Karl Lagerfeld was a passionate collector of books, art and houses. ‘Buying excites me,’ he once said, and over the course of his life he owned no fewer than a dozen properties.
In 2023, Décors d'une vie by Patrick Mauriès and Marie Kalt revisited thirteen of his homes, tracing a life lived through interiors. They ranged from a pared-back apartment on the Rue de l’Université in Paris to the grand Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo, whose former owner inspired The Intouchables. There was also the Pavillon de Voisins in Louveciennes, where he is said to have spent just a single night, an apartment on Place Saint-Sulpice in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the sleek Le Roccabella in Monaco, and, further out of the city, the Manoir du Mée in Seine-et-Marne.
It is this last property, a more secluded and contemplative retreat, that has now returned to the market. We spoke to the agent handling the sale, Alexis Feyfant of PYLA Paris.
Properties of this kind do exist, but they are rare, particularly at such close proximity to Paris and with this level of architectural coherence and preservation. Rarer still is a house that brings together all of these qualities: a balanced and legible 18th-century structure, a strong recent history, and a clearly defined former use. By the time Karl Lagerfeld acquired the property in December 1986, he already owned a château in Brittany and the Villa La Vigie on the Côte d’Azur.
He kept this country retreat for eleven years, until July 1998. Built in 1749, the manor is a refined example of classical French architecture, defined by its strict symmetry and sense of proportion. Its particular appeal lies in the meeting of heritage architecture with a more recent, creative legacy. Both a working space and a place of retreat, the house was used as a backdrop for several Chanel photo shoots, featuring models such as Inès de la Fressange and Tatjana Patitz.
What does the interior of the manor house look like?
While generous in scale, with a main house spanning 500 square metres, a guest house of around 180 square metres and grounds extending to 5,000 square metres, its appeal lies in something more considered than size alone. Proportion shapes the interiors throughout, creating a natural rhythm between the more social spaces, such as the kitchen and dining room, and quieter, more intimate rooms including the library, bar and games room. Running the full depth of the house, and punctuated by large openings onto the garden, the Manoir du Mée is filled with light at every hour of the day. Original features, from Versailles parquet flooring to delicate cornicing and period fireplaces, have been carefully preserved, reinforcing the sense of architectural continuity.
At the time, Karl Lagerfeld chose a relatively restrained approach to the interiors, favouring cane and white-painted wood furniture alongside pieces by 1940s designers inspired by the 18th century. The overall effect was light and considered, with just the right touch of whimsy.
In 1998, the Manoir du Mée was sold to a company owned by Ernst August of Hanover. Caroline of Monaco and her family moved in some years later, making it their home between 2004 and 2010. During this period the house returned to a more domestic rhythm, becoming a true family residence, with their daughter Charlotte Casiraghi even enrolled at the local village school.
The property was acquired by its current owner in 2014. Far from sitting as a static showpiece, it has remained a house shaped by daily life, designed and adapted to an evolving, lived-in rhythm.
Find out more about this house for sale: www.pylaparis.fr
