#6: [12-Feb-23]

#5: [23-Dec-17]

#4: [24-Jul-14]

#2: [01-May-07]

#1: [03-Sep-01]

21-Nov-2010 -- Elionora had booked a weekend for the both of us. The unique fact about this was that I didn’t know where we were going until we landed in Nantes. It was not easy to avoid notifying me of our destination (only possible with eye-blinding and ear-plugging). But at our arrival in Nantes the pilot suddenly announced our destination when I was unprepared – so the secret was disclosed.

After spending the first day in Nantes, we decided to hike along the coast for the second day. On a November Sunday, public transport was scarce, but helpful local people gave us a ride to the village Bouin (3 km from the confluence). From Bouin we started hiking along the little roads towards the coast.

One of these little roads came as close as 150 m to the confluence. But due to the rain and the general moisture of the marshland, this last leg turned out to be somewhat difficult. The marshland is criss-crossed with deep water channels. Like a little maze, this puzzle turned out to have a solution as well, so I was able to successfully carry out the confluence dance.

However, while doing so, I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings – until a man with a rifle accompanied with his child and his dog suddenly stood next to me. This wasn’t the first time that I was confronted with weapons at a confluence point. Some of my previous reports do tell not so pleasant stories (e.g. in Guatemala, Yemen, Ethiopia and Jordan). This time, it turned out to be friendly and harmless. I was able to successfully explain (in my basic French) that I was only hunting confluences and that I was running only in order to return as early as possible to Elionora (who was waiting for me beyond the swampy area).

The confluence is located 2 km from the Atlantic coast on a flat, swampy pasture. The next farm is 250 m away and the next lagoon only 10 m. At this time of the year, there is not much other vegetation than grass.

After our confluence visit, we hiked along the coast all around the Baie de Bourgneuf. In La Bernerie-en-Retz we took a train back to Nantes and flew back to Zurich in the late evening.

PS: There is a great fish-restaurant 3.7 km from the confluence at 47°01'45"N 1°58'32"W.

CP visit details:

• Beeline distance from Bouin: 3.0 km
• Walking time to the CP: 50 minutes
• Time at the CP: 11:15 am
• Measured height: 2 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 3 m
• Minimal distance to the CP: 0 m
• Vegetation: low grass
• Distance to a road: 145 m
• Distance to houses: 250 m
• Topography: flat.
• Weather: cloudy, light rain, 7° C (felt temperature)
• Description of the CP: In Western France, in the region Pays de la Loire, Department Loire-Atlantique. Just 2 km from the coast on marshland.
• Given Name: The Marshland Confluence