Bordeaux château owner Serge Dassault dies

French aviation industrialist and Bordeaux châteaux owner Serge Dassault has died in his office aged 93.

The billionaire, one of the wealthiest men in France, reportedly died of a heart attack while working at his desk on Monday afternoon (28 May).

Serge has led the family company, the Dassault Group, since 1986. The group’s primary business is the production of jet engines and planes as a defence contractor, with the Dassault Rafale and Mirage being two of the French airforce’s primary fighter planes.

In addition, Dassault was the owner of the right-leaning newspaper Le Figaro and several estates in Bordeaux.

Serge’s father Marcel acquired the first estate in Saint Emilion, now known as Château Dassault in 1955.

Serge added to this portfolio with the acquisition of two more doamines in Saint Emilion, Château La Fleur in 2002 and Château Faurie de Souchard in 2013.