A few months ago, Claudine Longet, a French singer/actress whose heyday of international stardom in the 1960s and 70s was followed by a burst of tabloid infamy and a period of reclusiveness, listed an extremely impressive 5.4-acre estate in the private Aspen community of Red Mountain Ranch. Almost as impressive as the property itself was Claudine's original asking price of $80 million, which, if achieved, would have made it the most expensive residence ever sold in the famously pricey area. After not getting any buyers at $80 million, Longet has put the place back on the market at a reduced price of $59.5 million.
As an actress, Longet is probably best-known to American audiences for starring in the 1968 Peter Sellers comedy "The Party." She is also famous for being married to Andy Williams from 1961 to 1975. They broke up amicably in 1970. Claudine earned her greatest notoriety in 1976 after fatally shooting 31-year-0ld Olympic skier Spider Sabich, her boyfriend at the time. She maintained the shooting was an accident but she was ultimately convicted of negligent homicide. She paid a fine and spent 30 days in jail. The judge allowed her to serve weekends so she could take care of her three children from her marriage to Andy Williams during the week.
In an interesting twist, in 1985 Claudine married her defense attorney Ron Austin. Ron was married when he represented Claudine and the two caused a bit of a stir after the trial when they were seen on vacation together.
For the last four decades Longet has remained living in Aspen, spending much of her time on the property she is now offering for sale.
As for the property itself, it's a beauty, described like so in official marketing materials:
"Spanning just over 5.4 acres, this estate offers privacy, luxury, and stunning views from Aspen Mountain to Mt Sopris. Nestled in nature, the property boasts beautifully landscaped grounds featuring a serene stream and pond, creating a peaceful oasis. The location is conveniently close to downtown allowing for easy access to all Aspen has to offer."
This listing also touts the property's one-bedroom guest house, which measures in at just under 1,400 square feet.
You can take a look for yourself at "Aspen's last great property," available now for just under $60 million, in the video below from the Coldwell Banker Mason Morse YouTube channel. Enjoy: