diff --git a/doc/api/matplotlib_configuration_api.rst b/doc/api/matplotlib_configuration_api.rst
index e497d80b7c12..a09ef171c9a0 100644
--- a/doc/api/matplotlib_configuration_api.rst
+++ b/doc/api/matplotlib_configuration_api.rst
@@ -41,9 +41,16 @@ Default values and styling
 
 .. autofunction:: rc_params_from_file
 
+.. autofunction:: get_configdir
+
 .. autofunction:: matplotlib_fname
 
 Logging
 =======
 
 .. autofunction:: set_loglevel
+
+Miscellaneous
+=============
+
+.. autofunction:: get_cachedir
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst
index 3676a75692cc..cae555887193 100644
--- a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst
@@ -131,3 +131,7 @@ This method is deprecated.  Use
 ``SymmetricalScale.SymmetricalTransform`` and
 ``SymmetricalScale.InvertedSymmetricalTransform`` are deprecated.  Directly
 access the transform classes from the :mod:`.scale` module.
+
+``TexManager.cachedir``
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+Use `matplotlib.get_cachedir()` instead.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
index cf625110be14..96b04d9c2d82 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -488,19 +488,18 @@ def _get_config_or_cache_dir(xdg_base):
 @_logged_cached('CONFIGDIR=%s')
 def get_configdir():
     """
-    Return the string representing the configuration directory.
+    Return the string path of the the configuration directory.
 
     The directory is chosen as follows:
 
     1. If the MPLCONFIGDIR environment variable is supplied, choose that.
-    2a. On Linux, follow the XDG specification and look first in
-        `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`, if defined, or `$HOME/.config`.
-    2b. On other platforms, choose `$HOME/.matplotlib`.
+    2. On Linux, follow the XDG specification and look first in
+       ``$XDG_CONFIG_HOME``, if defined, or ``$HOME/.config``.  On other
+       platforms, choose ``$HOME/.matplotlib``.
     3. If the chosen directory exists and is writable, use that as the
        configuration directory.
-    4. If possible, create a temporary directory, and use it as the
-       configuration directory.
-    5. A writable directory could not be found or created; return None.
+    4. Else, create a temporary directory, and use it as the configuration
+       directory.
     """
     return _get_config_or_cache_dir(_get_xdg_config_dir())
 
@@ -508,10 +507,10 @@ def get_configdir():
 @_logged_cached('CACHEDIR=%s')
 def get_cachedir():
     """
-    Return the location of the cache directory.
+    Return the string path of the cache directory.
 
     The procedure used to find the directory is the same as for
-    _get_config_dir, except using `$XDG_CACHE_HOME`/`~/.cache` instead.
+    _get_config_dir, except using ``$XDG_CACHE_HOME``/``$HOME/.cache`` instead.
     """
     return _get_config_or_cache_dir(_get_xdg_cache_dir())
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
index bdbb38d711d9..59996fe6edfe 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/texmanager.py
@@ -53,16 +53,8 @@ class TexManager:
     Repeated calls to this constructor always return the same instance.
     """
 
-    cachedir = mpl.get_cachedir()
-    if cachedir is not None:
-        texcache = os.path.join(cachedir, 'tex.cache')
-        Path(texcache).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    else:
-        # Should only happen in a restricted environment (such as Google App
-        # Engine). Deal with this gracefully by not creating a cache directory.
-        texcache = None
-
     # Caches.
+    texcache = os.path.join(mpl.get_cachedir(), 'tex.cache')
     rgba_arrayd = {}
     grey_arrayd = {}
 
@@ -99,6 +91,11 @@ class TexManager:
         ('text.latex.preamble', 'text.latex.unicode', 'text.latex.preview',
          'font.family') + tuple('font.' + n for n in font_families))
 
+    @cbook.deprecated("3.3", alternative="matplotlib.get_cachedir()")
+    @property
+    def cachedir(self):
+        return mpl.get_cachedir()
+
     @functools.lru_cache()  # Always return the same instance.
     def __new__(cls):
         self = object.__new__(cls)
@@ -106,16 +103,10 @@ def __new__(cls):
         return self
 
     def _reinit(self):
-        if self.texcache is None:
-            raise RuntimeError('Cannot create TexManager, as there is no '
-                               'cache directory available')
-
         Path(self.texcache).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         ff = rcParams['font.family']
         if len(ff) == 1 and ff[0].lower() in self.font_families:
             self.font_family = ff[0].lower()
-        elif isinstance(ff, str) and ff.lower() in self.font_families:
-            self.font_family = ff.lower()
         else:
             _log.info('font.family must be one of (%s) when text.usetex is '
                       'True. serif will be used by default.',