History is a funny thing, because I do not remember Henry III at all. He is not up there with one of the great Henrys. Henry V had Agincourt and Shakespeare. Henry IV had, well, Shakespeare again. And Henry VIII had a lot of wives. But Henry III? Not a clue what he was up to.
Apparently, however, what he was up to was building bastides in the south of France, an example of which was Lalinde. A bastide is a fortified town that was built in the 13th and 14th century, often in Languedoc, Aquitaine, Gascony and England and Wales. Lalinde is a glorious example, as is this house within it, for sale with Savills for €3.685 million.
Per our amis at Savills, this might be the first chateau built by an English monarch in the Aquitaine region of France, which is a slightly niche achievement, but an achievement nonetheless. What it certainly is, is four floors of extraordinary architecture, meticulously curated interiors and furnishings, with a view that makes you go mon Dieu gracieux.
The interiors are grand in a Regency style, befitting of the property’s royal connections. It also comes fully furnished, so what you see in these pictures is what you will get. According to Savills, the contents include many ‘museum-quality antiques, dinner services, cutlery and decorative pieces’.
Thankfully, it also seems the property has been modernised in all the right places, with a comfortable kitchen as well as new bathrooms. There is also a games room with a pool table and air-hockey table, which is slightly out of character, but fun nonetheless.
Stone balconies throughout mean that it’s almost impossible not to enjoy the view wherever you are, and the property’s outside terraces are also complemented by an outdoor swimming pool.. The main property features four bedrooms, and also comes with a separate garage and studio apartment above, for further guest accommodation.
Lalinde is named after Jean de La Lynde, an English knight who assisted Henry III with building the town. It now boasts a population of some 3,000 people, offering a combination of quiet charm and modern convenience, with a weekly market, cafés and restaurants. Bergerac Airport is 18-minutes in the car. Merveilleux.
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