Chateau de Villette

A lot of movie fans travel to see the filming site of their favorite flick. And Chateau de Villette is no exception. Many fans of The Da Vinci Code movie starring Tom Hanks have visited this 185-acre estate about 35 minutes northwest of Paris. It was featured as Sir Leigh Teabing’s home. (Teabing was played by Ian McKellan.)

And it’s for sale for 39 million dollars !

The main house has eleven bedrooms and bathrooms (with 18 beds and 17 baths total), all of which were remodeled within the last 10 years, according to public information. The Chateau was designed by architect Francois Mansart in 1668 for Louis XIV’s Venetian ambassador. The gardens were designed by Le Notre and spread out behind the home.

Villette is considered on of the most significant historical chateaux in France. It was designed around the same time as Versailles, earning it the nickname “Le Petite Versailles.” The dining room features an original 17th-century carved stone buffet and the limestone entry hall harkens back to the 17th century as well. The gourmet kitchen was installed in 2001. It also has two service kitchens and a banquet room.

And if that’s not enough, it has a gym, billiard room, library, music salon, and a grand staircase. The property also boasts a chapel and reception room for hosting weddings, a greenhouse, and horse stables. Many more modern amenities have been added to the property as well: wireless internet, a swimming pool, a tennis court. It basically has just about everything you could want. Including plenty of privacy. Gee, why didn’t Brad and Angelina just buy it instead of renting someplace else?

Meg Ryan's home for sale

Actress Meg Ryan is selling her six bedroom, seven bath Bel-Air home. According to various sources, it had been for sale off the record (a pocket listing) for quite a while. But Ryan has officially listed the home for $19,500,000.

Ryan bought the home in 2000 when she was separated from her then-husband Dennis Quaid. As if that wasn’t enough to keep her name in the tabloids, she was linked with Russell Crowe right around the same time. She and Crowe were in the movie Proof of Life together.

The Spanish style home was built in 1931 and has a gated, private drive. The living room is double-story, stenciled beamed, there’s a 30s-era bar, formal dining room, and a cook’s kitchen. According to the listing, all rooms open to and overlook the 180 degree view of the city.

Additionally, the bedrooms have en suite baths, there’s a pool and full guesthouse, and the master bedroom is separate from the other bedrooms. The screening room even has a separate entrance.

Ryan purchased the just over 6800-square-foot home in 2000 for $8,500,000, reportedly close to the asking price. It sits on nearly three-quarters of an acre.

I have to admit, my darlings, that I have watched many a Meg Ryan movie. She’s been a favorite for a very long time. She’s probably best known for two movies: When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle. It’s too bad that she’s mostly relegated to things like Sleepless, You’ve Got Mail, French Kiss, and Kate & Leopold.

Admittedly, we’ve seen Sleepless countless times and consider it a pretty good chick flick. Kiss is something we’ll watch over and over, too. And Kate has Hugh Jackman. Need we say more? But Mail was so very disappointing. Ryan’s grittier roles in When a Man Loves a Woman, Proof of Life, and Courage Under Fire weren’t exactly well-received, sad to say. By the way, how awesome would it be for Ryan to make an appearance on “NCIS” with her co-star in The Presidio, Mark Harmon?

Ryan has recently been blasted by ex-husband Quaid for rehashing some of the reasons they split (including mentioning that he cheated on her a long time before they broke up), citing it might cause anguish for their 16-year-old son Jack. She most recently starred in The Women with Annette Bening and Candice Bergen, who, by the way, was in Ryan’s debut film.