The salvaging and repurposing of building materials is a time-honored practice in Switzerland. The history of the site of Château de Trévelin in the canton of Vaud offers a case in point.
A sacrificial stone that was used by the Druids, a religious order dating to the first century B.C., occupies a spot in what is today a garden.
Stones from a villa or temple on the property from the time of Roman rule found new purpose between the 10th and 12th centuries as part of the keep of nearby Aubonne Castle.
Construction of the chateau itself began in 1577 using pieces from a local church that had been demolished due to the danger of collapse. A staircase within the chateau has the date 1620 engraved in stone above an entrance door.
During the property’s ownership by the same family since 1958, numerous renovations were undertaken including installing central heating and creating larger rooms on the ground floor suitable for entertaining.
Politicians, professors and diplomats have trod the oak parquet floors of the grand salon. Dignitaries have gathered around the table in the chandelier-topped formal dining room.
With ample space to accommodate extended family or guests, the chateau has 10 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms within 1,500 square meters (more than 16,000 square feet) of interiors.
The 17,000-square-meter (about 4-acre) property includes several gardens, a barn, caretakers’ quarters, a swimming pool, pool house, woodland and a river. Reproductions of classical Roman statues line the hedge row. Views take in Lake Geneva, Mont Blanc and the Alps.
FGP Swiss & Alps listing agent Hubert Chamorel, who is representing the chateau, says he envisions the next owner to be “in love with old stone and history.” A buyer could be a Swiss national or someone from another country. Outside of areas designated as tourist zones, foreigners who wish to buy real estate in Switzerland must declare the property as their main residence and be subject to Swiss taxes.
The chateau near the shoreline town of Rolle, in the Côte wine-growing region, is close to international schools including the highly selective Institut Le Rosey. Geneva’s international airport is about a 25-minute drive away. The asking price is available upon request but is estimated to be in the range of CHF28 to CHF32 million, about US $31 million to US $35 million.