Château du Marais: The €70 Million French Estate Offered to Jeffrey Epstein
On June 26, 2018, Paris based interior designer Jean Huguen forwarded Jeffrey Epstein a sales approach for Château du Marais, a historic estate southwest of Paris. Huguen summarized it in three short lines: “A castle to sell,” “70 MO€,” and “The price is high but they need money.” The forwarded French messages said the announced price was €70 million, that the sellers were open to discussion, and that a complex co-ownership arrangement made the price highly negotiable.
The 24 page brochure released as EFTA00800058 appears to be the property presentation referenced by that email. It describes a 100 hectare estate with a Louis XVI style château, extensive outbuildings, stables, a chapel, a former mill, historic dungeons, and a 550 meter reflecting pool. The email that supplies the missing context is EFTA00902255.
The records support a significant but limited conclusion. Epstein personally received a direct sales pitch for the property while other contemporaneous messages strongly place him in Paris. The released records reviewed for this article do not show that he visited Château du Marais, requested a tour, made an offer, ordered due diligence, transferred money, or acquired an interest in it. A later reported sale to Daniel Křetínský and Jiří Šmejc in 2022 confirms that the estate ultimately went to different buyers.
Snapshot
| Field | Finding |
|---|---|
| Primary evidence | EFTA00800058 |
| Context email | EFTA00902255 |
| Property | Château du Marais |
| Location | Le Val-Saint-Germain, Essonne, France |
| Distance stated in brochure | 50 kilometers south of Paris, southeast of Versailles |
| Date sent to Epstein | June 26, 2018 |
| Immediate sender | Jean Huguen |
| Earlier senders | Philippe Mugnier and Victoire de Pourtalès |
| Announced asking price | €70 million |
| Negotiability | The forwarded messages expressly said the sellers were open to discussion and described the price as highly negotiable |
| Brochure length | 24 PDF pages, Bates EFTA00800058 through EFTA00800081 |
| Estate size | 100 hectares, or 247 acres |
| Main château | 1,750 square meters across the principal floors, plus lower and upper levels |
| Main bedroom count stated | 11 bedrooms on the second floor, plus other bedrooms and apartments elsewhere |
| Outbuildings | 1,300 square meters |
| Historic status | Protected as a French historic monument |
| Was Epstein in Paris? | Strongly supported by contemporaneous emails |
| Did Epstein visit the château? | No confirming record found |
| Did Epstein make an offer? | No confirming record found |
| Did Epstein buy it? | No. Independent reporting identifies different buyers in 2022 |
| Review date | September 21, 2026 |
Key Findings
- The brochure was not an unexplained image file. A same title email sent directly to Epstein on June 26, 2018 identifies Château du Marais as a castle for sale and gives the asking price.
- The approach came through Jean Huguen. Huguen forwarded a chain that originated with Victoire de Pourtalès and passed through Philippe Mugnier. The chain places a member of the owning family at the beginning of the solicitation.
- The price was €70 million, but the sellers invited negotiation. Victoire de Pourtalès wrote that €70 million was the announced price and that “we are open to discussion.” Mugnier described the price as very high but highly negotiable because of a complex co-ownership situation.
- Epstein was the direct recipient. The email is addressed to “Jeffrey E.” at the Gmail address used throughout his released correspondence. This is direct evidence of receipt, not merely an appearance in a third party contact list.
- Epstein was very likely in Paris when he received it. A June 25 exchange arranged a meeting between Epstein and Huguen at “my house.” A June 18 scheduling message separately converted a June 27 call into “8pm Paris time.” Other messages said Epstein would not be back in New York on June 28 or June 29.
- Paris presence is not property presence. Château du Marais was close enough for a day trip, but no released message reviewed here books a car, names a viewing time, supplies directions, confirms arrival, or thanks a host for a visit.
- No purchase activity was located. The searches found no Epstein reply to the sales email, offer letter, appraisal, inspection, title review, financing discussion, deposit, wire, purchase entity, or closing record connected to Château du Marais.
- A separate château design project must not be mixed into this story. Other June 2018 messages discuss a Château de l’Horizon inspired design for Great St. James. Those records concern an architectural concept in the U.S. Virgin Islands, not negotiations over Château du Marais.
- The property later sold to other buyers. Le Monde reported that Daniel Křetínský acquired the estate with plans for a luxury hotel. The reported 2022 price was €43 million, substantially below the 2018 announced price, although the records do not establish comparable terms or condition.
