A bit cooler today. On the road early to tackle the 4 big hills between here and Mende.

View from the first hill, on the way to St Laurent d'Olt

Today's scenery: lush and green and steep. 

I wonder where these 2 huge rocks are headed.

At Montjézieu, after 2 of those hills, I found a bakery and very obliging Bar/Tabac for a large pot of Earl Grey. A leek quiche today, to ring the changes.

The last section wasn't very pleasant, simply on account of the weight of traffic to and around Mende. Wikipedia tells me that it has a population of 12,000, but it feels like a much bigger place on account of the big busy roads and the through traffic. It's the administrative capital of Lozère, France's least populous département

There's an impressive cathedral and historic centre, but it's a bit of a shock to the system. 

I thought I was going to be leaving the Lot, but in fact it's still with me tonight in Mende, and the source is not far.

Mende sits in a steep basin, and after lunging down into the city from hill number 4, l rapidly located a glacier for a revitalising sorbet before proceeding to my campsite. Up out the other side of the basin along a busy main road, past a light industrial park and then a sawmill, with a huge lorry load of sawdust out front, adding to the choking effect of the hot breeze. To Camping de Sirvens. Fermé. 

When the farmer suggested I try Camping Le Tivoli instead, I felt strangely certain of my intuition as I finished his sentence for him: "it's on the other side of town". 

Tonight's apéro: a châtaigne kir. Followed by a beer from the familiar Jonte brewery of Lozère. I've made it to the Cévennes, I think?