Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Buy $70m French Chateau

Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have splashed out $70m on a chateau in the French Riviera to base their growing family.

The pair decided on the palatial 35-bedroom estate after viewing around 100 properties.

The picturesque residence comes complete with its own vineyard, moat, lake and forest which they bought direct from the owner after spotting the property from the air by helicopter.

The pair, who are expecting their fifth and sixth children later this year, hope to move in to their new home by the beginning of August as Jolie, 32, is set to give birth to twins on the 19th.

A source said: "It's a place called Chateau Miraval which is in a tiny village called Brignol in the Var, not far from Aix en Provence.

"Just the driveway up to the Chateau is three miles long.

"There's a lake and a swimming pool and fountains and fields with ponies in and it's surrounded by a huge forest so no-one will be able to take pictures of them or the kids.

"They're both thrilled as they've been hunting for a place on the Riviera for over a year and it's exactly what they want.

"Last year Brad and Angelina took a helicopter along the Riviera and they were literally landing in people's gardens of houses that they liked and were running in to ask if their properties were for sale.

"And they found this one the same way a few weeks ago, and told the owner to name his price and although it's a huge sum of money they were happy to pay it as it's just what they had in mind.

"They'll be moving in roughly three months and living there full- time."

The location of the chateau is perfect for Angelina who has chosen to give birth to her twins in France as a tribute to her French grandmother and her actress mother Marcheline Bertrand, who died last year.

"It's absolutely stunning," said the source.

"They've already bought a couple of million pounds worth of antiques to fill the place and are planning renovations with their Berlin based architects.

"They're going to enroll the kids in a local French school and they already have friends there like Bono and The Edge from U2 and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis."