As mentioned in my last post there was a Giacometti (not Magritte) exhibition at Les Abbatoirs in Toulouse that I hoped we would visit before it closed. And yes, the gallery is housed in the old slaughterhouse of Toulouse and is an interesting building with different levels around a lofty central area. The exhibition was due to finish on 21st January so speed was of the essence.

Despite the rain and subsequent depression that drives me onto the sofa with a good book at this time of year I was determined to find the energy to make the trip. As a motivation I scanned the long-range weather forecast for a gap in the ever present gloom and booked tickets for what I hoped would be a dryish day.

Himself was ok with another trip to Toulouse and said he would be fine with just a walking stick this time which was testament to the progress he has made since the last visit when he used two crutches. I took the wheel as I worry that his reactions are still a tad slow so steeled myself for some backseat driving.

The day I had chosen began very cold and frosty but promised to stay dry. Leaving home it was minus 1 but by the time we got up onto the causse it was dropped another degree. As we left Gramat we came up against both a route barree sign and a deviation. This swung us to the left and along the road past the Parc Animalier, second favourite visit for ‘petit fils’ after ‘Reptileland’. It wasn’t a road either of us knew and I was a bit anxious the deviation signs would disappear leaving us lost amongst the holm oaks and dry stone walls. But they didn’t and, although the GPS kept trying to persuade me otherwise, I followed them until they dropped us back on a road we recognised. In fact, we’ve since decided it is a more straightforward route to the motorway than our regular one. Also, it took us through a village, Reilhac, we didn’t know, with beautiful old stone buildings. Q: is there a boucle/circular walk nearby? A: there is.

This time there was no getting flummoxed by the Toulouse road layout and we arrived at the car park in good time although we then spent twenty minutes crawling down the levels in a queue, finally finding a place on 5b. I had to ignore the panicky voice of claustrophobia in my head!

Typically, the lift wasn’t working but Mr McGregor shot off up the stairs while I puffed behind him, vainly begging him to take it easy. Fat chance! Outside the sun was trying to break through and we took a detour through the halle just before it closed.

I was surprised by how many butchers, cheese sellers and fishmongers operated inside while greengrocers lined the outside walls. Clearly, it is well supported by the surrounding community.

No need to cancel the bistrot reservation I had made the day before as we had arrived early this time around and I was glad I had booked as the place was busy. Cheerful staff and two excellent steak and chips after an arrival beer blanche for him and a grand creme for me.

I would recommend le bistrot des Halles and the nearby Indigo carpark if you are driving and visiting this part of town. It had been very straightforward although I noticed I was the only driver crawling along at the new speed restriction of 30kph!

Now it is just a six minute walk to Les Abbatoirs and we arrived there well before the time on our tickets. However, it wasn’t a problem and we walked straight in after the obligatory bag search.

For Mr McGregor, his happy place is his garden but mine is an art gallery. As I love reading to discover the different authors’ perspectives on life and living so I am fascinated discovering how artists see familiar objects and landscapes. So, a lovely interlude that only came to an end when we began to realise how crowded it was becoming, especially by school children, milling about with obligatory clipboards. Time to leave we decided.

A last look at the cat, a particular favourite, before the stroll back to the car.

Stopping to snap some street art I spotted ‘my’ cat again!

Just before the car park in the place Roguet I noticed some Art Deco looking mosaic but on a modern building. Of course, I took a photo and googled later.

There were municipal showers built on this site, opening in 1931, designed by the municipal architect, Jean Monetariol and commissioned by the maire, Etienne Billieres, when many homes in the area didn’t have bathrooms. There were 24 shower cubicles available at 1.25 francs a time. The building eventually ceased operation in 1992 as home sanitation improved and it ultimately fell into disrepair. When the underground carpark and new council offices were built in its place the mosaic was reinstated on the facade as a reminder of its heritage. The original ironwork door, with its entwined T V for Toulouse ville, has been preserved too.

Leaving Toulouse on the autoroute I was pleased that there were no holdups as I had seen in the news ‘les agriculteurs’ had blocked it the day before. But I was wrong! As we approached the peage (toll booths) north of Montauban a message flashed up on the overhead information ….

Bum! We had just missed an exit so we’re obliged to idle in the queue to leave at the next one where police cars, tractors and burning tyres heralded yet another ‘blocage’.

We were grateful our afternoon in Toulouse had ended earlier than planned. Despite another traffic jam on the route nationale we were able to rejoin the autoroute south of Cahors and arrived home just before it got dark, with only the ‘deviation’ to negotiate, without any angry farmers to stop us again!