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the Degree Confluence Project
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France : Nouvelle-Aquitaine

3.2 km (2.0 miles) SW of Saint-Mathurin-Léobazel, Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Approx. altitude: 567 m (1860 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 45°S 178°W

Accuracy: 3 m (9 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: View to the North #3: View to the East #4: View to the South #5: View to the West #6: GPS reading #7: Ground Zero

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  45°N 2°E (visit #3)  

#1: The Confluence from 20 m distance

(visited by Rainer Mautz)

29-Nov-2014 -- This is the first out of 2 reports reaching confluence points in Central France.

Cycling and confluencing is my favourite combination of travel. To make it to a (to me new) confluence point and back to Zurich within a weekend, I usually get into area by train and start cycling from a train station. Slow trains do take bicycles, but they are – you won’t believe it – slow. High speed trains usually don’t allow bicycles on board. But if the bicycle is packed in a so-called TranZBag, it is considered as normal luggage and can therefore be taken along.

Friday after work at 5:30 PM I took the TGV Lyria from Zurich to Paris arriving there at 22 PM. I had to change the train station from Paris-Gare de Lyon to Paris-Austerlitz to catch the night train to Souillac. After my arrival in Souillac at 4:30 AM, I began directly cycling towards this confluence point. It was still dark, but unusually warm (ca. 17° C). It took me 5 hours to cycle to the confluence point via Martel, Puybrun, and Bretenoux. The last village before reaching the Confluence was Camps-Saint-Mathurin-Léobazel in 2 km distance.

The confluence point is located on a meadow with open access. A little asphalted road comes as close as 80 m to the Confluence. This meant walking two minutes over swampy grass. There are some pine trees on the field and a fence is within 10 m. As so often, the ground is covered with cow pats.

Honestly: The 45th latitude is my favourite latitude line due to its specialty: it is exactly half way between the equator and the pole (precisely speaking it is not half the distance, but half the ellipsoidal angle). Since this line resembles the ‘average’ from a climate point of view, it represents the Earth more than any other latitude.

After the documentation I cycled further to the East – hitting the Massif Central.

CP Visit Details:

  • Distance to the road: 80 m
  • Distance of bicycle parking: 80 m
  • Time to reach the CP from the road: 2 min
  • Time at the CP: 9:20 AM
  • Measured height: 569 m
  • Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
  • Position accuracy: 3 m
  • Topography: hilly
  • Vegetation: grass, pine trees
  • Weather: cloudy, 17° C (felt temperature)
  • Given Name: The Average Cow Pad Confluence

The story continues at 45°N 3°E.


 All pictures
#1: The Confluence from 20 m distance
#2: View to the North
#3: View to the East
#4: View to the South
#5: View to the West
#6: GPS reading
#7: Ground Zero
ALL: All pictures on one page