Major renovations are underway at the £35mln French château that promises to become the permanent place of residence for Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their kids. The renovations are going to be overseen by Brad Pitt who is something of an architectural enthusiast himself. In fact, in 2008 it was announced that he would be responsible for designing an entire 5-star hotel complex in Dubai. Supervising renovations on a French chateau seems like a mean task compared to that.
With Angelina back in Los Angeles promoting her Jonny Depp starrer movie The Tourist, Brad Pitt will fly down to France to make sure the renovations go according to plan. The 35-bedroom château is located in a small, picturesque village called Brignoles, not too far from Aix-en-Provence. Named Château Miraval, this place is situated at an altitude of 1100+ acres and sprawls over a 1000 acres. It has also been classified as a Historic Monument.
Those who are familiar with the layout and facilities of the château are probably wondering what kind of renovations are being carried out in a place that is already so close to perfection. Apart from its own 75-acre vineyards, a lake, and a moat, this massive estate also has a swimming pool, a stream, lush green fields, and fountains (about 20 of them). In addition, the surrounding forest ensures the highest form of privacy for the couple and their six children – Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and the twins Knox and Vivienne.
However, it seems that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie feel there is plenty of room for improvement. In fact, way back in 2009, plans were being chalked out to give the estate a slightly more contemporary feel even while preserving its quaint old world charm. Among the additions being made to Château Miraval are steam rooms, hot tubs, a new gym, a spa, not to mention a larger wine cellar.
Brad Pitt, who is known for his penchant for motorcycles, also wants to add a motorbike track to the place. Since security ranks pretty high in their life, the couple plans to install spy cameras, alarms, infra-red sensors, and a surveillance centre. Finally, they are also going to improve the helicopter landing facilities since both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are keen pilots.
Siding with the couple in their effort to spruce up the château to accommodate their contemporary lifestyle was the Mayor of Correns, Michaël Latz. He said that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were “a wonderful couple with beautiful children” and he was “delighted that they will be here more permanently.”
