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The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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sunday 25 august
2024 - Searching for Bidaubus-cross C at a new location  previous
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Summary:
part of a series of 8 daytrips in august / september 2024. This is daytrip 1. Today: a trip from Pont du Roi, investigating a new supposed position of Bidaubus-cross C. Weather: overcast and sunny Basecamp: camping Espalias in Bossňst. |
 track-20240825.gpx
This gpx-track has not been manually corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. The original elevation recording has been replaced by more accurate DEM-data with Gpsvisualizer.com. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version): kml: esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml gpx: esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx (with reliable elevation data added by gpsvisualizer.com) |
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According to Garmin
Basecamp (uncorrected track with elevation added by Gpsvisualizer.com): Distance: 5,9 km Max-height: 931m Min-height: 578m Elevation: +500m -502m Total elevation: 1002m Start 10:13 Finish 14:44 Total time: 4:31 |
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I took 3 days to travel to the Pyrenees. On 22/8 I drove to Taizé, staying at a camping nearby (camping municipal La Clochette) for a day of attending a service in the Taizé monastery and relaxing and a trailrun in the hills. |
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On sat. 24/8 I drove in 700km to camping Espalias in Bossóst. The warden and his wife still know me. |
 | My starting point todat is Pont du Roi, famous bridge at the esfr-border. I have been here many times. (click photo to enlarge) |
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My main target today is to investigate a new supposed spot of Bidaubus-cross C. The so-callend Bidaubus-crosses (engraved in rocks with double branches and the capital letter A to D) mark the southern border of the 'Terrain Individis de Bidaubus'. It is a strip of land S of the esfr-border (here; the Ruisseau du Terme) which got a special status in the 1863-treaty. Though being Spanish territory, it could be used by both the inhabitants of Fos (France) and Bausen (Spain). |
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We (Corinne Gourgeonnet and me) have searched for the crosses B to D several times but couldn't find them. The treaty describes toponyms for their spots which lack at all maps we know. But with other indications, I could make a reasoned estimation of their places, years ago. But the strip should be more or less parallel to the Ruisseau du Terme. Cross C doesn't fit well in. It was Joël Molinier who found in 2024 a clue which led to a better possible spot of Cross C. |
 | But first a check on the bordermarkers at Pont du Roi. This is bm410. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm410, backside. NB: it its former life this was a milestone-marker. After the disappearance of the original bm410 (probably due to road construction), this milestone was upgraded to a bordermarker. (click photo to enlarge) |
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is bm409g-fr, one of the 14 submarkers which were installed around 1970
between bm409 and 410 to indicate the borderline in the middle of the
barrage lake. Beween bm409 and 410 the (middle of the) river Garonne was the borderline but after the construction of the barrage, that part of the rive broadened and the original borderline became unclear. See also this webpage. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Standing along the road, this marker has been subject to vandalism in the last 15 years. New plates were made in 2016. But now there is new damage, you can turn the upper stone. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | The 14 submarkers are evenly divided: no. 1 to 7 at the Spanish riverside and the twins no. 1 to 7 at the French side. At the top, we see the distance to the borderline. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409g-fr and bm410. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | There are 2 bridges at Pont du Roi: an old one and a new one. By crossing them, one enters Spain or France. This is the new bridge which has also bordermarkers. However without any alphanumerical indications fitting in the 1-602 number-sequence. Therefore they don't qualify for my list of esfr-bordermarkers. This picture: looking towards France. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | We see the bend in the borderline on the plate. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Sane spot but looking into Spain. To the left, you can see the old bridge. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | The river Garonne. looking N from the bridge. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Looking towards Spain but at the other side of the bridge. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Now looking into France. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bordermarker-plate. (click photo to enlarge) |
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is an interesting picture: for the first time I see how the new
bicycle-trail along the Garonne river connects to the main road. Last year, they still had to finish this part. In the circle: bm409g-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Connection bicycle trail with the road. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409g-es is now well visible, (click photo to enlarge) |
 | it used to be overgrown. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409g-es (click photo to enlarge) |
 | The new bicycle trail, for certain parts it's like this. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | And on other parts, it becomes a concrete path. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Further on: bm409f-es (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bb409f-es This is the only submarker which has become difficult to reach after the construction of the cycly trail. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409f-es (click photo to enlarge) |
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I have reached a point where I will leave the cycle trail to climb uphill. This was my preparation: avoiding steep parts. |
 | After climbing through some forest, I reach this open terrain. No paths of trails. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Looking back. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Sometimes there are remnants of paths. Sometimes trails of animals help. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Then I reach my goal: a rocky outcrop (click photo to enlarge) |
 | with many rocks (click photo to enlarge) |
 | where a Cross C might have been engraved. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | I search the area extensively, checking as much rocky surfaces as I can. But I don't find anything. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | A lunch break and then returning. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Back at the cycle trail. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409. The bridge crosses the Ruisseau du Terme which joins the Garonne a few meters to the right. At the other side of the bridge is France. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | From the French side, looking back. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Then a check of bm409a-es, the first of the 7 submarkers on the Spanish riverside. Their twin-markers are at the French riverside. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409a-es (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409a-es (click photo to enlarge) |
 | While walking back, I redo the other submarkers. This bm409b-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | This is bm409c-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | This is bm409d-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409d-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | This is bm409e-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | And again: bm409f-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Bm409f-es (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Almost back at the bridge. This is where the trail bends to the left on a metal construction towards the bridge. That is the part which has been constructed in the last year. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Back at bm410 and bm409f-fr. I have turned bm409f-fr towards (click photo to enlarge) |
 | its twin at the other side: bm409g-es. (click photo to enlarge) |
 | Zoom-in of bm409g-es. Back to camping Espalias. Next day I will drive to Tavascan where I will meet Carlos & Conchita Roca. (click photo to enlarge) |
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