Hotel St. Martin
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Environment ✧ rolling agricultural between base of mountains and plains; varied good trails

Services ✧ all; bigger towns 15/25mins train (last 10pm)

Access ✧ station at door: 5h Paris direct; airport 15mins

Notes ✧ the town is a well established pilgrimage site (3rd amongst catholics worldwide, 3 million visitors pre-pandemic, most foreign), thus lots of hotels (135+) with the town's population just 10k, and eateries, albeit catering to less particular older visitors
✦ is thus well connected with a direct trains from Paris (TGV and sleeper); the Toulouse–Barcelona route (3h) should also reopen with a moderate 2h connection putting it at the same duration as Paris (with a change)
✦ the airport is served year-round to Malta (nomads), Stansted, Dublin, Milan; with seasonal to Palermo (nomads), and Krakow, amongst others, with Lisbon (loadsa nomads!) likely to be added; Toulouse airport is 3h by transit
✦ nice town of Tarbes is 15mins train (last 9:15pm), great small city of Pau is 25mins (last 10:30pm)

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not immediately obviously a good workation property due to being in town, however it has the benefits of convenient facilities whilst also being very nicely positioned for nature, though from the door this a bit limited (par for most properties even often in villages), but by a short drive, or bus there's nice variety, however the better outings mainly require driving

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having been solely focussed on pilgrimage, with the forecast now that as pilgrims age (and die) there will be significantly less visitors, thus the town must change and adapt; it has introduced a mid term plan (€100m; 38m from the state) to regenerate itself and diversify thus presents a good time to invest here (thoughly probably hotel prices will continue to fall); the plans include improving its squares and some riverbank (underway), expanding pedestrian zones, better supporting outdoor sports and wider culture, plus for some novelty something to do with supporting the wool industry

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decent public garden and also a bit of grassy riverbank
✦ indoor market; a good number of cafes and restaurants (including several foreign)
✦ hikes 20mins (10mins bike) along a lane (for a 1h30 circuit climbing the adjacant hilltop, or a quicker 30mins stroll along pilgrim steps)
✦ funicular 20mins walk/bus with hikes from summit (500m ascent) and small bikepark (host to the world cup 3 times)
✦ the next train stop adds variety for return from one-way bikes (or gentle 3h wooded hike)
✦ many trails around on edge of large natural park, both easy along valleys and up into the mountains; marked biking trails with multiple loops varying from easy woods to open hills and mountainous (430km from town, 1100km total)
✦ tennis courts and hamman/sauna/indoor pool close
✦ lake very close (15mins bike/bus) with SUP; also kayaking close
✦ several climbing spots within walking distance; exceptional giant indoor climbing centre in Tarbes; 30mins to a via ferrata
✦ 20km paved greenway to mountains, good for rollerblading, 1h easy bike
✦ bus 45mins to lovely town of Bagneres-de-Bigorre; driving into mountains 40mins-1h for the Pic du Midi (skiing) and cirque de Gavarnie
✦ 30mins to cross-country ski and station with skilifts (and another bikepark), 40mins to major station (and another bikepark)
✦ thus reasonable selection of activities possible by public transport, and more interesting ones requring driving

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a bit nippy in the winter but still some good warm sunny days

Property ✧ was direct sale, none appear to have sold with all ads expired
✦ part of a large rambling ~1800m2 complex of 4 buildings thus good potential to expand; this the main hotel building is a bit pricey, however a good starting point if the owner could be persuaded to give an option on it with the courtyard house

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montaigu (courtyard house): 320m2
✦ (parcel 46; 4 floor house squashed (few windows!) between the main building and a neigbouring, with a light well at the rear interconnecting with primevere)
✦ courtyard: 40m2 (very little)
✦ ground 55m2
✦ 1st: 55m2
✦ 2nd: 60m2
✦ 3rd: 60m2
✦ roof terrace: 80m2 (surrounded but good exposure and connecting to the top floor of st martin)

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st martin (hotel): 950m2 270k
✦ (parcel 48; largest and most interesting building)
✦ basement: 40
✦ ground: 30+60+30+80
✦ 1st: 40+55+35+15
✦ 2nd 15+35+100
✦ 3rd: 100+35
✦ 4th: 100+40
✦ penthouse: 35
✦ roof terrace: 100m2

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primevere (top): 550m2
✦ (parcel 53)
✦ 2nd: 110m2
✦ 1st: 110m2
✦ ground: 110 45+20 (garage + annexe)
✦ basement 25+90
✦ terrace: 45m2 (could eaisly add another 45m2 room with high roof terrace); no view of fort
✦ potential to change the 15m2 roof over a ground extension to 20m2 over the basement as a south facing terrace with solarium below
✦ could probably get parcel 52 included as otherwise no street access without enlarging a window, would then have double the terrace at 90m2

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villa: 260m2
✦ (parcels 51+52 with 2 floors and garage)
✦ attic with 3 south gables: 40m2
✦ 1st: 60m2
✦ ground: 60m2
✦ basement: 100m2+
✦ plus terraces
✦ (owner may still live here)

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6 windows across east, 1 couple small ones to south but only having sun on top floor and some light on 3rd floor, limited on 2nd; north and west windows into enclosed back of neighbouring hotel (except ground and 1st)
✦ this roof terrace has part view of fort and the penthouse rooms would make excellent conservatory
✦ 1st, 2nd and 4th floors have long narrow balconies