French billionaire snaps up famed Parisian mansion
One of Paris’ most famous homes has sold for an eye-watering $314 million ($NZD 387 million).
The Hôtel Lambert, a luxe mansion owned by Qatari Royal Prince Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani, has been bought by Xavier Niel in an exchange that would likely be a small spend for the French tech founder, who has an estimated worth around $12.2 billion.
Though most would expect that Niel would be living in his new palatial home, the New York Post reported that a source close to Niel said he is planning to use it as the headquarters of his cultural foundation instead.
Prior to its sale, the prince bought the UNESCO World Heritage-listed property from the Rothschilds for a reported $150 million back in 2007 - but sunk even more cash into it over the 15 years.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
According to reports, the Middle Eastern royal gained ownership of the Hôtel Lambert when it was in a bad way, and invested a further $200 million into structural renovations.
Just a stone’s throw away from cultural icons including the medieval Notre-Dame, the Hôtel Lambert is a cultural landmark in its own right.
Constructed in the 1640s and designed by Louis de Vau, a favourite architect of King Louis XIV who assisted in designing Versailles, the structure features extensive frescoes by Charles le Brun - who decorated Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors - and other works of art.
Image: Wikimedia Commons