15th-Century French Château on 42 Acres Up for Auction

Rolling hills, vineyards, landscaped gardens and more than 500 years of history are all part of the 42-acre estate surrounding Château de Blancafort.

The 22,000-square-foot castle in France’s Loire Valley is heading to the auction block on Oct. 19. Previously on the market in 2016 for €4.95 million (US$5.8 million), it is being offered without reserve by Concierge Auctions, a New York-based auction house.

"Of course it’s huge, it’s a castle," said William McIntosh, a project sales manager for Concierge Auctions. "But it lives like a large family home. It’s very cozy, and would make a fantastic retreat for a family."

The estate dates to 1453 and "was substantially renovated in the 1600s," according to Mr. McIntosh. Additions then included Romanesque-style turrets and a French Baroque façade.

In recent years, the castle "has been lovingly cared for and updated," he said. The château has a new roof, as well as central heating, plumbing and electrical work.

"It’s very comfortable to live in," Mr. McIntosh said. "It’s warm in the winter and cool in the summer because of the thick stone walls."

Plus, he added, "all the original elements from the 15th and 16th centuries are still here." That’s unusual, he said; often historic castles have had things like flooring or woodwork removed to be sold to architects or builders for other projects.

But Château de Blancafort still boasts Regency woodwork, beamed ceilings and Hungarian parquet floors, among other details. There are several reception areas with large windows framing views of the grounds, plus a classic wood-clad library. And, like any good château in a historic wine region, it has extensive wine cellars.

Seventeenth-century tapestries hang in many of the reception areas, adding to the historic feel of the castle, as does the collection of antiques furnishing the space. These are available for sale separately.

The gardens are historic as well. Plans for Renaissance-era gardens on the property were unearthed in an off-site archive, Mr. McIntosh said, and the gardens were recreated to their exact specifications.

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Blue cedars line the drive to the castle, according to the listing, and there are about 17 acres of gardens. An additional 25 acres of private forest surround the house.

The current owners, a count and countess, inherited the estate from their grandmother, Mr. McIntosh said. Their grandmother, a baroness, bought the castle in 1960, and her grandchildren have used it as a summer home for the last 30 years, according to Mr. McIntosh. Now, business interests are keeping them from spending enough time at the estate, and they are looking to pass it on.

The baroness also opened the grounds to the public, offering garden tours. Her grandchildren have continued that tradition by hosting weddings at the 2,700-square-foot reception hall, which used to be the stables. The reception hall is fully furnished, with a kitchen.

Other outbuildings include a tearoom, shop, a caretaker’s cottage, where the long-serving property managers live, plus a six-bedroom guest house that was built in the 17th century, Mr. McIntosh said.

Château de Blancafort is just a 90-minute drive from Paris, and a 25-minute drive to the Sancerre vineyards.