Our return journey...

Thanks so much for joining me on a stroll to la Poste yesterday! I loved your comments. Let's assume we shared a meal at the pizzeria next to la Poste, shall we? That would have been lovely... So, heading back, we pass this shabby but apparantly still very active 'University of the Third Age'. I showed a shot of these two bastide roads last year but I can't resist showing you again how the checkerboard pattern still works, centuries after the town was planned.

It's lovely, walking or cycling round the grid of roads. Driving, not so good...

Through the Halle (click here if you want to know what it's like on a market day!) we can see our next destination - the archway under the poor soldier from the First World War.

This is the Rue du Fort, although there's no fort there now, just the town hall. The language below is Occitane. Quite a lot of people still speak it as a second language, and there is a bilingual class at the primary school.Under the archway, and here are the sirens that wail out every first Wednesday at noon, as a test. They would be used as a warning of bad weather or other danger - ever since a chemical factory exploded in Toulouse we have been well-prepared for possible risks.The Rue du Fort has some very elegant houses, looking out over a market square and the church and war memorial.Past the church, and here is the old municipal toilet, next to the new one! Kind of cute, wasn't it?

A sharp left and we're now looking at the back of the old school, which is now used for Son 1's gym class, a library etc.Down some steps for a reminder of the bad period of municipal architecture. This is the big hall where events are held - it looks like they're doing some tidying up.The Little Prince is everywhere in France.There's a little park past the hall, with some fun architecture.Raja's off!And getting tangled up...This bench/sculpture has been up for several years and must be quite well used, but doesn't get damaged. There is a bit of vandalism in the town, but not too much, and this seems to be respected.There are some fun details on it!Good use of natural and recycled materials...Interesting, isn't it?In the same park you can see the colombiere, or dove cotte. They're an important part of local tradition.And here is the little pond where we sometimes watch for frogs.Putting Raja back onto her short lead, let's head back up the hill, past this cute little shed. I don't know, maybe you just think it's scruffy, but I love the combination of old brick and field pebbles that gets used around here.This is advertising the next big event at the hall I showed you.The banner is just outside the boys' collège - for pupils aged 11 to 15. They're both in there at the moment!But who is this, outside? A very charming elephant who doesn't forget, constructed out of old school books and school bags......by a worker at the youth club opposite. Can you see the totem pole that he also made with some collège students?An older sculpture nearby.Here's the supermarket - we're nearly home! It's only two minute's walk now, but that walk will take us from the busy road into an almost countryside feel. We're very lucky.Check the post box - hurray, Son 1's next Percy Jackson book has arrived from Amazon. He is going to be very happy.Into the garden, where molehills and cycle tracks on the path seem to sum up our lifestyle!And as you may have noticed, we've only just got back in time! I'll dash and get the washing in...... would you prefer tea of coffee?