Ruffine
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Environment ✧ rolling hills, partly agricultural at base of mountains; path from door

Services ✧ all

Access ✧ station 30mins drive (40mins bus), +1h15 Toulouse, 6h15 Paris €35 or overnight

Notes ✧ a good choice of small towns with regular busses to both Foix (tiny; 40mins) and Pamiers (large; 1h, last 8pm) for stations; the latter via the lovely Mirepoix (30mins); plus Limoux is 45mins drive and Carcasonne for occasional day trips 1h;

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path behind house climbs to a lookout with a circuit for a 25min stroll via the centre, or 2h along the ridge and back
✦ good paths climbing 300m, long greenway for Mirepoix, plus Montsegur castle bikable in 45mins; several marked mtb routes from door
✦ tennis 20mins walk on lane
✦ horse riding a few mins
✦ lake 30mins bike, but likely increasingly empty though there is a plan to redirect some of the town's river water; also a more reliable small lake 25mins drive
✦ ~30mins drive to SUP/kayak/rafting; 45mins via ferrata
✦ small ski station just 30mins drive with peaks of 2000m and a ski lift open for hikers and bikers in summer; larger peaks 45mins drive and bigger ski station with lifts 50mins

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this small town is not terribly interesting nor lively, had a textiles industry past and is attempting to transform itself and investing in new public spaces pres, video)
✦ also rehabiliating old spaces such as the market hall, whilst introducing some private investments with a new hotel, plus multigenerational housing with restaurant

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supermarket 10mins walk, organic 20mins walk
✦ twice weekly outdoor market
✦ limited restos in town, Thai, Russian, and a brasserie; but more around

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the area does get a smattering of snow, but is also reasonably sunny, however it is now affected by droughts with the small river to the east no longer being capable of filling the local resevoir which is also integral to tourism; whilst the local one has a much smaller watershed it has significant peaks and seems to be keeping some waterflow

Property ✧ UPDATE: 5/12/23 had booked to visit but it sold the day before having been on the market for just days (not too surprising)
✦ on a quiet lane a stone's throw from the centre
✦ a bit of a tip as had squatters atop unifinshed DIY work, but not as bad as #269; there's been some somewhat unfinished extensions but roof is good and building is solid being moderately recent (1920s), thus whilst it requires complete fit out (including all surfaces and infra) this would be doable without notable issue
✦ would immediately need some new windows and doors as at least one is missing (streetfront) and several don't seal, but the rest would pass for interim
✦ could probably do with a couple of new lintels for side windows and the ground has no light at the rear however it should be possible to open up the ground stairs which would eventually also open into an orangerie
✦ there appears to only be one limited toilet/bathroom, thus this would need to be resolved to become semi-usable during initial works
✦ 600m2 (after extensions) of south facing garden, most quite steep but would offer an excellent quiet view to the mountains, and could easily be developed into pleasant terraced features including a firepit
✦ ground floor 110m2, 1st and attic (fully usable) of 80m2; about 270m2 as is
✦ 30m2 ground extension at front with flat roof, as a 1st floor terrace it would be oddly positioned so this would be better built up giving the attic a terrace, possibly partly sunroom
✦ the neighbour has a rear annexe wall onto which an orangerie of up to 50m2 could be built
✦ probably wouldn't be unreasonable to add some little chalet studio units
✦ 1st floor would be rooms and bathrooms, attic has great height and would be split between library-lounge (with opem-plan quiet workspace) at front onto new terrace, and pods at rear also having a small terrace
✦ ground floor would be lively kitchen-dining-lounge plus seperated workspace though not likely big enough to function as hub despite having excellent street front (this might however be extended a further 20m2); as not well lit main dining would probably be up the steps in the garden/orangery at 1st floor level