Textile Museum, Lavelanet

I had to drop a planning application into the Mairie at Aigues-Vives, so whilst we were in the area Susie and I visited the Musée des Textiles in nearby Lavelanet. Once a major industry in the town employing over 3500 people, it is now all gone.

Interesting to see a variety of machine looms including jacquard looms and many machines for carding, spinning, warping and finishing fabric.

Part of the museum also explains another now lost local industry that made bone combs....now of course replaced by plastic!

Inside the jacquard loom

Jacquard loom

Machine loom

Various carding machines turning fleece not a thing continuous rolag ready to be spun.

Etang de Peyregrand

A magnificent autumn walk to the Etang de Peyregrand from Bouychet (above the village of Siguer).

The pictures tell you everything! 940m of ascent and about 15km.  We had thought of doing a bigger circuit returning via the Etangs de Neych, but we were all a bit tired so decided to return the same way.

 

Etang de Réglisse

Good weather was forecast but it was grey and raining until we arrived at Gerac then in the space of 20 minutes everything changed and we were blessed with a glorious day. 

It was a day for photos, so we abandoned our initial goal of Pic de Turguilla and took things easy allowing time for artist shots and a leisurely lunch at the Etang de Réglisse.

On the way to Gerac about 200 sheep and their shepherd caused us to halt and get some great shots as the clouds started to lift.

Cabanatous circuit

An old favourite. To mix things up we went in the reverse direction, starting with the Port de Saliex. The usual lunch on the summit of Pic de Cabanatous before trying a new variant by descending the ridge falling from Pic des Fouzes. Steep with a few rocky outcrops it was interesting but not really worthwhile to repeat.

Afterwards Sheri had reserved places at the Spa in Aulus les Bains for us, which none of us had ever visited. Like the ridge it was interesting but not worth a second visit.

Etand d'Alate

Etangs de Bassies

Pic de Fouzes

and the ridge below