Legendary 150-Acre Big Sur Ranch Compound 'Heart of Rancho Rico' Lists for $100 Million

A legendary piece of California history has hit the market, commanding a price tag to match.

The "Heart of Rancho Rico," a 150-acre estate in Big Sur, California, is listed with Tim Allen of Tim Allen Properties Team, an affiliated agent with the Carmel-by-the-Sea/Junipero office of Coldwell Banker Realty in Northern California, for a staggering $100 million asking price. 

Purchased in 1965 by Cyril Chappellet, a former Lockheed executive, the 150-acre parcel of land has been in the family for nearly 60 years and is now being sold by his grandchildren, C. Blake, Michele, and Kira Forrest. Previous owners include the Pfeiffer family, known as early settlers in Big Sur at the turn of the 20th century. As homeowner C. Blake Forrest fondly remembers, "Four generations of our family have spent time on this property. Our grandfather, Cyril Chappellet, purchased the land and our mother inherited it from him. As kids, my sisters Michele and Kira, and I would spend most of our summers at the ‘ranch,’ as he called it. We had countless family gatherings for six decades and it is also where my siblings and I raised our own families. We hope the next owners will embrace this property, share it with their family, and preserve the beauty of it for generations to come.”

Heart of Rancho Rico, one of several parcels once owned by Chappellet, is located about 30 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea and is within walking distance of the Big Sur community. The land features Pacific Ocean coastline and private beach access with 360-degree views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and Pacific Ocean. The property comprises three separate family homes, manicured gardens, fruit orchards, outdoor living spaces, ample terrain to raise livestock and poultry, and a private road leading to the shoreline and private beaches.

Allen calls the property "an irreplaceable and timeless property." A Central Coast native and UC Santa Barbara alumnus, Allen has nearly four decades of real estate experience in the area and has long been captivated by the property's storied past. "Many long-standing residents in the region have an affinity for the history of this property," he says.

The main house, a classic mid-century ranch built in the late 1940s and modernized through the years, offers a harmonious blend of vintage charm and 21st-century touches. Spanning 3,750 square feet, the character-rich interior spaces seamlessly mix contemporary elements — such as the modernized kitchen — with original details like exposed wood-beamed ceilings and trusses, wood paneling, and three fireplaces. A total of four bedrooms with full ensuite bathrooms, along with a partial bath, complete the home.

Many rooms capitalize on the sweeping unobstructed vistas of the Pacific from oversized picture windows. Outside, beautiful gardens and an enclosed loggia with surrounding views of the Pacific Ocean, beaches, coastline, and mountains contribute to the tranquil ambiance found at Heart of Rancho Rico.

Other structures included in the estate are a four-bedroom, two-bedroom Ranch House, built in 1995, and the Garden House, built in 2001, with three bedrooms, and two full bathrooms.

Surrounded by pristine natural beauty and the utmost in privacy, the estate is accessed via a discrete gateway and a well-maintained road winding past scenic redwood, oak, bay, and madrone trees to the main meadow, situated about 1,000 feet above the shoreline. As part of its offerings, fresh spring water supplies part of the property and flows onto two private beaches below. There is also a ranch orchard containing 80 deciduous, citrus, avocado, and nut trees.

This rare opportunity to own a significant piece of California history is a dream come true for any discerning buyer. "It provides the ultimate Big Sur lifestyle with privacy, peaceful living, and endless adventures to explore the 150 acres of coastal paradise,” says Allen. 

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