Evidence Appearances
| Record | Date | What it contains | Evidentiary value |
|---|---|---|---|
| EFTA00800058 | Undated brochure | 24 page Château du Marais sales presentation | Identifies the property, its scale, amenities, location, and marketing claims |
| EFTA00902255 | June 26, 2018 | Jean Huguen forwards the €70 million sales approach to Epstein | Direct proof that Epstein received the offer |
| EFTA00939429 | June 25, 2018 | Epstein asks Huguen whether 6 at “my house” works; Huguen proposes 5 | Strong contemporaneous evidence of an in person meeting plan |
| EFTA00939610 | June 25, 2018 | Epstein agrees to 5 and Huguen replies “Perfect thanks” | Confirms the proposed meeting time |
| EFTA02249101 | June 18, 2018 | Staff schedules a June 27 call as 2 p.m. Eastern and “8pm Paris time” | Strong evidence that Epstein was expected to be in Paris on June 27 |
| EFTA02249523 | June 25, 2018 | Staff says Epstein will not be back in New York on Thursday or Friday | Supports continued travel outside New York through June 29 |
| EFTA02249468 | June 25, 2018 | Staff discusses a UPS delivery of books at the Paris apartment and says Epstein is waiting for them | Confirms active use of the Paris residence, but does not by itself prove his physical presence |
| EFTA02533112 | June 25, 2018 | Epstein says he might arrive in Palm Beach Friday night | Shows prospective travel planning and does not place him at Château du Marais |
The evidence table separates three different propositions: receipt of the offer, presence in Paris, and presence at the property. Only the first is directly proved. The second is strongly supported by converging messages. The third remains unproved.
The June 26, 2018 Sales Approach
EFTA00902255 is a one page email chain with the subject “TR: Chateau du Marais.” Jean Huguen sent it to Epstein at 14:16:57 UTC on June 26, 2018. The released page lists two attachments: DOC MD.pdf and an HTML attachment.
Huguen’s English cover message reads:
Jeffrey
A castle to sell
70 MO€
The price is high but they need money…
The forwarded chain supplies the source and terms:
| Sender | Original message | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Philippe Mugnier | “Voilà le beau château à vendre.” | Here is the beautiful château for sale. |
| Philippe Mugnier | “Prix très élevé du fait d’une indivision complexe mais très discutable selon celle des indivisaires de ma connaissance.” | The price is very high because of a complex co-ownership arrangement, but very negotiable according to one of the co-owners he knew. |
| Philippe Mugnier | “On en parle.” | We will discuss it. |
| Victoire de Pourtalès | “Tu trouveras ci-dessous la présentation de la propriété du Chateau du Marais.” | You will find below the presentation of the Château du Marais property. |
| Victoire de Pourtalès | “Le prix est annoncé à 70 millions mais nous sommes ouvert à la discussion.” | The announced price is €70 million, but we are open to discussion. |
The OCR renders Huguen’s price shorthand as “70 MO€.” The forwarded French text removes the ambiguity by spelling out “70 millions.” The intended figure was therefore €70 million.
The brochure matches the property named in the email and is consistent with the listed PDF attachment. The public production does not expose an attachment hash or parent child link proving that DOC MD.pdf is byte for byte identical to EFTA00800058. The careful formulation is that the brochure appears to be the property presentation attached to or associated with the email.
Who Sent the Offer
The chain has three levels:
- Victoire de Pourtalès supplied the property presentation and stated the price and willingness to negotiate.
- Philippe Mugnier forwarded it with commentary about the high price and complex co-ownership.
- Jean Huguen sent it directly to Epstein and emphasized that the sellers needed money.
This route matters because it was not generic real estate advertising. The message began with a member of the family associated with the property, moved through a personal contact, and reached Epstein through Huguen. W Magazine later described Victoire de Pourtalès as having grown up on the estate and as living and working on part of the property with her family.
The email does not identify Huguen as a buyer’s agent, broker, or legal representative. It shows him functioning as an introducer. It also does not disclose whether he had discussed Epstein’s real estate interests with Mugnier or Pourtalès before forwarding the package.
