A huge, historic castle built by famed Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson in the South of France has been listed for sale via Christie’s Real Estate affiliate Michael Zingraf for about $59 million. Situated on 40 lush acres, the 15-bedroom castle has more than 40,000 square feet of interior space, making it the largest such property on the Cote d’Azur. The Château de l'Aiguetta is located in the village of Eze off the Grand Corniche, just five minutes drive from the Principality of Monaco. The dramatic edifice is said to have been the inspiration for Walt Disney's castle in his animated film Sleeping Beauty, following one of his stays in Eze.
Tennyson began building the castle on the site of a smaller house in 1899 and sold it following World War I to pay his gambling debts. The castle, which boasts stunning views of the sea and the famed Col d'Eze Alpine pass, is in the process of being renovated and restored. Work was begun in 1999 and has yet to be completed. There is the possibility of building a private heliport on the property, which features lavish gardens, pools, statuary and colonnades, and could be maintained as a private residence or a luxury hotel. At one point there were even plans to put a golf course on the acreage.
