8 Grand Rue
property details
for a Hub House co-operative coliving project

Area ✧ rather isolated area but quite impressive and amazing in good weather (Apr–Oct) thus would effectively have a long down season, resulting in 2 winter rates, and 1 for the rest of the year (peak summer has too many tourists and becomes quite hot, so is actually not quite as desireable as shoulder)
✦ the less than ideal winter climate would be offset by a larger conservatory, sauna, and big fires
✦ very few overcast days, but almost no completely clear days, except summer
✦ regardless this might be worth considering as the property itself could be nice, nontheless my feeling is that the Averyon offers better value despite the loss of nature, else of course the Cevennes still lead in all respects

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the village has a river running through with an old bridge spanning the low banks all accessible just a stone's throw away, which with a bit of collaboration could be prettied up, e.g. adding some benches, picnic tables, even decking
✦ a new municpial hall has just been renovated apparently housing an epicerie, butcher, and potentially a restaurant
✦ the larger village/tiny town of St-Pons is very close and has two supermarkets, restos and a cafe
✦ there's 6 daily busses, for those unwilling to bike there's a morning and evening bus with returns an hour later for independent shopping trips
✦ various cafes, organic shops and restos in surrounding villages though quiet in winter(!)
✦ this area has lots of excellent cherry trees

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access is actually possible from 3 directions:
✦ south from Beziers provides connections for Barcelona (~2h30 with short train change; or direct bus), Paris (~5h15, but last 11:45), and its own tiny airport amongst others such as Carcassonne, Perpignan
  ✧ with 5min pickup, 1h10 bus, at 4:30,5:30,6:30pm
  ✧ to door changing via Bedarieux 2h20 busses, at 3:40pm
  ✧ to door changing via Lamalou 2h busses, at 5:20pm
✦ with pickup (or 30min wait for another bus) west from Toulouse, 2h30 (train then 45min bus)
✦ to door east from Montpellier, 3h20 (40min tram and 2h30 bus), bad for connections but plausible with morning flights to its airport or Marseille, or morning trains from Paris

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nearest towns (Mazamet, Bedarieux) are pretty small and boring and barely worth the 45min drive/bus so this location has to really be considered self-contained and outdoor focussed
✦ from the larger village, busses go to both Castres and Beziers which are nice but at just over 1h driving/bus would be rare trips, also Narbonne
✦ the coast is 1h10 so is plausible as a very day out
✦ tennis a stone's throw, and 10mins bike on the greenway
✦ horse riding 20mins drive

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multiple hikes possible from the door, including 6h up the path of 1,000 steps and back, but possible to rduce with a dropoff
✦ the 76km Passa Païs greenway runs past the village and is an easy and very pleasant route for both strolls, or exploring a couple of pretty villages, plus one can go along the valley by bus exceptional spots for wildswimming and amazing hikes, around craggy massifs, streams, waterfalls, and lakes, plus river kayaking 25mins drive
✦ there's two lakes at 30mins in the hills and 40mins in the plains both with sailing/sup
✦ adventurous mountain biking with hard and significant climbs to start and easy returns

property detail ↗︎

Property ✧ almost immediate drop from 59k
✦ the south/left building not included here, but potentially could be (albeit expensive as originally advertised as both buildings for 285k a couple of years back), that one has 150m2 per floor for +600m, with a south facing facade for all day sun
✦ both buildings appear to share an entrance with probably large stairwell between their main walls, which is actually (oddly) equally divided between the parcels down the middle so there's probably a messy obligation of some sort
✦ both buildings have 5 windows per floor along their east roadside facades, one of which is a garage door at the roadside
✦ this the north building has the attic of the stairwell
✦ there's a rear extension behind the stairwell, of about 15m2 on 2 floors, also divided but which may be exclusive to this building
✦ the main footprint is 105m2 per floor to which we add the extra spaces for 500m2
✦ 15m2 conservatory but mainly in shade thus would have to be extended
✦ few north windows (quiet/non-road side), maybe only 4, thus would need some new ones over the garden

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all in very good condition roof included, 200m2+ immediately usable and easy refit for remainder, tomette and parquet floors, even some nicely finished beams and functioning windows, plus some working bathrooms and elec
✦ obviously very old and needs replanning

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as the front is roadside, and this can get busy in July–Aug the lower windows would require double glazing asap; the garage opening might need triple glazing if retained for workspace, but could equally be turned back into a window
✦ looses sun early afternoon

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might include, or might be possible to acquire parcel 349 behind the north neighbour, and 348 on their other side, with 130m2 of sheds (some asbestos roofed) openning onto an alley, plus a streetfront 2-floor barn of 90m2, which would increase the garden to 450m2

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tax probably currently €1500, could end up more like €3500
✦ traffic is not terrible, annual average being 1000 vehicles per day but most in summer and most at peak hours thus probably max 1 per minute during these times