Up in the mountains, up in the woods

Here in France, l'Armistice Day, November 11th, is a National holiday. So, with a spare day to fill we headed north into the Montagne Noire to see what the place looked like close up. Our destination was Mazamet, but our plan was flawed. Being a holiday we hadn't realised that meant that everywhere would be shut - not even a cafe to get a drink from. So, after driving for an hour, walking around an empty town for twenty minutes (it was like driving around the UK on xmas day), we headed home. In the end, we couldn't really pass any verdict on what Mazamet is like, it was too closed.

Our return tooks us via a precarious outcrop, on top of which was perched a statue offering merci to the Virgin Mary. Yeah, I didn't quite get it, but the view was pretty cool.


Three pretty girls up very high


In the valley stretching out beyond the outcrop is Mazamet

At the end of the month Cassi and I finally got round to venturing up into our local woods. No idea how big it is but we walked for an hour without seeing anyone else. Well I say we walked, I did most of the walking, Cass did most of the sitting on shoulders.

Knowing that the hunt head up there sometimes, I was sort of hoping that we might have seen sanglier, but to no avail. Mind you that might have been a good thing - not sure I would have fancied a run in with an adult boar, although I did have a (nother) cunning plan - dress Cass in bright pink, and make sure I can run faster than her!

Two other major bonuses that week; Cassi did her first school lunch, although we suspect it was the mini-bus drive to the canteen that really appealed to her (and unfortunately as much as we would have loved a photo, but we haven't), and lastly, switched the TV on to discover we now have Channel 5. Bonus.


Decoy


Something about this photo sort of sums up France for me