D'Arros Island

Is D'Arros Island for sale, and how much does it cost?

D'Arros Island is a 422 acres developed private island in Amirantes, Outer Islands, Seychelles. It is not currently on the market (a past-sale benchmark we track): Past sale · editorial benchmark. Tenure is freehold. Foreign ownership is permitted subject to local approvals. This is an editorial profile drawn from public record, clearly attributed, not our listing.

Summary

D'Arros is included here as a benchmark rather than a listing. This ~422-acre Amirantes island was bought by L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt in 1998 for a reported US$18M and sold in 2012 for a widely reported US$60M — some outlets cited as much as US$94M — to an entity linked to the Save Our Seas Foundation.

It is now a research centre and nature reserve, and is not on the market.

Land & Waterfront

A substantial Outer-Island property with coral reef, lagoon and beaches, it anchors a marine ecosystem of turtles and seabirds. The scale is closer to a small estate than a single-villa island.

Access & Utilities

Historically reached by its own airstrip and by boat, with estate residences and, latterly, research-centre facilities. As a managed conservation property, its infrastructure now serves science rather than hospitality.

Ownership & Use

We profile D'Arros to show where the ceiling of the Seychelles market has sat in documented transactions. Its reserve status means it functions as conservation land today, and any future change of ownership would be shaped by that protection and by the standard sanction process.

Provenance

A coconut-plantation island from the mid-1800s; passed into private ownership in 1975 under Prince Shahram Pahlavi Nia of Iran, then bought by L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt in 1998 for $18M. She sold it in 2012 for a reported $60-94M to the Save Our Seas Foundation, which runs it as a research centre and, since 2014, an officially protected nature reserve.

Specification

Status	Archive
Offering	For sale
Region	Indian Ocean · Amirantes, Outer Islands
Country	Seychelles
Size	422 acres · 171 ha
Tenure	Freehold
Development	Developed
Holding-cost band	High — estate operations
Access	airstrip, boat
Nearest airport	Served historically by its own airstrip and by boat
Power	Estate and research-centre systems
Water	Island supply
Communications	satellite
Structures	Former private estate residences, Research-centre facilities, Airstrip
Foreign ownership	Permitted (see notes)

Price record

Documented public figures over time — asking prices, reported sales and reductions, each attributed. This record is maintained editorially and may lag the market.

The full traced record — ownership lineage and every dated event back to the earliest public mention — is in The Ledger, for members.

Legal & Ownership Notes

Now protected as a designated nature reserve, which constrains redevelopment. The Seychelles Sanction to Purchase regime applies to any change of ownership.

Zoning: nature reserve / research

• nature-reserve designation restricts development and transfer
• historic transaction was subject to legal dispute

Satellite reference: open map view.
Reference imagery: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NASA-Saint-Joseph-Darros.jpg.
Reference imagery: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arros_island_ISS022-E-21186_.

Common questions

How much does D'Arros Island cost?

D'Arros Island is profiled at: Past sale · editorial benchmark. Figures reflect public record at time of writing and may change; the profile keeps a dated price record.

What tenure does D'Arros Island have?

D'Arros Island is held on freehold tenure. Always confirm the exact instrument and any remaining term on the title.

Can a foreigner buy D'Arros Island?

Foreign buyers may own property here subject to local approvals. Now protected as a designated nature reserve, which constrains redevelopment. The Seychelles Sanction to Purchase regime applies to any change of ownership.

How do you get to D'Arros Island?

Access is by airstrip, boat. Nearest airport: Served historically by its own airstrip and by boat.

How big is D'Arros Island?

D'Arros Island is approximately 422 acres (171 hectares).