Chateaux, forests and dunes for sale

Hôpitaux de Paris plans to sell off hundreds of properties and plots of land donated in legacies over the years

TWO chateaux, a sports stadium and a group of sand dunes have been put up for sale by Paris's hospital authorities to help plug a funding shortfall.

Hôpitaux de Paris is trying to find buyers for hundreds of properties and plots of land that have been donated in legacies over the years and serve no medical purpose.

They include the Dunes de Berck on the Channel coast in the Pas-de-Calais, the 18th century Château de Cercamp in nearby Frévent and the 19th century Château du Laber in Roscoff (Finistère).

Also up for sale is a stadium in the Paris suburb of Ivry, a post office and a disused school. Hundreds of hectares of farm and forest land are also available.

A website will launch in September with details of all the properties and land for sale. Hospital authorities hope the big sell-off will raise at least €20m.

Hôpitaux de Paris is following the French state in attempting to sell off properties that it no longer needs.

The state is inviting offers for 1,700 buildings including a chateau overlooking Lac Léman in the Haute-Savoie and a former hunting authority building in the heart of the Saint-Germaine-en-Laye forest.