Société des Mineurs
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Environment ✧ woods, heaths and scrub, rocky rivery valleys; hikes on door; coast 1h

Services ✧ minimart, bar, resto; tiny weekly market, villages with supermarkets and more 30mins bike

Access ✧ station 20mins drive: +5h15 Paris / 3h30 Barcelona

Area ✧ VISITED 23/3/21; really a satellite, however has enough capacity to also be dynamic and good for longer stays; without public coworking though some exceptions may be made; larger events could be held using the 2 village halls (200m2) with additional accommodation capacity possible using the village's own gite d'etape (18 beds, €15/day)
✦ does not have a garden, but is surrounded by nature and would have a large terrace, plus the lounge would have large windows as a (morning) solarium during winter the village has some tennis courts, a large (rundown) square possibly providing an opportunity for collective gardening; the nearest bakery is 10mins drive so no fresh croissants in the morning without a trip out, however there's bread collection at the shop and is an opportunity to do baking in house
✦ the building is unimpressively boring but could be spruced up and made colourful; there's already a mural on a tiny mining museum
✦ hikes and biking from doorstep are varied from short strolls to longer reaching the highest point around at 1000m (650m ascent; 2h on foot) and across to gorges returning partly via greenway
✦ the area is a mix of rugged valleys with fair variety and interesting features, though less appealing in winter due to some loss of treecover; at such times outings of 30–60mins bring more into reach, plus towns
✦ decent swimming spots 15mins bike; ~25mins drive to gorges/mountains/river (good kayaking and swimming); 40mins lac de salagou which has very good variety
✦ twice daily bus to and from next village plus the town 30mins; the only notable thing about the small local town (20mins drive) is that it has a wine-tapas bar plus the regular train/bus to the big town of Beziers; it is however growing and has been attempting to reinvigorate itself; also 20mins is a village with an impressive riverside chateau restaurant
✦ 45mins drive to Beziers/Clermont or 35mins smaller but interesting Lodeve/Pezenas

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3 main common spaces: coworking across several rooms (16 seats), one large and quiet with wall-facing desks; big lounge catching some morning winter sun (40m2); dining room (with sofas as breakout area)
✦ supplementary areas: big kitchen terrace catching sun until late afternoon (55m2; yoga space for 6 plus lead); basement covered terrace next to stream (35m2 plus sauna and hottub/splashpool) catching a little sun, adjoining cinema-snug; small quiet library with a couple of armchairs on top floor catching evening sun (suitable for calls)
✦ accommodations would comprise 4 ensuite (10m2 +3m2) with desks, 2 small double (7m2), 1 private loft pod (with skylight), 6 dorm pods (30m2 with east and west windows and high roof); loft pod is larger with private access and under the roof so may not be suitable all year; the library would easily be converted to an additional small double
✦ indicative capital requirement €230k with month-share costs: €1600/pod, €2200 room, €3200 ensuite (obviously the cost has increased due to small scale, no way around that!); expenses remain around €200 which includes 2 volunteers
✦ budget includes a minivan and some decent mountain bikes; the latter would need a vote but is much cheaper than renting with more freedom and doesn't really affect the share cost
✦ the new terrace and lounge require existing sheds to be demolished, then the new constructed, not however difficult as there's a ramp for access
✦ basement has a very low height and in order to be used would require excavation of a small 40cm trench to stand, however this is acceptable for simple use as a cinema–snug; the stream frontage would require only a small wall to prevent flooding (it's very near the watershed so doesn't rise high)
✦ basement could have an 8m retractable glass roof and 8m long glass frontage thus being a glass house in winter albeit only catching sun in the morning
✦ terrace is well served by morning sun all year, keeping it until after lunch in winter, with just a corner until evening in summer; both the top floor pod room and library would also get afternoon and evening sun through their (small) windows
✦ the basement cinema-snug would have divans along each side (having light only from a glass door) also suitable for roudier gatherings (karaoke), and otherwise as a quiet hideaway
✦ the snug is not strictly necessary as the lounge functions perfectly well for movies though noise from it would filter through to the coworking
✦ the stream is really a culvert contained by walls on either side, and thus unappealling anytime it has little water (most of the year), as a result some creative framing would be required and some strategic placement of timber framed steps and reeds, held in place with a bit concrete would do the trick; yet in winter with the stream gushing, a hottub and sauna at the same level would be very cool
✦ the top dorm floor has 3 individual shower rooms, a generous bathroom, and WCs; additional WCs would be in the basement for easy access from coworking and lounge
✦ the entrance will be wide and into a newly closed off passage, 3m tall at its opening and 4m at its end where it descends to the basement, off this would be a simple glass door into the stairs and coworking
✦ the building is in predominantly good condition, but would require notable work for the lounge and terrace
✦ for immediate usability a door needs bricking up with a new window, some minor partitions removed to commence bathrooms and kitchen, plus connections to the main waste; existing rooms are otherwise adequate during ongoing works
✦ taxe fonciere €1370
✦ fibre early 2022; optical VDSL2 close; excellent mobile coverage