What the Brochure Contains
The brochure is a visual sales document rather than a contract, appraisal, title report, or survey. Its factual claims should be understood as seller supplied marketing statements unless independently confirmed.
| Category | Brochure description |
|---|---|
| Construction | Completed in 1779 after work beginning in 1772 |
| Architect | Jean-Benoît-Vincent Barré |
| Original patron | Jean Le Maître de La Martinière |
| Architectural style | Louis XVI style with Palladian influence |
| Estate size | 100 hectares, or 247 acres |
| Main principal floors | 1,750 square meters total |
| Second floor | 11 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, and 3 boudoirs |
| Other residential space | Three paneled apartments, a top floor apartment, mansard rooms, dome rooms, and caretaker accommodation |
| Outbuildings | 1,300 square meters, including stables, garage, former dungeons, salons, kitchens, and many additional rooms |
| Water feature | A reflecting pool called “The Mirror,” 550 meters long and 55 meters wide |
| Grounds | Formal gardens, woodland, fields, moats, canals, plane tree drive, pavilions, and former mill |
| Utilities | Central heating and water from a natural spring on the property |
| Transport claims | 48 kilometers from Orly Airport and 7 kilometers from the A10 motorway |
| Additional land | Seven hectares of wooded farmland described as separately available for purchase |
The brochure says the château, outbuildings, and park were listed as a national historic monument. The French Ministry of Culture record confirms that major parts of the estate were classified as a Monument historique on March 26, 1965. The official record covers the château, courtyard and pavilions, moats, specified outbuildings, formal garden, wooded park, entry avenue, and water features.
Was Epstein in Paris When He Received It?
The available records strongly support that conclusion, although no single released flight manifest shown here proves his exact arrival date.
On June 25, one day before the sales email, Epstein asked Huguen, “Does 6 at my house work.” Huguen replied that he had a 7 o’clock appointment and proposed 5. Epstein answered “Yes,” and Huguen replied “Perfect thanks.” Because Huguen was based in Paris and Epstein maintained a Paris residence, the exchange strongly indicates a meeting planned at Epstein’s Paris home.
A separate staff message sent June 18 scheduled a call with Andrew Farkas for June 27 at 2 p.m. Eastern and explicitly converted the time to “8pm Paris time.” That conversion is strong evidence that staff expected Epstein to be in Paris the day after the château offer arrived.
On June 25, another staff message said Epstein would not be back in New York on Thursday or Friday, June 28 and June 29. A same day exchange concerned an attempted delivery at the Paris apartment and said Epstein was waiting for the books. The delivery proves activity at the residence, not necessarily his presence at the door. Read together with the meeting and time zone records, however, it reinforces the Paris context.
The most accurate finding is therefore:
| Proposition | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Epstein received the château offer | Confirmed |
| Epstein was in Paris around June 25 through June 27 | Strongly supported |
| Epstein met Huguen on June 25 | Planned and accepted in writing, but completion is not independently confirmed |
| Huguen discussed the château during that meeting | Possible, but not documented |
| Epstein traveled from Paris to the château | Not established |
Did Epstein Visit Château du Marais?
No released record located in this review confirms a visit.
The property was within practical driving distance of Epstein’s Paris residence. The brochure describes it as 50 kilometers south of Paris and 48 kilometers from Orly Airport. W Magazine described the trip from Paris as about an hour by car. That makes a viewing feasible. Feasibility is not evidence that a viewing happened.
The archive searches reviewed for this article covered the exact property name, common spelling variants without accents, Le Val-Saint-Germain, Victoire de Pourtalès, the €70 million price, and combinations of Huguen with “castle” and “chateau.” The only direct Château du Marais results were the brochure and the June 26 email chain.
No record found in that search set contains:
- a proposed viewing date
- a confirmation from the owners
- a driver or car reservation
- directions to Le Val-Saint-Germain
- an itinerary naming the château
- a security movement record
- a photograph placing Epstein on the estate
- a thank you message after a tour
- a witness statement describing a visit
- a calendar entry for the property
It is therefore improper to write that Epstein “went there” as a fact. The responsible formulation is that he was in Paris, received a direct offer for a nearby estate, and could have visited, but no confirming evidence of a visit has been located.
Did Epstein Try to Buy It?
Receipt of a sales package shows that the opportunity was presented to Epstein. It does not by itself show serious purchase intent.
No located record shows Epstein replying to Huguen about the property. No located record asks for a lower price, a private tour, plans, tax information, maintenance costs, staffing costs, title documents, the identities of co-owners, or terms for resolving the indivision. No appraisal, legal memorandum, purchase vehicle, letter of intent, deposit, wire, or closing document was found under the property name.
