#10: [22-May-22]

#8: [22-Dec-14]

#7: [25-Feb-12]

#6: [29-Aug-10]

#5: [04-Jun-10]

#3: [11-Apr-09]

#2: [02-Jan-05]

#4: [28-Aug-01]

#1: [12-Aug-00]

18-Aug-2018 -- This is the last out of 5 reports reaching confluence points in France along the 49^th latitude during my 3-day bicycle trip. The story starts at 49°N 1°W and continues from 49°N 3°E.

In the early morning I started cycling from the town Château-Thierry (55 km to the west of this confluence). On this sunny Sunday morning I enjoyed the empty roads along the river Marne with beautiful views on the vineyards. I cycled through the town Épernay (8 km from the confluence) and then headed directly to this confluence point, which I call “Total Champagne”. Even though the confluence point is in a forest, the view into the vineyards from 80 m distance is fantastic.

The approach through the vineyards ascending straight up to the confluence point is probably the quickest. I circled a bit around the castle La Grifaine at the forest edge and approached the confluence coming from the forest. I parked my bicycle 68 m from the confluence point in the forest and walked to the confluence.

The confluence is located in dense and relatively dark beech forest with hardly any ground vegetation. Just 80 m from the confluence the landscape of vineyards begins.

After the confluence visit I had a great French-style lunch in Épernay. In the afternoon I cycled through the beautiful Champagne landscape to the city of Rouen where I caught a TGV to Strasbourg, Basel and Zürich, arriving home at 10 PM.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance of bicycle parking: 68 m
• Time to walk to the CP: 5 min
• Time at the CP: 10:49 AM
• Measured height: 209 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy: 5 m
• Topography: hilly
• Vegetation: beech jungle
• Weather: sunny, 28° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Total Champagne Confluence

The story finishes here.