French chateau vs Sydney sweat: The different types of property you can buy for $1.3 million

As the world gears up for the Paris 2024 Olympics, imagine yourself living the champion’s life in a magnificent French château.

Or could there be another contender in the race for your dream property — a Sydney ‘renovator’s delight’ with Olympic-sized potential?

French dream or Sydney sweat?

Imagine this: a charming 18th-century château in the heart of a quaint French village, complete with a renovated roof, sprawling park, and even a wine cellar. The château is only 35 minutes from Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France after Paris, Marseille and Lyon, and in the heart of a pretty village, near Cazeres. Sounds like a dream. And the price tag? A cool 799,000 Euro (roughly $1.3 million AUD).

For close to the same price in inner west Sydney, you could get... a fixer-upper in Marrickville.

That’s right, for the price of French grandeur, you could snag a two-storey, Sydney ‘renovator’s delight’ with potential — but plenty of sweat equity is required.

The French fairytale:

The château in Cazeres, France, boasts 580 sqm of living space, with 20 main rooms, 5 bedrooms with ensuites, grand reception rooms, and a stunning park of 3710m overlooking the Garonne valley.

It also has remarkable reception rooms with beautiful fireplaces perfect for parties and events which you can host.

In the surrounding park, you’ll find the 194 sqm outbuildings which can be used for many purposes, a stable barn of 120sqm, and a beautiful swimming pool.

Wine lovers rejoice as you’ll have your own authentic old wine storehouse with a vaulted cellar, stocked up with the best French wines, making the property a dream come true!

The village of Cazeres is a gem, designated as one of the prettiest in Europe. Imagine strolling along the Dordogne River, exploring historical sites, or indulging in fresh produce at the weekly market, where you can shop for delicious French produce and jams.

The Sydney hustle:

The Marrickville property offers a blank canvas for the creative renovator. With two self-contained levels — a 2-bedroom unit downstairs and a 3-bedroom unit upstairs — the potential exists to create a dream home or investment property.

But be prepared: the interiors are in desperate need of an overhaul, and access is restricted for viewings.

There are no palatial grounds, in fact, you can’t even hide your bins in the backyard, but you’ve got cracked concrete and an eyesore of a hills hoist as a view and weeds as far as the eye can see.

However, the location is hard to beat (for Sydney). Just 300 metres from the Marrickville Library and Pavilion, and within walking distance of the vibrant cafe scene, this property offers inner-city convenience.

The choice is yours:

Do you crave the historic charm and idyllic setting of the French château? Or are you willing to roll up your sleeves and create your own urban oasis in Sydney?

One thing’s for sure: this comparison proves that a million bucks can buy you very different dreams, depending on where you choose to chase them.

This story was originally published on view.com.au