This LA Family Turned a French Château into Their Forever Home After the Wildfires

A 14th-century château in the French countryside was never part of the long-term plan for Michael Lewis and Dana Lord Lewis. The Los Angeles family only wanted a peaceful vacation home during the chaos of the pandemic. Instead, they found a life-changing escape that eventually became their permanent address.

Their new home, Château Mont D’Onel, sits high above a tiny village in Dordogne, southwest France. The estate looks like something pulled from a storybook. Rolling farmland stretches for miles around it. Stone walls hold centuries of history. The oldest part of the château, the kitchen, dates back to 1350.

At first, the move felt impulsive. Michael Lewis later admitted the decision came down to “romance over practicality.” Still, that emotional choice ended up giving the family exactly what they needed after tragedy struck California.

The ‘Pandemic Search’ Changed Everything

Like many wealthy families during COVID-19, the Lewises started thinking differently about home. Malibu suddenly felt crowded and uncertain. They wanted more space, more quiet, and a slower pace for their children.

Their search first pointed toward New Zealand. Then they came across Château Mont D’Onel. The property had charm that instantly grabbed them. Within just three days, they pulled together an offer and bought the estate.

The château was enormous, nearly 12,000 square feet with nine bedrooms in the main house alone. Smaller guest bungalows added another nine bedrooms to the property. Yet despite its size, the family never wanted it to feel cold or overly polished.

That became the guiding idea behind the renovation. They wanted warmth instead of grandeur. Comfort mattered more than perfection. The house needed to feel lived in, not staged for photographs.

Turning a Heavy Château Into a Real Family Home

The News / When the family first stepped inside, the interiors felt dark and weighed down by heavy details. The château carried the feeling of a forgotten bed and breakfast frozen in time.

In 2023, the couple hired interior designer Brandon Quattrone to rethink the home. He teamed up with designer and art advisor Isadora Lim to create a softer, brighter atmosphere without erasing the building’s history.

The renovation stayed surprisingly restrained. Architecturally, very little changed. A few kitchen walls moved. Some arches were added to improve the flow between rooms. The designers respected the structure instead of fighting it.

The real transformation happened through texture, light, and carefully chosen antiques. Dana Lewis and Isadora Lim spent time hunting through French brocantes for furniture and decorative pieces that felt authentic to the château’s age.

Soft fabrics replaced stiff formal details. Pale tones brightened rooms that once felt dim. Artwork with personal meaning helped make the sprawling estate feel intimate. One of the most striking additions came from a Canadian artist who lived on the property for six weeks while painting a dreamy forest mural inside the dining room.

The result never feels like a museum. It feels personal and relaxed. Isadora Lim summed it up best when she explained, “Instead of making it a château, we made it a home.”

The Wildfires That Changed Their Future

The Living / Designer Brandon Quattrone later reflected on the timing. He described it as a blessing that the château was fully ready when tragedy hit California.

The family originally planned to split time between Malibu and France. Then disaster changed everything.

As renovations wrapped up at Château Mont D’Onel, the Palisades and Eaton fires devastated parts of California. The school attended by the Lewis children was destroyed during the fires. That moment forced the family to rethink their priorities.

Suddenly, the château stopped feeling like a vacation property. It became a safe place to rebuild daily life.

The family sold their Malibu home and moved permanently to France last year. What once looked like an emotional pandemic purchase turned into a lifeline during an incredibly painful moment.

The move also revealed practical advantages the family had not fully considered at first. Their village offers everyday essentials within walking distance. The local school sits nearby. Michelin-starred restaurants are just a short drive away, yet life still feels calm and grounded.