- Join the France 24 community here
- Log in
Latest update: 04/12/2012
- France - history
18th-century French chateau bulldozed ‘by mistake’
A Russian businessman has been left devastated after builders demolished his 18th-century French chateau among the Bordeaux vineyards, seemingly by mistake. Irate local authorities have launched an investigation.
By FRANCE 24 (text)
Authorities have launched an investigation after an 18th-century French chateau was demolished, apparently by mistake.
The 13,000-square-metre Château de Bellevue was located among the famous vineyards of Bordeaux and was due to be renovated to its former glory, but instead it was bulldozed by a Polish building firm.
Workmen were only supposed to demolish a separate small building on the grounds of the estate, but that remains standing.
According to local French media, the château’s owner, Russian businessman Dmitry Stroskin, was “left in shock” when he found out his mansion had been razed to the ground.
Stroskin, who runs an import business in Poland, told reporters that he had spent years searching for his ideal French château and finally decided on Bellevue after “falling in love” with it.
The businessman said he understands the anger among local residents in the town of Yvrac, but said he will not be prosecuting the builders for their calamitous gaffe.
“The damage has been done,” Stroskin said.
He has vowed to “rebuild an identical Bellevue” including the chateau’s grand hall, which could host up to 200 people.
He may be held to that promise by the irate mayor of Yvrac, Claude Carty, who has ordered all work on the site to be stopped while an investigation takes place.
Local authorities have also lodged a complaint over a breach of the town's building code with prosecutors.
Read more
‘Darth Vader’ demands free land from Ukrainian government
Browse all editions
React to the article
(11) Reactions
well, not easy to believe !
well, not easy to believe ! Don't you think that those foreigners buying our ancient castles, don't do that only to destroy the French buildings anyway ? They come from abroad, they buy for nothing and then they just destroy everything they can. Now he is saying that it is also a foreign company which did the demolition ... but who knows that he did not ask for it really as mafia keeps on working as long as it comes from Russia ? Russian people are not to be trusted and why not thinking that he was jealous ? Why did he want to destroy only one side of the building, and if so, why was he not there to check the workers and the job they were doing ? Really, France should forbid them to buy and destroy as they forbid us to buy and build if not checked by the 'Mairie' 'Hotel de Ville'. They should do the same as it belongs to the ancient stones, our 'patrimoine'. Shame to France selling to feoreigners who think that they can destroy and rebuild our castles. Shame to France for everything we are enduring, and us not being able to buy our own castles and care for them