, the result of successive construction and transformation campaigns. The current physiognomy belongs mainly to the second half of the nineteenth century and combines a long, regular main body with two vertical volumes that give the whole an immediately identifiable silhouette. The main façade develops a particularly elegant classical and neoclassical register: the regular arrangement of the bays, the framing of the bays, the bands, the cornices, the pilasters, the oculi and the decorative tables make up a learned and monumental architecture. A large rectangular pavilion is enriched by a portico-terrace supported by fluted columns of antique inspiration. On the other hand, the large round tower, raised and crowned with crenellations in the nineteenth century, brings a more picturesque and castralistic dimension. The association of a neoclassical aristocratic residence with these neo-medieval references fully illustrates the historicist and eclectic taste of this period. Distribution In its current state, the main building is organized on a basement, a ground floor and three upper levels. The ground floor includes four lounges, verandas, a large reception room announced at approximately 279 m², as well as various service rooms. The upper floors accommodate bedrooms, bathrooms, lounges, circulations and attic volumes. This existing layout forms the basis of the hotel restructuring project developed for the property. The outbuildings Architecture The property is completed by several elements that contribute directly to its heritage and landscape identity. Among them, the chapel is one of the most remarkable architectural elements of the estate. Built in 1845, it has a sober religious architecture with a predominantly neo-Romanesque style: a stone gable façade, semi-circular portal, circular oculus and a summit cross. It was built on a family vault and consecrated the same year. Distribution The composition of the estate includes, in addition to the castle and its chapel, the various spaces and facilities necessary for its operation, as well as the terraces, the existing swimming pool and the landscaping that structures the surroundings of the residence. 4. ORGANISATION OF LAND OWNERSHIP The property has a total cadastral area of 52,800 m², i.e. 5.28 hectares, spread over three plots according to the notarial certificate produced in the file. The castle is part of a vast Provençal landscaped environment combining wooded parklands, olive trees, gardens, terraces and unobstructed perspectives. The composition of the park contributes fully to the monumentality of the residence, whose main façade opens onto large spaces laid out around a central pool. The location, between Arles, the Alpilles and the Camargue, places the property at the heart of a territory particularly sought after for its heritage, its landscape, its art of living and its international tourist attractiveness. 5. TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION & CAPACITY The property has in the past been used for accommodation and events. However, the available historical sources differ on its previous capacity, which was between five and seven rooms according to the documents consulted. This existing configuration must now be distinguished from the new, much more ambitious hotel project. A building permit issued on February 15, 2024 provides for the rehabilitation and extension of the residence into a 5-star hotel with 27 rooms and suites, developing a total floor area announced at 2,518 m², including 1,011 m² of created surface area. The project organizes the hotel functions on all levels. The basement is intended for storerooms, cold rooms, linen storage and logistics functions. The ground floor houses a reception, bars, brasserie, gourmet restaurant, kitchens and terraces. The upper floors are devoted to rooms and suites, with about eleven rooms on the first level, twelve on the second and four on the third. The program also provides for an elevation or reconstitution of volume allowing the creation of six additional rooms as well as a complete organization of the service areas, storerooms, kitchens, linen room and circulation. The maximum number of people announced in the safety notice is 232 people, including the public and staff. This programming constitutes a particularly advanced basis for the repositioning of the property as a high-end hotel destination. The current status, residual validity and transferability of the permit will nevertheless have to be confirmed as part of the due diligence prior to any acquisition. 6. FACILITIES The property currently has a swimming pool, terraces, a large reception room and various service rooms, all set within a landscaped park. The hotel project provides for a significant upgrade of the facilities with the renovation of the existing swimming pool and the creation of a complete catering offer including a gastronomic restaurant, brasserie and bars. It also includes professional kitchens, storerooms, cold rooms, linen room, service rooms and circulations specifically dedicated to the operation of the establishment. Outdoor spaces, gardens and terraces are integrated into the project in order to extend the hotel experience in the park. 27 parking spaces are also planned. At the same time, a variant of the development for events has been studied. In particular, it envisages four seminar spaces of approximately 48, 74, 110 and 120 m², a catering area of 69 m² and an outdoor terrace of 516 m². This variant is currently a sketch and remains subject to the necessary studies and authorisations. 7. GENERAL CONDITION The property has been the subject of various restoration campaigns over the last few decades and now has a heritage base that allows for a major repositioning programme. The hotel project provides for a significant restructuring and extension of the castle in order to adapt it to the requirements of a 5-star operation. A work budget of around €3,000,000 has been communicated for a premium rehabilitation; However, its exact perimeter and updating will have to be confirmed. The available diagnoses date from 2021. They report in particular the presence of asbestos and lead, electrical anomalies and two non-collective sanitation installations that were then declared non-compliant. These various elements will have to be updated and technical audits adapted to the selected project. 8. ROAD ACCESS & SERVICE The property benefits from a strategic location in Provence, between Arles and the Alpilles, in the immediate vicinity of Maussane-les-Alpilles. This location combines a preserved heritage and landscape environment with good regional accessibility. Arles station is the nearest rail service and is about 12 minutes by car from this station, while the municipality also indicates an order of magnitude of about 15 minutes. The Avignon TGV station is announced about 30 minutes from the castle. Access to the structuring network is quickly to the N113/E80 and then the A54, a major axis linking the area to Nîmes, Salon-de-Provence and the Mediterranean motorway network. From Arles, the A54 is accessible after only a few kilometres. For air connections, the two relevant platforms are Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes airport for local services and, for national and international customers, Marseille Provence airport. The latter also benefits from a rail connection allowing you to reach Arles from Vitrolles Marseille Provence Airport station. 9. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The property is offered at a price of €5,450,000 including agency fees. The hotel project is based on a permit issued on February 15, 2024 for the rehabilitation and extension of a 5-star hotel with 27 rooms. The current validity of the permit, its possible extension, its commencement of execution and its transferability must be confirmed prior to the acquisition. The property is affected by various regulatory and environmental constraints that will have to be integrated into the buyer's due diligence, in particular with regard to the PPR flood applicable to the sector. Existing technical diagnoses will also have to be updated. DPE: D – technical diagnostics file available on qualified request. Information relating to risks available on www.georisques.gouv.fr. The complete file of the property, the documents relating to the hotel project, the plans, the building permit and the technical and administrative elements available will be transmitted upon qualified request and after a confidentiality commitment. Price: The property is offered at a price of €5,450,000 including agency fees