Julien Lepers Relinquishes His Decades-Old Normandy Estate
French television host Julien Lepers parted ways with his longtime Norman estate in Le Merlerault, selling the sprawling 1-hectare property in 2020 after decades of ownership. The former presenter of Questions pour un champion described the sale as a heartbreaking decision, opting to relocate permanently to Nice on the Côte d’Azur.
A Three-Decade Sanctuary in the Orne Department
Acquired in the late 1980s, the property served as a private retreat from Lepers’ demanding television career in Paris. The main farmhouse spans nearly 300 square meters and features ten rooms, including six bedrooms, multiple outbuildings, and a distinctive small tower resembling a medieval donjon.
Lepers undertook extensive renovations while preserving traditional elements such as exposed stone walls, original terracotta floor tiles (tomettes), and wooden beams, including one bedroom where beams were painted a striking raspberry color by an interior designer.
Milestones Planted Across Sprawling Grounds
The grounds held deep personal significance for the host. In interviews with real estate agencies and media outlets, Lepers shared that he planted specific trees to mark family milestones, including a liquidambar for his daughter’s birth and two oak trees for his son.
“I have never slept as well as I do at home in the country. The purity of air… you can feel it comes from the ocean!” Lepers stated in a promotional property video.
From Chopin By the Fireplace to Coastal Wildlife
Far from the bright lights of television sets where he hosted France 3’s flagship quiz show for nearly 28 years, Lepers cultivated a quiet domestic routine. He frequently spent weekends and holidays relaxing by the estate’s massive stone fireplace, listening to music by Chopin or Elton John.
The property also provided its share of wildlife encounters. Lepers recounted that during his very first inspection of the tower’s upper level, he opened a door and startled a large wild owl that immediately flew out.
Permanent Relocation to the Mediterranean Coast
After maintaining the Orne sanctuary for over thirty years, Lepers chose to put the property on the market in 2020. Describing the transaction as a sale made “la mort dans l’âme” (with a heavy heart), he permanently shifted his primary residence to the sunny Mediterranean coast.
As he noted in an interview with France Bleu, he now enjoys a peaceful lifestyle in Nice, declaring that “life is good” in the region, even as the Normandy farmhouse remains a cherished chapter of his personal history.
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