French castles sold like hot cakes amid pandemic

Last year has seen an exponential increase in castle sales in France. Secondary homes, in general, enjoyed a regain in interest compared to the previous years, but the growth was nowhere as strong as it was for castles.

This phenomenon was initially described as something regional by French newspapers such as Sud-Ouest in Dordogne and France Bleu in Normandy, but it was finally recognized as a nationwide trend this year by Figaro, after the publication of several articles describing the same process coming from different regions of France. The article by Figaro explains this unexpected surge in demand by the comparatively low prices of historical mansions in France, where one can buy a castle for the price of a two- or three-bedroom apartment in Paris.

Another reason for this craze is the relative accessibility of these castles, which are often located within a two-hour drive from the French capital and have been recently equipped with the latest technology, such as broadband internet access or power-saving appliances.

Finally, this trend is motivated by a widespread distrust towards volatile markets such as the stock exchange market, which encouraged French and European people to invest in solid, long term assets such as castles.