Castellas

property details · for a Hub House Patronship co-operative coliving project

Area ✧

Has at the door: a station, shops, villages, nice countryside, plus a multitude of varied attractions closeby. Passable winter climate. France is a well served country with good infrastructure; the disadvantage is that the village is uninteresting, at the end of the rail line with a change to reach the mainline (Nîmes) not reopening until 2028 (decent bus until).

✦ most activities would not be around the village itself, but either on-property, or in the nearby areas; popping out for a coffee or bite is no issue in the village, yet much more pleasant hopping on the train/bus to the next, thus the appeal of the local village should only really be influenced by the fact that is has all that's needed
✦ the immediate countryside is not lush and lacks much variation, plus has major fire risks with dry conditions (followed by intense downpours at certain times of year), however the wider area within easy reach offers very impressive variety…

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a quick train/bus/10min drive/30min bike to a much nicer village with several weekly markets (including organic), good cafes/retos, plus riding and easy kayak; and another village at 25mins thus 3 villages for nearby outings
✦ 5mins bike (20mins walk) is a guinguette/riverside cafe; whilst the river through the village is ugly, spots to splash are close both up and down river though unlikely adequate for an actual swim (requires driving)
✦ a stunning spot 30mins drive for hiking and splashing
✦ the Ardeche river with gorges and other locations down the Ceze are also 30mins, notably Les Vans, with good gorges and more kayaking/riding, plus great hikes, to 45mins for the famous Pont d'Arc and even more gorges
✦ other excursions would be an occasional daytrip at ~1h drive, for better mountain landscapes and some very nice small towns (Uzès, Andouze, Largentière), the Pont du Gard and the peak of Mont Lozere (nordic skiing)
✦ with a stopover for other sights to break the drive (from 1h30–2h), long days out bring Avignon, Ventoux, the beaches, Camargue etc into reach but these would be rare — coast is otherwise out of range, yet still possible as a two day trip staying over for those who really want it

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several hiking circuits are possible on the hills either side of the river starting 15mins along lanes and climbing 450m; the GR44B passes the door and leads to an impressive chateau (1h biking); the nearest moderate peak (1300m) is 30mins drive, however can reach a 1000m summit in 2h30 biking entirely offroad climbing gradually with downhill all the way back ;) similarly there's a 2h route to the small town with return by train or along the road
✦ tennis 15mins walk; gym 10mins bike but mediocore(?) and outside the village

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village promotes streetart
✦ minor wood pallet factory, and pile of humongous old factory buildings, some that have been repurposed into (basic) workshops and offices available for startups, with a bric-a-brac/repurposing space, and micro-brewery(!); a rather more distant space (20mins walk, 10 bike) houses a gym

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the main town of Alès is pretty decent thanks to ongoing improvements including a new market hall in progress, and will be 40mins by train (5-times daily 1€) or car, versus 1h bus currently (last 6pm)
✦ the lovely little city of Nimes will be 1h15 which makes it just about plausible for a daytrip (and often also just 1€)
✦ access is good; from the station Nimes airport (+30mins shuttle; Ryanair) with year round service to Stansted, Brussels, plus seasonal to Luton, Dublin, Porto and Morocco; some further options including Lisbon from Montpellier (+1h train and shuttle) with most choice from Marseille (+1h15 train and shuttle; major lowcost hub) covering Poland, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Morocco, …
✦ Barcelona at ~5h door to door is best by train from €40, similar for Paris

property detail ↗︎

Property ✧

Best opportunity to date offering a great balance of all needs and features albeit requiring effort. Also suitable for older age, though others better.

