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

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

The Mothe Chandeniers chateau in France is steeped in a history of wealth and privilege

Published: December 13, 2019 11:54 Compiled by Balaram Menon

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Copy of 2019-12-09T141325Z_321182987_RC2QRD9M9FC4_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981354525 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T141310Z_347710738_RC2QRD92XZCB_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981358084 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T140444Z_1748130280_RC2QRD9O45FF_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981320032 — "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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142409Z_1352107262_RC2QRD9XV12H_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981327354 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142659Z_1138032090_RC2QRD9OA5LY_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981389941 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T140845Z_1332213890_RC2QRD9OSV4R_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981368241 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142143Z_228844312_RC2QRD97OQRG_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981334147 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T140724Z_1647355196_RC2QRD96NIZR_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981316209 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T141403Z_683523640_RC2QRD96E8YZ_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981348314 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142338Z_584083432_RC2QRD9C5X7F_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981330879 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T141154Z_1731720412_RC2QRD95C29A_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981361296 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T140914Z_135979858_RC2QRD9R8AE8_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981364504 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142453Z_1428135912_RC2QRD92CYZ5_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981323651 — A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Copy of 2019-12-09T143058Z_1611409120_RC2QRD93609P_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981380412 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T142532Z_531354176_RC2QRD9IMCRY_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981393586 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T141454Z_850041435_RC2QRD9AFKF4_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981344751 — A view shows a worker at the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Copy of 2019-12-09T143024Z_826413220_RC2QRD9SIT5W_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981383602 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T141734Z_2082196992_RC2QRD9EKWJA_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981341219 — A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Copy of 2019-12-09T142937Z_1814646792_RC2QRD904E67_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981386802 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T152820Z_325115661_RC2QRD9JI6E7_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981370693 — Pigeons fly over the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Copy of 2019-12-09T141345Z_610749344_RC2QRD9XMQSV_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981352042 — A view shows the Chateau de La Mothe Chandeniers at Les Trois-Moutiers, France Image Credit: REUTERS

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Copy of 2019-12-09T142104Z_47688954_RC2QRD9X59AH_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981337778 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T143124Z_1715941873_RC2QRD92C0M4_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981377403 — 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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Copy of 2019-12-09T143401Z_393404548_RC2QRD9MH074_RTRMADP_3_FRANCE-CHATEAU-1575981373962 — 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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