#12: [23-Feb-24]

#11: [22-Sep-23]

#10: [20-Nov-21]

#9: [22-Jul-18]

#8: [28-Oct-16]

#6: [29-Aug-11]

#5: [06-Feb-11]

#4: [02-Mar-06]

#3: [07-Jul-05]

#1: [08-Aug-01]

#2: [13-Jul-04] (incomplete)

30-Mar-2014 -- This is the last out of 3 reports reaching confluence points in southern France. The story continues from 44°N 2°E.

It was a long way cycling from 44°N 2°E to this confluence. The first night I spent in Albi. The next day I faced strong storms coming against me, slowing me down or even blowing me off from the road from time to time! This was particularly the case when crossing the Montagne Noire, the black forest of southern France. But I learned how to ride against the wind – I mean mentally. The trick is not to get angry of headwinds, accept them and enjoy them!

At the end of the day, I had reached the medieval village Lagrasse with its eponymous Abbey and its totally conserved medieval streets. The next day, I started early at 7 AM in order to cycle the last 50 km to the confluence point. Again I had strong headwinds. At around 10:30 AM, I reached the town Sigean, situated 4 km north-west of the confluence point.

The final approach for covering the last 3 km was interesting, because I had to leave the road network and enter a network of tracks that appeared on my mobile map. In reality, these tracks turned out to be extremely steep with rocky surface and therefore most of the time not rideable. The confluence point defines (with its elevation of 111 m) almost the highest peak in the area.

Right along the ridge, just 30 m from the confluence point extends a line of 15 turbines of the windfarm “Corbières-Maritimes”. The oldest generators date back to the years 1991 and 1993. Two of the towers are already broken and the age has wiped out the beauty of these towers. A couple years ago, I found it delightful to see windparks producing renewable energy at confluence points. Now I begin to be sceptical about windparks as so many confluence points are meanwhile located in or in the vicinity of windparks. In other words: these towers have a huge impact to our environment.

The confluence is covered with greyish boulders. Some flowers have successfully made their way through these rocks.

After my visit, I came through the holiday town Port-la-Nouvelle which is more or less a ghost town at this time of the year. I cycled further along the coastal bicycle path to Narbonne. When I reached Beziers, I packed my bicycle in the tranzbag and went back home to Zurich by train.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 2 km
• Distance of bicycle parking: 30 m
• Time to reach the CP from the road: 30 min
• Time at the CP: 11:00 AM
• Measured height: 111 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy: 3 m
• Topography: hilly, on a mountain top
• Vegetation: flowers and bushes between rocks
• Weather: cloudy, 17° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Spicy Windpark Confluence

The story ends here.