Manoir du Mée, Karl Lagerfeld’s Former French Manor Lists for USD 3.2 Million
The luxury property market has seen no shortage of celebrity-owned homes in recent years, but few can boast a notable history of owners that connects French cinema, luxury fashion and European royalty quite like the Manoir du Mée. Located in the village of Le Mée-sur-Seine — less than an hour outside Paris — the 18th-century estate has been listed for USD 3.2 million (approximately EUR 2.7 million).
History of High-Profile Ownership
Built in 1749 — four decades before the French Revolution — the estate spans approximately 500 square metres across 1.25 acres of landscaped grounds. Before its fashion and royal associations, Manoir du Mée was also linked to French cinema through former owner Renée Saint-Cyr — the actress known for her prolific film career across the 1930s and post-war era. Karl Lagerfeld acquired Manoir du Mée in 1986, during the early years of his tenure as creative director of Chanel.
At the time, he was simultaneously overseeing Fendi and his own eponymous label, while reshaping Chanel into one of fashion’s most commercially powerful houses. Unlike his famously modern Paris apartment, the manor functioned more as a lived-in creative retreat. For over a decade, Lagerfeld utilised the 1.25-acre grounds as a functional extension of his work. The gardens served as the backdrop for Chanel fashion campaigns featuring supermodels such as Inès de la Fressange and Tatjana Patitz.
In 1998, Lagerfeld sold the property to Prince Ernst August of Hanover, later husband to Princess Caroline of Monaco. The Monaco royal family would go on to occupy the estate for several years, with reports indicating the family lived there between 2004 and 2010. Elements of that period remain preserved inside the house, including drawings by Charlotte Casiraghi that reportedly still remain on the walls of an upstairs bedroom.
Property Specifications and Architectural Detail
Architecturally, the manor retains many of its original 18th-century details. Commissioned in 1749 by the Faguier family, the mansion is a primary example of classic French architecture. The main residence covers 500 square metres and retains original Versailles style elements, including ornate wall mouldings, fireplaces and Versailles parquet flooring — a specific interlocking woodwork pattern originally designed for the Palace of Versailles. The seven-bedroom main residence was designed around symmetry and proportion, reflecting classical French architectural principles of the period.
The layout includes seven bedrooms, each designed with its own dressing room and bathroom. Social spaces were intended to function like a private club, featuring a library lounge, a gaming room and a built-in bar. Additional structures on the estate include a 2,000-square-foot guest house with a vaulted wine cellar in the basement. A nine-car garage also sits within the gated grounds.
The interiors move between formal entertaining spaces and more intimate domestic rooms. A large kitchen opens into dining and reception areas, while a wood-panelled bar, gaming room and library lounge contribute to what listing agents have described as the atmosphere of a private members’ club. Each bedroom includes its own dressing room and en-suite bathroom.
Market Context
The relatively modest asking price has attracted particular attention given the estate’s provenance and proximity to Paris. By comparison, Lagerfeld’s Quai Voltaire apartment overlooking the Seine sold for approximately EUR 10 million in 2024, nearly double its original estimate. The current anonymous owner — who purchased the estate from the Monaco royals in 2014 — has focused on preserving the property’s 18th-century authenticity rather than modernising the historic layout.
The listing is currently managed by the real estate agency Alexis Feyfant of Plya Paris.
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