“Steve McQueen’s castle” is for sale in Sarthe

Would you like a souvenir of Steve McQueen, the famous American driver and actor in the film “Le Mans” made in 1970? A memory for more than 2 million euros since the cabinet Le Nail is selling a castle in Viré-en-Champagne. This 1,400 square meter residence was the base for the pilot and his crew for six months during the filming of the film.

At 78 years old, Gilles Guichemer, the current owner, no longer has the strength to maintain this castle, which he bought 27 years ago.

Steve McQueen shook Sarthe

Imagine: 7 hectares of garden, a stable… Steve McQueen had something to amuse the gallery. However, his favorite playground: the Place de Brulon. “He was doing a few skidding demonstrations to entertain the children,” admires Gilles Guichemer. Speed ​​is a passion for the actor. “At the time, there was no speed limit. Steve McQueen took a quarter of an hour to travel between Le Mans and Viré“.

Viré-en-Champagne is still difficult to pronounce for an American, so Steve McQueen renamed the castle. “Château Lornay, with its American accent; which meant that admirers were looking for this castle. It took them a while to discover that there was no Château Lornay“, laughs Gilles Guichemer. The pilot confused it with the place called Launay in Degrès.

“His wife hated the region”

The presence of the American actor also pleased Sarthe traders. “On the village square of Brulonin place of the current florist, there was a clothing merchant. One day he went to try on some jeans, which he thought were great. He bought a hundred for his team and his entourage,” says the owner.

In total, Steve McQueen and his team were around fifteen. The actor therefore allowed himself some renovations for more peace of mind. “His room was on the ground floor. He had a lock installed because he absolutely did not want to be disturbed during his nights.“. More often accompanied than alone during his “nights”, his wife ended up hating the region. “His wife had to fight against the groupies who did not fail to harass Steve. The latter had a tendency to respond favorably to requests“, deciphers Gilles Guichemer. These crazy evenings ended in a divorce six months after his departure from the castle.