The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
Print this page

- thursday 9 july 2015 -
Along the Garonne

previous trip      next trip
track-20150709.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version

Summary: five days of exploring bordermarkers around Bossòst, together with Jan-Willem. Main targets: the unfindable bordermarkers 359, 364 and bm408III & IV.

Today: from Pont du Roi once again doing the bm409 submarkers. Also: a search for cross D of the "Terrain indivis de Bidaubus".

Weather: sunny & hot
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page

The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points.

Started at 9.30, finish at 12.45

According to visugpx

- distance : 6,1 km
- cum. elevation gain : 81m
- cum. elevation loss : 97m
- total elevation: 178m

- altitude maxi : 620m
- altitude mini : 576m
- altitude average : 593m

At Pont du Roi: bm410 with in front the damaged bm409-7fr.

About the damaged one: see this blog-post


What surprises me: since my last visit on 20140905, the large letters have been repainted and the small ones cleaned.

And this is not the only act of maintenance: all (sub)markers 409-410 have been cleaned and cleared since my last visits in 2014.
Close-up
This is an old picture of the same marker when it was still a milestone. See this page.

In the "Journal de la restauration de l'abornement de la Haute Garonne" by Jean Sermet (1957) we can read that the joint border-commission promoted this triangular milestone to the official bm410 by engraving the number 410.  They couldn't find the original quadrangular bm410.
And that original and disappeared bm410 can be seen on an old postcard, provided by Charles Darrieu.


The other side of bm410
Close-up
Close-up
Then the unnumbered bordermarkers on the new bridge over the Garonne.

The marker in front was meant to hold a flagpost (I think)
But this is the real one showing the borderline on a plaque.

This marker was repaired in 2012: see this blog-post
On the other side of the bridge a second plaque.
Bm409-7es, as seen from the bridge.
Close-up.

This bm can't be reached from the bridge but
only from the trail at the Spanish side of the Garonne.

It's a short walk along the road into Spain to get on that trail which then goes N along the river.

At this point - looking N - where a cairn is made, you can descend to bm409-7fr. We will do that on the way back.
Same spot with same cairn, now looking S.
Along the trail: bm409-6es
Bm409-6es
Then a view to the other side of the river where we can spot
bm409-6fr which was underwater last year at 20140527
Bm409-6fr, zoom-in
Bm409-5es, off the trail near the river.
Bm409-5es
Bm409-4es, along the trail
Bm409-4es
Bm409-3es, along the trail
Bm409-3es
Bm409-2es, off the trail near the water
Bm409-2es
Bm409-1es, down below the bridge over the borderstream "ruisseau du terme".
Bm409-1es
Bm409-1es
Bm410 with the bridge over the borderstream
Bm410
Bm410 with at its foot a concrete and mysterious round stone. See this page.
Bm409-1es as seen from the bridge.
We return along the trail. This picture: the wall along the trail with
- zoomin - the breach in the wall where you can descend to bm409-2fr
Then- a bit further - we climb the rocky hill along the trail.

This is probably the spot of cross D of the undivided terrain of Bidaubus. For more information about  this "terrain indivis" and its crosses: see this page.

But we can't find any trace of a cross.
Back on the trail. Further on: rafters on the Garonne.
Now, I do descend to bm409-7es
Bm409-7es, getting closer
Bm409-7es
And back at the road, looking S.

Jan-Willem stands and shows where the trail starts.
Then along the French riverside  to re-do the six submarkers along the river (nr. 7 is located near bm410, see above).

First bm409-6fr, seen from the road, which was underwater last year at 20140527
Bm409-6fr
Bm409-6fr
Bm409-5fr, just before a parking spot
Bm409-5fr
From the mentioned parking spot, one can reach bm409-4fr, taking a small footpath into the bush.
Bm409-4fr
Bm409-4fr
Jan-Willem shows where the footpath starts towards bm409-4fr
Further on: bm409-3fr which was covered by mud last year. 
Bm409-3fr
Bm409-3fr with the P20-pole which makes finding this marker more easy
At the side-rail, there are indications painted where the submarkers are.

Here we see: "P20"  and "3"
Further on: bm409-2fr
Bm409-2fr
Bm409-1fr was difficult to spot from the road last year. Now it has been cleared from the undergrowth.
Bm409-1fr
Bm409-1fr
We repaint the indications on the siderail.
And then we finish our holiday with a well deserved paella-lunch in Les.

From the terrace this view towards the mountain village of Canejan and the borderridge with bm411-414. The blue dotted line shows the tough variant of the GRPdesBF-stage 410-417

Next day, we will pay a visit to Charles Darrieu and then return home, driving in one go to Holland.
previous trip      next trip