In pictures: Living the dream — commoners buy fairytale French castle

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A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France. The chateau, a romantic ruin from the 13th century originally, standing on an island, has become a beloved place for its 25,000 co-owners, seduced by the elegant building ravaged by fire in 1932 and left to nature ever since, giving them the feeling of being a true "French chatelain". Image Credit: REUTERS

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Willy Nanlohij, a 62-year-old retired bank worker, and his wife Hilda, two of the 25,000 co-owners of the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers. For most of the year, Nanlohij lives with his wife Hilda in a comfortable yet unremarkable home in the Dutch city of Enschede. But on Saturday night, the couple were trying out their new status as owners of a fairytale French chateau that dates back to the thirteenth century, and comes with turrets, a clock-tower and a moat. Image Credit: REUTERS

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"It was a childhood dream," Nanlohij said. Surveying his property, his wife at his side, he added: "I feel something in my belly, excitement." Their dream comes with a few caveats: they share ownership with 25,000 people who joined an innovative crowd-funding campaign (minimum contribution 50 euros), and the chateau is an uninhabitable ruin. | Above: A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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But none of that diluted the romance for Nanlohij when he joined 350 of those co-owners for a pre-Christmas party in the grounds, to get a taste of what it feels like to join the ranks of French chateau owners. | Above: A view shows the Chapel during the Christmas party organised at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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As a little boy, I was fascinated by chateaux so today, to become a co-owner, is extraordinary," he said as guests gathered around a Christmas tree in the shadow of the ruined building, shared gifts, and drank mulled wine. | Above: Co-owners attend the Christmas party organised at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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French co-owners and volunteers collect dead leaves as they prepare the Christmas party at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers. The chateau, 300 km (185 miles) south-west of Paris, is steeped in a history of wealth and privilege. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Built in the 13th century, Mothe Chandeniers was captured by English invaders in the Middle Ages. In 1654, Marquis Francois II transformed it into a lavish home with gardens and parks. | Above: Co-owners Ghislaine Gerbaud, Gilles Raab and Maurice Bedon pose during the Christmas party organised at the Chateau. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Paris entrepreneur Francois Hennecart took the Chateau over in 1809 and restored it, and Baron Edgard Lejeune and his wife Marie Ardoin later transformed it into a neo-gothic structure. But in 1932, fire destroyed the interior and the roof. Since then, the chateau has stood abandoned with trees growing inside it. | Above: A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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The grand staircase is seen inside the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers, at Les Trois-Moutiers, France. The crowd-funding initiative, launched in 2017 by a French company that aims to use new funding models to preserve historical monuments, raised 1.6 million euros, from 25,000 people in 115 countries, including Cuba and Burkina Faso. Image Credit: REUTERS

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A French co-owner prepares the Christmas party at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Suzanne and Robert Powell from UK, two of the 25 000 co-owners of the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers, pose at their home ahead of a Christmas party at the castle, in Loudun, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows a road sign at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers, at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Co-owners watch fireworks during the Christmas party at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers in Les Trois-Moutiers Image Credit: REUTERS

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French co-owners and volunteers installs the Christmas tree for the Christmas party at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows a worker at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Co-owners attend the Christmas party organised at the Chateau de La Mothe-Chandeniers in Les Trois-Moutiers Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Co-owner and volunteer Jeanine distributes gifts during the Christmas party organised at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers in Les Trois-Moutiers Image Credit: REUTERS

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Pigeons fly over the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Co-owners visit the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers before the Christmas party at Les Trois-Moutiers in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows the sunrise inside Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers, at Les Trois-Moutiers in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers, at Les Trois-Moutiers in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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