Johnny Depp owns this little corner of Provence, and he’s put it on the market.
To be fair, though, it is a small village.
Purchased in 2001 when the actor was riding high as flouncing Jack Sparrow, the 37-acre property in Plan de la Tour, France, represents an unknown purchase price, and a $10 million restoration investment. The actor listed the property for sale last year for $25 million, and apparently reconsidered; it has recently hit the market again, and this time asking about $60 million.
A series of buildings comprising a hameau—or hamlet (which every successful actor should own)—the property includes over a dozen structures dating to the 19th century, totaling over 10,000 square feet, 15 bedrooms, and 14 bathrooms.
The property has been restored with soul, that much is evident; the spirit of the place has been retained, only perhaps magnified somewhat through a contemporary bohemian lens. This is the place to dabble in painting, re-familiarize yourself with the stylistic distinctions between Lester Young and Zoot Sims, and maybe catch up on your Balzac over a little too much Turkish coffee.
There is an artist’s studio among the buildings, actually. There is also a private café, playfully dubbed Chez Marceline. Décor is restlessly various; the eye is endlessly newly drawn to a surfeit of ideas, all competing for attention. But there is certainly cohesion and, in the main house, a liberating feeling of openness, as well as the reassuring stability rendered by a profound sense of history and communauté. Stone walls, century-old timbers, and even a gypsy caravan restored as a guest house add to the charm.
Depp is reprising his role as Sparrow in ‘Dead Men Tell No Tales,’ currently in post-production. He is currently working on a new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ with Kenneth Branagh at the helm, which is slated for release late next year.
