#9: [25-May-22]

#8: [17-Aug-18]

#7: [01-Jan-15]

#6: [17-Aug-13]

#5: [17-Jun-10]

#3: [06-May-09]

#2: [04-May-02]

#1: [01-Sep-01]

05-Jun-2010 -- I came from the Confluence Point 49°N-00° and I simply followed my car navigation system. Through the entire journey it led me well to the Confluence Points and this time it was no exception.

I entered a small gravel road and I parked my car at the first barn of the farm La Rogerie. The farm is north of the point and I needed to overcome 460 metres to get the last point of my journey. But as I passed the farmstead two dogs caught me and barked loud. I turned around and saw the farmer with his family: his wife and two daughters. I walked to them and was greeted by the farmer. “This is private.” he said in French. I apologised and said with my rudimentary French that I did not know and I did not see any sign. I asked if I could walk further but he insisted that this is private. He was still wondering what I wanted to do here and so I said that I wanted to visit a point. “Ah, the point!” he said and understood.

I said that I lived on the 49th parallel and thus a visit is very special for me. He offered his daughters escort me to the point. I happily agreed and so we walked the short distance to the point. In the meantime I showed the French letter to the landowner to the girls and it improved their understanding. They asked me how it looks like where I am living, if there are also cows and meadows and I tried to explain with my very basic French that mainly crops is planted and especially plants for producing beer. I was not able to recall the word for hop (and now I also need to look in an English dictionary), but I hope I satisfied their curiosity.

The girls knew where to go and I quickly zeroed out my old GPS receiver. I relinquished to zero out the newer one with four decimal digits in order to keep this visit as brief as possible. Back at the farmer I thanked him many times and he knew for sure that he made a big favour to a stranger.

I left the farm. No new goal on my target. No 49er Confluence Points left in France.

I was close to the sea and my first idea was to visit the place where D-day took place 66 years ago. But I had a better option: inspired by an Argentinian group I wanted to see where the 49th parallel reaches the sea. So I drove to the west. At Bricqueville-sur-Mer I reached the ocean and drove a bit to the north but about 185 metres were missing to stand exactly on 49°N. I was on the southern part of a bay and thus I tried to approach the 49th parallel from the northern side.

This was better: The Pointe d'Agon is at the end of the northern part of the bay and has a light house and a parking lot. All I had to do was to walk during low tide on the mud of the seabed to the water. Finally at 001°35.17'W I reached the point where the 49th parallel reaches the ocean. I looked to the west and I was aware that the next land based Confluence Point is in Newfoundland. I would be really a nice idea to go there some day ...

Well, while I am writing this report I am on a business trip, sitting in a hotel room 16 kilometres off 42°N 088°W and I am evaluating if a visit to any of the North American 49er Confluence Points would be feasible …

Coordinator's Note: Please note that this point is on private property and the owner prefers that you ask for permission.