The email language also stops short of saying that Epstein had requested a French château. Huguen may have forwarded the opportunity because he thought it would interest Epstein, because of Epstein’s known interest in architecture and large residences, or after an unrecorded conversation. The files reviewed here do not distinguish among those possibilities.
The evidence supports “offered to Epstein” and “received by Epstein.” It does not support “pursued by Epstein,” “bid on by Epstein,” or “owned by Epstein.”
Do Not Confuse This With the Great St. James Château Project
Several records from the same period use the generic word “chateau.” They concern a different project.
In February 2018, Epstein asked about a house shown in a film about the Agnelli family. Karyna Shuliak identified it as Château de l’Horizon, the famous modernist villa near Cannes. On May 31, Epstein asked Ariane de Rothschild for floor plans of the Agnelli family’s south of France house. Architect Ramon Alonso then discussed a presentation of “the Chateau over GSJ,” meaning a château inspired design concept associated with Great St. James in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
During June 2018, Alonso and Epstein exchanged messages about renderings, a printed presentation, images, and design choices for that project. Those records include EFTA02652340, EFTA02650685, EFTA02647010, EFTA02645426, EFTA02587663, and EFTA02523604.
They show that Epstein was actively interested in château style architecture when the Château du Marais offer arrived. They do not show follow up on the French estate. Treating every nearby reference to “the chateau” as Château du Marais would create a false paper trail.
Evidence Timeline
| Date | Event | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2018 | Shuliak identifies Château de l’Horizon in response to Epstein’s architecture question | Earlier interest in a different château |
| May 31, 2018 | Epstein seeks Château de l’Horizon floor plans; Alonso discusses a château concept over Great St. James | Active architectural project unrelated to Château du Marais |
| June 18, 2018 | Staff describes a June 27 call as occurring at “8pm Paris time” | Epstein was expected in Paris |
| June 23, 2018 | Victoire de Pourtalès sends the property presentation and €70 million asking price to Philippe Mugnier | Origin of the located sales chain |
| June 25, 2018 | Epstein and Huguen agree on a 5 o’clock meeting at “my house” | Strong evidence of a planned Paris meeting |
| June 25, 2018 | Staff says Epstein will not be back in New York on June 28 or June 29 | Supports continued travel outside New York |
| June 26, 2018 | Huguen forwards the château offer to Epstein | Direct proof of receipt |
| June 27, 2018 | Scheduled call was expressed in Paris time | Further Paris location support |
| June 29, 2018 | Other Huguen correspondence discusses travel and design work, not Château du Marais | No located follow up on the property |
| July 11, 2018 | Huguen reports arriving at Newark for a contractor meeting at Epstein’s New York house | Later design meeting, unrelated to the French château |
| June 2022 | Property changes ownership, according to later reporting | Estate ultimately sold to other buyers |
| September 1, 2022 | Le Monde reports Křetínský as buyer and cites a reported €43 million price | Independent confirmation of a later sale |
Later Sale and Ownership
The French Ministry of Culture identifies Château du Marais as private property and confirms its historic protection. Le Monde reported in September 2022 that the families Frotier de Bagneux and de Pourtalès, which had held the estate for more than a century, sold it after years on the market. The report identified Czech businessman Daniel Křetínský as the buyer and said the plan was to convert the estate into a luxury hotel and develop equestrian activities.
Le Monde stated that the transaction amount was not publicly disclosed by the parties, but cited Bloomberg reporting that put it at €43 million. Other reporting said Křetínský undertook the acquisition with Czech businessman Jiří Šmejc.
The €43 million figure should not be presented as a direct measure of what Epstein could have paid in 2018. Four years separated the offer and sale. The composition of the property, ownership interests, preservation obligations, condition, included land, financing, and transaction terms may have differed. It does show that the €70 million figure in the Epstein email was an announced asking price rather than a demonstrated market value.
Technical File Examination
The uploaded copy is an unencrypted PDF containing 24 pages. Every page contains a 1,178 by 849 pixel raster image. The production sequence begins with EFTA00800058 and ends with EFTA00800081.
| Technical field | Result |
|---|---|
| Filename | EFTA00800058.pdf |
| Bates range | EFTA00800058 through EFTA00800081 |
| Pages | 24 |
| File size | 6,670,400 bytes |
| PDF version | 1.5 |
| Page size | 883.5 by 654.75 points |
| Encryption | None detected |
| Embedded page images | 24 |
| Image dimensions | 1,178 by 849 pixels each |
| Effective image resolution | 96 pixels per inch |
| Custom metadata | None detected |
| Metadata stream | None detected |
| PDF SHA256 | 0a5d2e6b84f354488613e05506bbcfdec0bf87f278abbc2079b631ae9da40d88 |
The PDF has searchable OCR, but the extraction contains errors such as misspelled names, incorrect century text, and confused unit labels. Architectural names and measurements should be checked against the visible pages and independent records rather than copied blindly from OCR.
