26-Jul-2001 -- I remember that when I discovered the Degree Confluence Project, I promised myself to submit a confluence, one day. So when I bought a small GPS about one year later, its first challenge was rather obvious. Unfortunately, all confluences in Belgium had already been visited, so I had to find one abroad. That's when I realized there was one unexplored confluence in Bretagne, France, where I was going this summer. It was quite a detour from my actual destination - nearly 200 km more to the West (actually France's westernmost confluence) - but I didn't mind. Before going, I bought a 1:25000 map of the surroundings (in the rural community of Ergué-Gabéric, close to the city of Quimper) to prepare my trip. It showed a small road nearby, but the confluence seemed to be located on a steep, bushy hill near a river. I assumed it would be easy to approach the confluence, although the last hundred meters might prove difficult. Probably no chasms, quicksands or deadly animals like those guarding some of the most exotic confluences, just hard terrain, but I'm no Indiana Jones - rather a credit-card adventurer ;-)

photo 1: The panorama looking north-east from the confluence.
photo 2: First attempt to find a path to get closer to the confluence; this one turns away from it (see direction and distance to the confluence).
photo 3: The confluence appears to be located just beyond that lovely garden, property of Pascal Kergourlay according to the mailbox. Unfortunately, no one's there, and I don't feel like trespassing, so I have to find another way.
photo 4: The river runs below. I don't want to disturb the two white horses, so I take another way to the east, in swampy grassland.
photo 5: I find the small river, but there are no real shores, and I don't have waterproof shoes. Anyway, there's barbed wire across the river, so really this is not inviting.
photo 6: Following the road to the west, I find a meadow behind a breached fence that looks to me like an invitation to come in. I'm really close now but I quickly realize I won't be able to reach the exact spot.
photo 7: The confluence is beyond the trees.
photo 8: A wall of brambles and a small but steep slope prevent me from getting any closer than 61 m. Well, I try anyway but OUCH that hurts :-(
photo 9: The traditional GPS picture.

At least, according to my eTrex, I'm well within 100 m of the confluence, so I can consider the visit successful. By the way, if you are in the vicinity, make sure to visit Kerdévot's chapel at 48.0063°N by 3.9809°W - a much more interesting sight :-) I take another couple of pictures, and go back to my overheated car for the return journey. I still have a long drive ahead to the mythical forest of Brocéliande, land of knights and fairies, but that's another story...

Geoffrey.