#6: [25-Apr-23]

#5: [29-Dec-21]

#4: [04-Oct-20]

#2: [02-Jan-10]

#1: [02-Oct-01]

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 45^th 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.