Funny – I JUST came here to post something about this when I saw you had beat me to it!  Awesome, awesome, and if money was no object and I had an address in France (like it says in this article) then I would want to bid on it.  The article that I read said it's valued at $1.6 million, but I imagine its selling price will go much higher.  The article also says the sword has to remain in France almost half the year.  I suppose I might be able to leave it in France June to June, then bring it back to the U.S. from June to June, etc.