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

Environment ✧ steep wooded river valleys and agricultural

Services ✧ all

Access ✧ station 5mins walk; 1h45 Toulouse (last 7pm) +45mins airport, 6h Barcelona (2 changes), 7h Paris (last 2pm) or night trains

Area ✧ due to being partly protected, shops moving out, and the costs of bringing buildings up to standard, >35% are empty
✦ has some quiet riverfront paths with 1 big open park 10mins walk, a path going 20mins to the south, and a 25min loop, so some limited strolls are possible; 20mins bike to tennis (2 covered courts somewhere…)
✦ a couple of biking circuits start 10mins away and exetnd to Najac and St Matrin where it possible start or return by train, or skip the more difficult bits (lots of climbing)
✦ no hiking from door, however the train offers some variety with 4 stations (15–40mins) offering options both by bike and foot albeit with the shortest return being 3h45, giving opportunities for more relaxed hikes with lunch stop (returns at 2:30pm and 6pm, but more out)
✦ fairly calm kayaking is possible from the town, or at Najac (Apr-Oct) with SUP as well
✦ 30mins drive to a fairly technical via ferrata above river

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small but pretty town of Figeac at 35mins train is a good trip, with an 8pm bus back
✦ several great villages: medieval Caylus 30mins bus, St-Cirq on the lot gorges 45mins drive, as is Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val where there's good biking and hiking for occasional variation
✦ Cahors and Albi are also possible at 1h drive for more rare daytrips with diversions to break the journey
✦ Gaillac at 1h train is however more reasonable

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access is good from Toulouse airport, but labourious from anywhere else
✦ night train is either longer via Toulouse, or with a 6am short change

Property ✧ private sale; hasn't sold, the property to the right/east sold for 27k and is in better condition plus bigger
✦ fab location facing onto the old fountain square with steps down to it and a low wall to sit in the sun with a coffee; several of the shot fronts were converted to old-fashioned styles for a film shoot lending a very novel aspect; is one row down from the main colonnaded square
✦ the square has two cultural exchange organisms, the 'university of shared knowledge' which hosts workshops including language, plus a social centre so a drop-in coworkign would fit in well :) though is actually too small

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two interconnected buildings
✦ (the meterage of the ad probably includes the cellars)
✦ main north 65m2 *4 (attic has low wall windows but no apex); has a 15m2 tower roof likely a copious stairwell so subtracted, one roof section could be replaced with glass to bring light into the centre of the building which otherwise would be dark, easy from terrace
✦ south 35m2 *3 + 3rd 20m2 attic with 2 dormers; the rear of this and the roof terrace would likely be better converted to a conservatory, thus essentially gaining 15m2 usable during winter = 140
✦ the ground floor of the south building has a high ceiling and large arched entrance above the fountain that could be further opened for a lovely workspace
✦ 15m2 roof terrace with no views as such, likely opening into the stairwell and attic
✦ entire footprint has cellars, likely low but suitable for super-cosy cinema, a sauna, plenty of storage, and probably a music / podcasting / karaoke room or something thus giving up to 240m2 of common spaces (85m2 being cellars) versus 170m2 of accommodation

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ground:
  ✧ north kitchen/dining
  ✧ south workspace with 10 desks
✦ 1st:
  ✧ north 3 ensuites, generous utility/laundry at rear
  ✧ library-lounge with 3+ desks off stairwell; option of narrower lounge and additional ensuite
✦ 2nd:
  ✧ north 3 ensuites, shared bathrooms at rear
  ✧ south 2 premium ensuites, 3 additional desks off stairwell
✦ attic:
  ✧ north 6 pods
  ✧ south lounge/breakout/bbq/coffee and terrace/conservatory
✦ the north ensuites would be either 3.4 or 4.3 deep by 2.6 wide with a big window
✦ the south would be 6 deep by 2.2 wide

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probably very dilapidated inside, some roofs likely needs remedial work, mainly leading and a bit of guttering, the main building's roof has been relaid with modern tiles ~2019
✦ the works on this are probably not as excessive as the price may make it seem, (note the price of other properties) except for the fact the town probably requires new windows to be wood framed; the north facade needs stripping and repointing though this is easy volunteer work and could be done anytime; potentially partly usable though a rear shop window has been broken thus unsealed