Two thousand years ago, high-end homes came with sprawling grounds and banquet halls to seat a hundred. In the 2000s, we have satellite television, home cinemas and centrally heated flooring. Montbrun Castle has been through as many restorations as it has historical battles, and it was most recently revamped in the 90s, which means that the 16-room estate maintains its medieval château feel but the floors have never been warmer nor the amenities more technologically sound.
Built in 1179 on the orders of King Henry II of England, the castle grounds are the burial place of Richard the Lionheart's intestines. There's even a resident ghost - although that didn't deter Madame Pompadour, President de Gaulle, and, more recently, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie from visiting. The Jolie-Pitts were thinking about buying, but Jolie opted for a mansion in Provence, a fact that Pitt has publicly lamented.
Price is upon request, and the property includes 500 acres of land, four lakes, stables and a tavern on the "public" part of the estate. The oak and chestnut forests are ideal for horse riding and hunting with falcons.
The living space extends to 35,000 square feet, divided among four towers that surround a courtyard leading to that 100-seater hall. There are 15 en-suite guest rooms, one colossal master bedroom, a library, servants' quarters, three kitchens and a cinema in a vaulted tower.
The current owner, the Dutch businessman Maarten Lamers, has clearances from the Monuments de France heritage committee for the construction of pools, tennis courts, a golfing green, in-roads for owner access and even a private heliport. It's little wonder, then, that Pitt said: "I wanted to buy this beautiful castle, but Angelina wanted to be closer to the sea ... unfortunately!"
pmunyal@thenational.ae
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
