La Montagne Noire

Not so noire at this time of year.

We'd earmarked today to go on an errand to Mazamet in the Tarn. Unfortunately, in total contrast to yesterday, the weather was overcast and damp. We ummed and ahed about changing the day, but the forecast is no better for the next few days so in the end we went anyway.

It would be a lovely drive through the forest in better weather, as the colours of the many varieties of deciduous trees were spectacular and the views must be too; unfortunately we were in thick cloud much of the time. The extra gives a faint impression of what it should have been like; the main is the view as we descended towards Mazamet. Go large to see the tiny church peeking out of the trees in the centre.

In Mazamet, our errand was quickly completed; we chose a lovely striped tablecloth in Les Toiles de la Montagne Noire, and also succumbed to a bread basket to go with it. Their stuff is not cheap, but the quality is lovely and it's made locally.

The shop is in an unlovely suburb on a major road with lorries rumbling along it. We crossed the road to an Italian restaurant opposite ... it turned out to be very efficiently soundproofed and was very popular with people working in nearby businesses; we got there about 12:15, and it filled up rapidly. The food wasn't amazing, but it was copious and good value.

Feeling absolutely bloated after sharing a salad and then having a main course each, we decided to go for a stroll round downtown Mazamet. It used to be quite an industrial centre, but is now extremely dull and run-down. It doesn't really have much to recommend it, especially on a wet Thursday afternoon in December.

So after coffee in the one open cafe we managed to find, we returned to the car and went home via Decathlon, where we bought kit for our various sporting activities. I'll just say my bum is not made for Lycra. I bought some soft yoga pants instead.