Chartwell Estate, listed at $195,000,000 in Bel Air, is a French chateau situated on four contiguous properties. The estate, designed for symmetry inside and out, will absolutely take your breath away.

For a better understanding of the property’s design and history, watch below as listing agent Drew Gitlin gives a private tour with Architectural Digest. For more details, email drewgitlin@bhhscal.com. 

The stunning mansion is located in the heart of Bel Air. Classic TV fans recognize the sprawling, 25,000-square-foot main house from the ’60s sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

Discreet and world-class, an estate of this caliber had not been offered in decades. The listing of this iconic architectural jewel and its surrounding acreage presents a rare opportunity for privacy and stately living within the dynamic environs of Los Angeles.

Originally built in the ’30s

The history of what is known as Chartwell Bel Air began in 1930, when well-known civil engineer Lynn Atkinson acquired seven acres near the top of Bel Air Road, where he planned to build the most beautiful home in America.

Indulging his passion for the Louis XV period, Atkinson commissioned renowned architect Sumner Spaulding, who designed the Catalina Casino in Avalon on Catalina Island, among other iconic structures, to create a stately 18th-century-style residence, which was completed in 1935.

Sited on 10.3 acres, the main home’s elegant exterior is comprised of symmetrical cut limestone in the French neoclassical style. The interiors were fully renovated in the late ’80s by Henri Samuel, one of the most important designers of the 20th century.

Guest and pool houses

Offering panoramic views from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean, Chartwell is a rare combination of extensive grounds and stunning vistas. Amenities include 11 bedrooms, 18 bathrooms, a Wallace Neff-designed five-bedroom guesthouse, 75-foot pool once graced by Olympic medalist Michael Phelps with spacious pool house, tennis court, car gallery for 40 vehicles, 12,000-bottle wine cellar, and precisely manicured gardens worthy of a chateau in France.

Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jerry Perenchio became the estate’s third owner in 1986, purchasing three contiguous properties soon after to form the current 10.3 acres. He enlisted legendary French designer Henri Samuel–known for his work on homes owned by the Vanderbilt, Rothschild, and Valentino families–and celebrated French architect Pierre Barb to renovate the estate as an authentic replica of an 18th-century chateau.

For more information, contact co-listing agent Drew Gitlin (Lic#: 00944472) at 310.415.1968 or drew@drewgitlin.com.