By Aiyeku Timothy
A French property tycoon, Patrick Diter, has been ordered to demolish his $70m faux-Italianate palazzo in the hills of Provence by France’s highest judicial court.
This is after he lost a 15-year legal battle for building a 32,000 square foot structure without planning permission.
Patrick Diter now has 18 months to scrub the “Chateau Diter,” off its current location, including its 18 bedrooms, two helipads, swimming pool, bell tower, Roman colonnade and orangery, from the landscape above Monaco.
France’s highest judicial court upheld a previous ruling in the appellate courts that the illegal château near the Provençal village of Grasse must be removed and the countryside restored to its original state.
The structure is being used by party planners and TV location scouts seeking extravagant locations as it was regularly rented out as a wedding destination and was a set for the TV drama, Riviera.
It is also the subject of regular postings on Instagram by guests.
According to the ruling, Diter will pay a fine of $600 per day if the court orders are not complied with by June 2022.
The French property tycoon was also slapped with fines totalling $550,000.
Diter’s lawyer said they were considering taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.
In his reaction, a member of the Grasse city council Paul Euzière, said: “That’s ridiculous. Nobody has violated Patrick Diter’s human rights. His rights have been taken into account every step of the way during this legal journey.”
