Designed to impress and delight, mansions come in all shapes and sizes, but while some are occupied and loved for centuries, others are forgotten and left to the sands of time. From sprawling historic homes to impressive new estates that were never quite finished, these abandoned mansions for sale across Europe are the ultimate fixer-uppers. Click or scroll on to take a look inside the grandest neglected homes on the market right now, starting with this incredible French chateau that holds a secret...

If you're looking at property in France, then how about this mesmerising 19th-century château? Positioned in Saintonge, the property is located between Saint-Jean-d'Angély and Cognac, a region rich in both vineyards and history, making it the ideal place to create an enticing bed and breakfast. 

Up close, you can really take in the grandeur of this historic home, which can be accessed via a long, tree-lined driveway. The château is sited on almost 72 acres of land and the main residence covers 3,767 square feet. With its impressive exterior, decorated with a hipped slate roof, freestone limestone blocks and oversized French windows, the manor was clearly designed to wow.

Inside, there’s an entrance hall with a stone floor, a living room with a veined marble fireplace and intricate moulded ceiling, an oak-panelled library and a kitchen. A stone staircase with wrought iron bannisters leads up to five bedrooms, one of which has an ensuite and another, an elevator. There’s also an attic and several secret rooms known as 'The Caves', one of which was once the old boiler room. The other space is said to have a concealed entrance that only the new owner will know about...

There are also 8,072 square feet of outbuildings, including a small, three-bedroom house that was once the old laundry room, a farmhouse that's been divided into a dwelling, barn and garage, as well as two adjoining buildings and a former barn, so there's endless space to play with. If you've got €1.6 million, or £1.4 million ($1.7m), then this remote luxury home could soon be yours. If you're keen to snap it up, then Patrice Besse has all the information you need.

Read on for more impressive abandoned mansions for sale...

Over in the iconic Dordogne region of France, you'll find this spectacular 17th-century country house. Marketed with Patrice Besse for £387,500 ($482k), or €440,000 locally, the historic structure is surrounded by the breathtaking landscape of Périgord-Limousin regional nature park.

The U-shaped house has three floors, including a large attic and measures almost 3,700 square feet. Inside, there are countless characterful rooms, decorated with tiled floors, lime-coated walls, beamed ceilings, pretty French doors, dramatic fireplaces, carved timber doors and unusual built-ins. 

On the ground floor, there’s an indoor courtyard, a cloakroom, a vast reception room, a living room and a kitchen, while upstairs you’ll find three large, light-filled bedrooms with strip parquet floors, a bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe. The top floor is home to the attic, which extends more than 1,000 square feet and could easily be transformed into a stunning master suite.

Outside, there's a quarter-acre garden, with a garage that's prime for conversion and a covered dining terrace, so you can enjoy alfresco meals throughout the year. There's plenty of space for further expansion – but with such a dreamy landscape just beyond your front door, you'll likely want to spend all of your time outside.

Sandwiched between Nantes and the ocean, this majestic French estate dates back to the 17th century and sits in the middle of more than 12 acres of parkland. With exquisite historic architecture and no end of space to play with, the abandoned castle is a seriously enticing real estate opportunity. For sale with Patrice Besse for €595,000, that's around £524,000 ($652k), it's also an affordable option, but the new owner will need to put in some hard graft to bring the colossal crib up to scratch. 

The house can be found behind a wrought iron gate, protected by high stone walls. The building itself is laid out around a vast paved courtyard with a semi-circular moat. Once inside the estate's walls, the home's impressive 4,779-square-foot stature becomes clear. The prominent property has a rich history and was once the stronghold on the border between the provinces of Poitou and Brittany, protecting locals from potential attacks.

Listed as a Historic Monument, the fairytale castle has been remodelled several times over the decades, but following years of neglect, it now requires substantial restoration work. It's unclear why the mysterious abandoned home was left vacant, but it isn't hard to see its potential. There's a bright entrance foyer, two kitchens, a living room, dining room, lounge, library, eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms, decorated with fireplaces, parquet floors, generous ceilings and exposed beams.

Other highlights include the home's three cellars, the old pavilion, the bakery with two bread ovens and the stable block paved with striated stones and equipped with a fodder loft. The 12-acre grounds also benefit from formal gardens, meadows and fields, allowing for unobstructed views. There's even a 15th-century chapel and an old farmhouse, both of which are waiting to be restored or converted into additional living spaces. Now that asking price is sounding even better, isn't it?

Why buy a mansion, when you could buy a beautiful chateau? This majestic property is located in the Bresse region of Burgundy, France, and is for sale through Patrice Besse for a cool £572,400 ($712k), which is €650,000.

Although probably originally constructed much earlier, the abandoned palace was likely rebuilt during the second half of the 18th century. Formed entirely from bricks, the symmetrical stately home has two slightly projecting wings topped with small turrets. According to the listing, the house was probably abandoned after the French Revolution, but it was used as a farmhouse until the end of the 20th century. 

Rather frustratingly for the future owner, the doors and windows have all been filled in with bricks, or reduced in size. That’s because up until 1926, homeowners had to pay taxes on doors and windows. However, we’re sure that the buyer could restore these openings in order to create a light-filled home. Inside, there’s almost 5,400 square feet of living space, including various reception rooms and five bedrooms.

From oak staircases to brick floors, beamed ceilings and painted friezes, there are plenty of lovely elements that add character. Outside, the 10-acre garden is home to numerous outbuildings, including this large barn. Ripe for renovation, it could easily be turned into a second home or holiday let.

If you're seeking an impressive fixer-upper in Bavaria, Germany, then this historic townhouse could well be for you. On the market with Engel & Völkers for a very reasonable £748,800 ($930k), that's €849,000 in the local currency, the stately home has so much potential. 

For starters, it lies in the heart of Passau, Rotthalmünster and occupies a prominent plot that makes it hard to ignore. Inside, there's 5,000 square feet of space, spread across three floors and, despite needing a little bit of modernising, it's entirely move-in ready.

With a generous layout, 14 bedrooms, two bathrooms and two main living spaces, the property is very versatile in terms of uses. The new owner could transform it into a single-family home, develop it into a hotel or even create multiple units inside that could be sold off or leased out, depending on planning restrictions, that is.

The detached house is considered to be in very good condition and benefits from central heating, tiled floors, a gorgeous wood staircase, vintage light fixtures and huge sash windows that flood the interior with natural light. You wouldn’t need a lot of money or imagination to bring this home back to life.

Nestled amongst the undergrowth in the quaint town of Lecce, in Italy's Puglia region, lies something of a hidden treasure. The ornate stained-glass windows and arched doorway peeking out from the trees are the first understated glimpse of the grandeur of this 18th-century palace, which is on the market for just under £1.5 million ($1.9m), or €1.7 million, with Patrice Besse.

From one of the terraces, you can glean the scale of the overgrown estate. There's over 7,500 square feet of land surrounding the palazzo, though the grounds have largely been reclaimed by Mother Nature. However, the interior spaces have been impressively preserved, frozen in time from when they were last occupied.

The palace offers a total of 15 bedrooms, plus an array of incredible living spaces steeped in history. Stepping through the front door is like entering a time capsule: this remarkable kitchen with its bold black and white motifs looks like it's been virtually untouched, with old-fashioned metal saucepans still poised on the stove.

One of 30 rooms across the palazzo, this sitting room is one of the residence's most exceptional spaces. From the decorative vaulted ceiling to the damask-print walls and gilded mirrors, the historic features have been impeccably preserved over the decades. We can't wait to see new life breathed into this remarkable estate.

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