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4. Villa Les Cèdres, France — $450 million
Another luxury French estate appears in this list—the Villa Les Cèdres, named after its cedar tree setting. The mansion was once owned by King Leopold II of Belgium—and regal it is! It is set in 35 acres in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in the South of France and was built around 1830. The home is about 18,000 sq ft and was bought by Ukrainian billionaire and businessman Rinat Akhmetov in 2019. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the mansion has multiple balconies from where you can see the lush gardens—15,000 plants and 20 greenhouses. It has a stable with room for up to 30 horses. There are innumerable rooms and shared spaces in this royal residence, a stunning ballroom, and an Olympic size swimming pool. As of April 2023, Akhmetov was listed as the 460th richest person on the planet (and the richest Ukrainian) with an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion. Since the beginning of the Ukraine war started by Russia in February 2022, he has lost two-thirds of his fortune, including steel, energy and agricultural assets. The Russians have destroyed about 70 companies owned by Akhmetov.