A historic chateau on 300-acres of French countryside would make the perfect place for a hotel and vacation home development, or so thought one would-be developer. The half-assed hotelier bought the parcel, outfitted the manor with some overly gaudy furnishings (yes, even for a French chateau), made plans for an 18-hole golf course and 300 single-family homes, then gave up on the project before a single facet of the design was complete. Now, the property and its 44,000-square-foot centerpiece are listed for a whopping $32.25M. It could function, as it has for hundreds of years, as an elaborate country residence, or another intrepid soul could take up the task of developing the hotel. Don't worry though, the brokerbabble claims "the chateau is in very good condition and is allowed to contain a 5-star Relais Chateau." Yes, "allowed," as though being named a top hotel hinges on some proclamation from the French government and not from, well, five-star accommodations. Adding further oddity to this listing is that fact that it appears on the Houston MLS, perhaps to appeal to buyers who realize not all French chateaus are bigger (or better) in Texas.
· Marcenat, France [HAR]
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