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originally listed at 180k (its purchase price in 2012), reduced to 93k after a failure to sell due to commercial mortgage and planning difficulties, yet as of Sept '25 had a price increase to 130k probably to avoid time wasters but lower would likely still be accepted

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would offer:
  ✧ 10 independent cohousing apartments (e.g. 1-bed 40m2, with 1st floor balcony-terrace and direct access)
  ✧ 14+ ensuite coliving rooms, plus pods
  ✧ all units available for outright ownership, fractional ownership for part-time use, or managed rental
  ✧ large front patio garden under plane trees with limited outlook
  ✧ smaller hillside garden above the house with unobstructed outlook over church
  ✧ kitchen garden and orangerie
  ✧ fountain, plunge pool, sauna, firepit
  ✧ auditorium/cinema room
  ✧ library workspace, and lively workspace
  ✧ indoor-outdoor kitchen and dining
  ✧ potentially a makerspace/workshop/music studio

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would work as a great mini-hub attracting some locals for dropins every now and then though not really worthwhile, a property in a more central village would be better as a hub such as #373 just down the line in St Ambroix; nonetheless this with its great capacity could run residency programmes and host a makerspace/workshop/fablab thus be very appealing for those spending time here themselves for any duration / regularity / as a base
✦ compare with #336 in the Aveyron, on the edge of a lovely medieval town, far better condition with lots of land and farm buildings so suitable for families, but less adventurous surroundings and cooler (greener) climate
✦ also the central Pyrenees for an even larger property, but not as interesting and varied, albeit more extreme (bigger peaks!)

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nicely situated at the upper edge of the village with nothing on the hillside above, the back of one neighbour reaching the same height at the far/east end, one neighbour lower at the front, and a middle school behind a wall at the near/west end, thus fairly independent yet having steps past the church directly into the village (bell will be somewhat loud, but hardly unusual)
✦ (see aerial plan photo which depicts the retaining walls and elevation differences with yellow dashed lines, and access points in blue)
✦ the east neighbour building sold in 2020 for just 23k is probably 480m2, but does not appear to have been renovated yet; could be partly hidden with creative landscaping and in any case is not within the outlook
✦ the quite large south neighbour buildings are something to do with the church, apparently barely used and likely acquireable

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outlook is north and south not east or west 1100m2 south facing patio garden with a dozen plane trees, the east half would be more like a courtyard as is partly blocked by the lower building, church and neighbour, the west half is open to the south over lower gardens whilst being obstructed to the west by the school wall
✦ 950m2 rear raised veg garden a quiet spot above the school and building with view across valley (2nd floor has walkways across for access, and steps from ground), backs directly up onto hill which is village land (6ha for sale 200k)
✦ would easily support an outdoor auditorium with firepit, orangerie, sauna and plunge pool (optionally a full pool), indoor auditorium/cinema, multiple workspaces and lounges, storage and possibly a music room/studio/workshop
✦ front faces south-south-west so has good winter sun exposure, whilst being slightly shaded by its trees during the summer, the ground floor by the terrace, and the 1st would probably gain a pergola, whilst the 2nd would retain its shutters
✦ access from three points: 1. steps down behind the church and leading onto the end of the main street; 2. steps on the lane entrance, directly below the middle school just past the gate, going down to the post office where vehicles would be parked (not on site!); 3. the lane itself goes some distance before doubling back onto the road

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building is at least 500m2 each on three floors, likely transformable as
✦ 1st floor: 10 cohousing apartments at ~40m2 each (2 windows across, full depth to back), with terrace access and a property cost from €15k (~€25k with common fitout, plus own unit); a library space having terrace access with 4 windows, likely at the centre off the stairs
✦ 2nd floor: 14 coliving rooms a generous ~20m2 ensuite (some could have juliet balconies) and property cost of just ~€1750 with fitout (~€20k dedicated); plus some pods 1:3/33% private–public ratio with a lounge having access to the back garden
✦ this allocation effectively eliminates most of the 1st floor as a capital cost

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200m2 of rear passageway
✦ the 1st floor has rear passageway access along the west half blocking light to the ground floor, but this could probably be removed
✦ as the ground floor only has rear windows on the east, it's use is limited, good for cinema/auditorium/workshop at west, whilst central kitchen, dining/casual workspace would be at the open east end thus better lit

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the shell is mainly clear and ready for refitting with only load bearing walls thus easy to fitout in sections delivering usability progressively, and comprising replacing windows and doors, floor coverings (in some cases), plumbing, and electricsplumbing could be internal but would involve piercing vaulted floors, or external
✦ roof appears in acceptable condition though at some point may need a revision
✦ the roof is ideal for solar, the cost of which would not be unduly significant if self-fit and could provide up to 100m2 with ease

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9m deep 59m long
✦ 24 windows/doors on each side along its length (for 72 in total on the front but less at the rear), many are partly functional and only bedrooms and primary living spaces would actually need priority replacement
✦ 100m2 garages could be partly converted to orangerie
✦ 20m2 cottage

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cohousing units would not be isolated but do essentially float above the lively basement spaces, and sometimes lively gatherings would take place in the 2nd floor lounge and back garden, nonetheless whilst cohousing residents could sit on their terrace and not have to interact with anyone except their own neighbours, owners would esssentially be expected to participaate thus having their own workspace would be uncessary unless for calls or specialised work
✦ cohousing would have some flexibility regarding size, having accesss from the 1st floor balcony-terrace, via steps/a ramp up to it, they would each (likely) have a door and window at the front (south) and two small at the rear (could be enlarged as desired) but looking into the large retaining wall into the hill; this would permit a spacious room at the rear (but bathroom would not have a window), else a narrower double room plus a 2nd single/bunk bedroom or bathroom with window, the living space would be fairly generous bearing in mind many common spaces, if anyone wanted just a studio, it would mean someone else could have 2 larger bedrooms at the rear; the co-op could do fitout on-plan

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whilst a small kitchen garden could be maintained, for those wishing to have more production it would be preferable for them to acquire a larger and thus more productive dedicated plot nearby which visitors could better participate in, though personally I think it better to have a partner programme with a local farmer

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whilst the size of a hub and would have a full spread of facilities, it would only operate as a minihub as the village is the last before the mountains and there'd be low demand for public access coworking, nontheless good opportunity for infrequent events, additionally as a significant capacity is allocated to cohousing
✦ taxes will push the monthly contributions up a bit, but can be mitigated and is still likely to be easily considered excellent value (€10–15k/year but could be reduced with part transferred to an association; ~€300/year for each cohousing unit)

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see advertisement for interior condition, which whilst bare (actually avoids work to strip and prepare) is structurally sound
✦ being sold by an association whom had planned it as a cohousing project that was unrealised due to a minor legal hurdle, this would be worked around as a more collective project
✦ their original plan included some nice details such as a climbing wall on one end of the building, but was overspecified in others, including a lift, partly for multigenerational accessibility but not required with units on the 1st floor accessed by ramp up (instead of steps)
✦ I visited a couple of years back and had a chat with the caretaker/cofounder having been interested to join the original project, but didn't get a tour as he wasn't terribly forthcoming having decided on an even less likely approach trying to get regional funding to develop the hillside above as ecohomes dug into the hillside having this as a community centre (cool idea, but too elaborate as the hillside above is quite expensive…)
✦ the price drop recognises that property developers would face significant costs (by normal means using French artisans) to bring up to standards and remove the building restrictions, then able to divide into seperate units (not possible until requirements met, thus a loan would have to cover all works, instead of part coming from sales)

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the property has been declared insalubrious with a prohibtion of habitation likely only due to a lack of effective plumbing (sewer connection of 25–30m must be made), unsealed doors and windows, and lack of heating; all of which can be rectified without undue effort (at least in part), however the specific details need confirming, nonetheless part use is unlikely to be an issue during works once the basics are in place; there is one exception being the balcony section along the front which might need replacing but could be done so simply
✦ the restriction are to prevent rental, and the entity that placed them (a health authority) don't actually enforce it but deeds for dedicated units can not be issued until lifted, so division into multiple units would have to be deferred under contract

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is a fairly significant project but risks are low, and can be reduced by transferring part of the effort and cost to dedicated units, thus the common/coliving areas could be fitout at a more reasonable scale, with works undertaken in phases