Why Angelina Jolie Calls Her Former Home Too Painful To Visit

Angelina Jolie is finally opening up about the one place she can’t bring herself to go back to, the home where her life with Brad Pitt fell apart.

Nearly nine years after their separation, the actress has revealed that she and her children have not set foot in their once-beloved French estate, Château Miraval, since the painful events that ended their marriage.

For the star, that home now carries memories she can never relive.

In new court documents obtained by PEOPLE and filed on October 6, Jolie shared emotional details about her decision to give Pitt control of their homes in Los Angeles and France.

She wrote that she left the actor “control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.”

The 50-year-old explained that she made the choice in hopes of easing tensions after what she described as a painful separation.

Despite leaving the properties behind, Jolie revealed she has not found peace, writing, “To this day, the children and I have never again set foot on the property, given its connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.”

For the “Maleficent” star, Château Miraval was more than just a home; it was where her family’s story unfolded.

“It was a focal point of our family life,” she wrote in her filing. “We were married there, I spent part of my pregnancy there and I brought our twin children home there from the hospital.”

The filmmaker said walking away from that life was incredibly hard. “To have such a sudden break from my home and memories has been hard, and it was especially difficult for the children to have their lives so disrupted,” she said.

After the split, Jolie began searching for a new home and initially rented while trying to find something stable for her family.

“Because I wanted to ensure that Brad remained an important part of our children’s lives, I looked to buy a property near his home,” she explained, adding that her savings were tied up in Miraval and she never asked Pitt for financial help.

Jolie’s deep emotional pain is now tied to a never-ending legal battle over Château Miraval. The property, which the former couple bought together in 2008 and turned into a successful winery, has become the center of a bitter feud.

The “Original Sin” star sold her share of the estate to Stoli Group in 2021, but Pitt sued her in 2022, claiming she violated an agreement that neither of them would sell without the other’s approval.

In response, Jolie’s team filed a countersuit, accusing the 61-year-old of “waging a vindictive war” against her since their divorce.

Her lawyers also alleged that Pitt refused to buy her share unless she signed a non-disclosure agreement meant to “silence her about his abuse and cover-up.”

Pitt denied all accusations and was never charged following investigations into a 2016 private jet incident that allegedly led to their split.

The case has kept the former lovebirds tied together since their divorce was finalized in 2024.

According to sources close to the Oscar-winner, Jolie has been hoping to move on for years.

A person close to her told PEOPLE after their divorce settlement, “Sadly, until he drops his lawsuit, this family will not have the peace and healing they so very much desire and deserve.”

Jolie has reportedly asked the film producer to end the legal battle multiple times, urging him to allow their family to “heal.” However, Pitt has refused, saying he won’t withdraw his claims.

A source told the Daily Mail, “Brad is not going to drop this lawsuit – why would he? This was a standard business dispute, but Angelina has made it personal.”

The situation has left the actress heartbroken as her children grow more distant from their father.