Paradise Lost

AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE'S EUROPEAN LOVE NEST ULTIMATELY TURNED THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER AND CONTINUES TO FUEL THEIR NEVER-ENDING DIVORCE BATTLE.

IN 2008, Hollywood golden couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie paid $28.4 million for Château Miraval, a stunning, 1,000-acre estate in the south of France featuring rolling hills, a vineyard and a spacious 35-room main house. The pair would update the centuries-old property with a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and a helicopter pad, and for years, the sprawling villa served as their own private paradise. "In the early days, Miraval was a safe haven for Brad and Angelina and their kids," a source tells Star. "The children could run and play far from prying eyes, surrounded by the wonders of Miraval."

Before long, the pair's dream home - where they wed in 2014-became the stuff of nightmares. Shocking new details reveal how tension over their successful Miraval Rosé line contributed to the demise of their 14-year romance. What was once Brad and Angelina's happy place has become a battleground, where their ongoing seven-year divorce continues to rage.

(In 2022, Brad, 59, sued Angelina, 48, for selling her stake in Miraval to a Russian billionaire; she filed a cross-complaint outlining Brad's alleged abuse during the fateful 2016 private plane incident that led her to file for divorce.) "The fight for Miraval has made everything worse," says a source.

WHAT WENT WRONG