8 Hugo

property details · for a Hub House 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).

✦ is 70m2 from a sawmill, but the garden is behind two rows of buildings, however this may eliminate the property if noisy so would need checking on a workday; p[roperties higher up and around the corner not likely an issue
✦ most activities would not be around the village itself but requring trips out, thus on-property facilities must be good; 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 ✧ easier than 355 but smaller and without coast/city
✦ roof good and facades in pretty good condition so no exterior work needed
✦ almost usable on at least one floor
✦ 280m2 garden with good south exposure, would be easy to add an extension e.g. dining room, and of course orangerie, but also a pool
✦ ~130m2 per floor *3
✦ +attic with very small floor windows but adequate for rooms
✦ plus ground extension 35m2 under 1st terrace and 2nd balcony
✦ plus cellar (likely low and not full footprint so not counted but has vents)
✦ stairwell (centre, street side) is quite significant 25m2 per floor
✦ only 3 windows across front (north-east) and back (south-west) but 2 on end (north-west)