Délices de Saint-Béat

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

area ✧ a very good value proposition having really good nature, and a lovely building if with adequate efforts; definately needs a communal van and maybe also a runabout/2CV

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fairly easy and good as a standalone somewhat prominant building, but not promotable for first year as road bypass under construction thus on very busy road until then, however this provides time to finish fitout
✦ would be in competition with Pyren-escape a couple of valleys across (1h drive), however the Hub House model means there'd be few rooms for rental (mainly fractional members) thus not an issue; their rates are €1200/mo for a room, whereas this would be lower due to member model

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there's several through woods to reach the top of the escarpment; good serious multi-day hiking as there's lots of refuges, and the coast-to-coast GR10 route passes; some climbing spots, kayaking and horse riding very close; a few minutes drive and there's a small resort for airboard, nordic ski, snowshoe walks, mountain biking, mountain scooter, etc, it has however not recently had enough snowfall to remain open, a moderately ?adventurous smaller peaks surrounding reach 1200">higher resort is 20mins, whilst access to the main peaks are 40mins drive in Spain
✦ climate has good stable number of sunny days all year but obviously colder with no vegetation in winter, although only one month would have any significant risk of snow given the low altitude; the house is at the bottom of a south exposed escarpment, so should benefit; given that winter is quite dreary despite good sun, seasons would be 4–months peak (Jun–Sep) with only a 20% reduction of time, 4-months off (Dec–Mar) with a 40% increase of time, and 4 months standard
✦ with a glass fronted area and hot days in winter still reaching 18° it would remain fairly pleasant but would favour work-focus rather than outdoor focus unless for ski with a car
✦ biking really is quite limited and involves too many steep climbs, however there's a mild 20km circuit around the valley with only 500m for beginners, and some gradual climbs of 1500m over 20km; yet taking the train down to the next village (~15mins bike+train) gives lots of trails around the foothills, similar for going up to the main ski station with gondola
✦ the hill station right next door (15mins drive) offers a shuttle from 15mins bike away and the ski lifts occasionally run for bikes too

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there is a small ugly marble quarry at the extrance to the valley and village (which styles itself as a 'town of marble'), but it is hidden behind the escarpment from the village itself
✦ the village has some nice buildings and is fairly presentable but currently has only a minimarket, a bar/wine shop and an occasionally open moroccan restaurant (not bad for diversity at least!); there's two good restaurants in 30mins walk, and a few others plus an auberge up at the little mountain station, plus … in Spain, all 15mins drive, with the Spanish border village also served by bus for some variety
✦ the agent and her partner runs one of the hostel/hotels up at the hillstation
✦ a bike repair shop, ski rental and creperie van have just opened but only occasional
✦ the location is a bit isolated due to not being directly on the railway, and having a bus line that doesn't go anywhere notable, thus most outings are likely to be driving
✦ 4 busses to town for access (7,8,10,2) and back (1,3,5,6:30) though only M–F and a bit slow at 45–55mins; the town is not at all interesting for outings
✦ there's only one other moderate town within reach, Luchon is a ski station and quite well provided for with lots of restaurants; Montrejeau is a large village at 30mins drive
✦ the local station is 15mins bike (easy on a nice back lane, or excessive 45mins walk), and 10mins scooter so it would be necessary to have some making at least getting out easier; both small towns will be 15–20 mins on the local hydrogen train; there will probably be a daily through train to Toulouse which would improve accessibility
✦ the small city of Tarbes with airport is 1h drive (longer with transit) and is suitable for occasional days out
✦ whilst not likely, the ski station has 40+140 bed capacity (a hotel, a holiday centre, plus others) often unused, organising larger events would be possible

property detail ↗︎

property ✧ price down multiple times, last 80k
✦ there is good reason for the low property cost:
✦ the village had a major flood in 2013 with many shops and facilities such as camping destroyed; it is on the upper Garonne river and the geography has a very narrow passage through escarpments which the village is built at the base of; with high flow it backs up, flooding will certainly continue as with warming the mountain snow and ice melts too quickly; the property basement survived with no noticable effects (flood level wass bit below the road [photo], meaning the lower basement gets half submerged (to the bottom of its raised windows), whilst the upper basement gets max a few inches, which would be easy to seal from as there's only the one front opening), whilst the next floor is raised significantly above (~1.5m) and thus no risk
✦ the building is somewhat prominent in the centre of teh village

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very tatty empty since the floor and roof leaking, needs a full stripping and refit however some rooms would not be hard, but the top floor would be as dormers dubious

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422m2 parcel
✦ 120m2 per floor on 4 floors; actually has an attic as well with a south window
✦ mainly faces east-west with 5 windows each on the 1st and 2nd
✦ 3rd with dormers prob smaller
✦ roof slates not great some falling off dormers and there's at least one significant leak possibly 2; prob not major to patch up with leading/copper but a dormer support may be affected and require reconstruction, which would need scafolding from the front thus not really worth the cost and effort
✦ 45m2 flat roof barn
✦ 60m2 annexe with metal roof, could be raised to 2 floors
✦ 30m2 seperate house may be included and backs onto courtyard
✦ 100m2 south facing courtyard