Public corpus metadata places the brochure in DOJ Data Set 9 and lists no sender, email date, original filename, custodian, parent document, or native file. The lack of a disclosed parent child link is why the attachment relationship to EFTA00902255 is described as apparent rather than technically proven.
What the Evidence Establishes
The available evidence establishes that:
- a 24 page Château du Marais sales brochure appears in the released Epstein files
- Jean Huguen directly emailed Epstein about the property on June 26, 2018
- the sales chain originated with Victoire de Pourtalès and passed through Philippe Mugnier
- the announced asking price was €70 million
- the sellers were open to discussion
- Mugnier described a complex co-ownership situation and said the price was highly negotiable
- Huguen told Epstein that the sellers needed money
- contemporaneous records strongly support that Epstein was in Paris when the offer arrived
- the estate was within practical driving distance of Paris
- independent reporting identifies different buyers in 2022
What the Evidence Does Not Establish
The available evidence does not establish that:
- Epstein asked to receive the brochure
- Epstein replied to the sales proposal
- Epstein discussed the property with Huguen in person
- Epstein visited Le Val-Saint-Germain
- Epstein entered Château du Marais
- Epstein met Victoire de Pourtalès or any co-owner
- Epstein commissioned an appraisal or inspection
- Epstein made an offer or negotiated a price
- Epstein created an entity to acquire the property
- Epstein paid a deposit or transferred funds
- Epstein ever held a legal or beneficial interest in the estate
- the brochure’s marketing claims were independently verified for a contemplated Epstein transaction
Why This Record Matters
EFTA00800058 initially looks like an isolated luxury property brochure. EFTA00902255 changes its meaning. It shows that a historic French estate with a €70 million asking price was personally pitched to Epstein through his design contact while he was in Paris.
The episode adds a documented real estate solicitation to the late period of Epstein’s correspondence. It also illustrates why production context matters. A brochure cannot reveal who received it, when, or why. An adjacent or separately produced email can supply those facts.
The same episode demonstrates the danger of overstating archival evidence. The offer is documented. Interest beyond receipt is not. Paris presence is strongly supported. A château visit is not. A responsible account preserves those boundaries instead of turning a plausible trip into a claimed event.
Open Questions
- Is
DOC MD.pdfthe original filename of the brochure produced as EFTA00800058? - Did Epstein respond in an email that has not been released, is redacted, or is indexed under another subject?
- Did Huguen and Epstein discuss the property during their planned June 25 meeting?
- Why did Huguen send the sales package one day after that meeting?
- Did any assistant, driver, security employee, or property representative arrange a viewing?
- Who were all the co-owners referenced by Mugnier’s description of a complex indivision?
- Was the seven hectare optional parcel included in the €70 million asking price?
- Did Epstein or an adviser receive financial, legal, structural, or preservation documents not present in the located production?
- Was the brochure sent to any other potential buyer in the released files?
- What explains the difference between the 2018 asking price and the price reported in 2022?
Related Evidence
- EFTA00800058, Château du Marais brochure
- EFTA00902255, sales email to Epstein
- EFTA00939429, June 25 meeting proposal
- EFTA00939610, accepted meeting time
- EFTA02249101, June 27 call scheduled in Paris time
- EFTA02249523, not returning to New York on June 28 or June 29
- EFTA02249468, Paris apartment delivery
- EFTA02533112, possible Friday arrival in Palm Beach
- EFTA02652340, Château de l’Horizon floor plan request
- EFTA02650685, château concept over Great St. James
- EFTA02647010, château rendering preference
Sources
- EFTA00800058 on Epstein Data
- EFTA00902255 on Epstein Data
- Official DOJ copy of EFTA00800058
- Official DOJ copy of EFTA00902255
- French Ministry of Culture, Domaine du Château du Marais, notice PA00088024
- Le Monde, Daniel Křetínský acquires Château du Marais
- The Guardian, reported €43 million joint acquisition
- W Magazine, A Château for the 21st Century