Border Facts: The largest country in Western Europe. Its lengthy borders touch Germany and Belgium in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and the Pyrenees mountains and Spain in the south. It also borders the Mediterranean sea in the southeast, and the Alps, Switzerland and Italy in the east.

France- Belgium border created in 1713, is 620 km long and stretches from the North Sea coast near De Panne and Bray-Dunes. I visited this point as part of the BELEX18 expedition, more details of the visit can be found here. The eastern end is at the Belgium–France–Luxembourg BEFRLU. The border is characterised by a very dense network of urban settlements as well as by major river, road and rail networks. Divided towns, common language and facilitated by political frameworks at both national and local levels means cross border collaboration is well developed.

France – Brazil border France and Brazil share a 730 km land border in South America, making it France’s longest land border, located between the French overseas department of French Guiana (Guyane) and the Brazilian state of Amapá. The border runs through the Amazon rainforest, primarily defined by the Oyapock River. The only bridge that crosses the border is the Oyapock River Bridge, connecting the town of Saint-Georges in French Guiana with Oiapoque in Brazil. This unusual situation exists because French Guiana is an integral part of France, not a separate territory. The basis of this border dates back to the Peace Treaty of Utrecht signed between France and Portugal in 1713, which established the border between both the colonial holdings of both kingdoms in South America.

France – Luxembourg border is 73km long and characterised by a high degree of cross border cooperation with citizens of both countries working in the other. It begins in the west at the BEFRLU tripoint at the junction of the Belgian municipality of Aubange, the French commune of Mont-Saint-Martin and the Luxembourgish commune of Pétange. This point is located in the Chiers river. It then follows a general easterly direction to the DEFRLU Germany-France-Luxembourg tripoint, at the junction of the German municipality of Perl, the French commune of Apach and the Luxembourgish commune of Schengen. This point is located in the Moselle.

France – Germany Border is 451 km long and was initially established in 1648 (Treaty of Westphalia). The current demarcation stems from 1945. The border starts at the CHDEFR tripoint and ends at the DEFRLU tripoint. A significant portion of the border follows the river Rhine. Two areas have swapped between the countries: Alsace-Lorraine was French up to 1871  but was acquired by the German Empire in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War. The 1918 Treaty of Versailles saw the reverting of the sovereignty over Alsace-Lorraine back to France for it to annexed by Germany once more between 1941 and 1945 before it finally returned to France. The Saarland coal mines after World War I, were awarded to France, and Saarland was placed under the administration of the League of Nations for 15 years, it became part of Germany in 1935 following a plebiscite. Following WW2 the area was initially occupied by the French until 1947 when an autonomous area was set up. This was to be made permanent in 1954 following agreement between the 2 countries but was rejected following a plebiscite in 1954 leading to the area joining West Germany in 1957 as a federal state.

France – Switzerland Border is 573 km long and was established in 1815 with the Congress of Vienna. The border ends with 2 tripoints, in the north CHDEFR in the Rhine (with a monument nearby) and in the south ACHITFR on near Mont Dolent (3700m). The border is divided between rural and mountainous areas and urban conurbations around Basel and Geneva. 155000 French citizens commute to Switzerland to work each day.

Since Switzerland’s accession to the Schengen Area in 2008, there have been no permanent passport controls along this border, even if there can be customs controls.

There are two airports near the border which have both Swiss and French passport and customs control, where the passengers can choose one of them. These are the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg which is located in France, but passengers can go to Switzerland without going through French border controls, and the Geneva Airport which is located in Switzerland, but passengers can go to France without going through Swiss border controls.

France – Italy border is 515 km long established in 1860 by the Treaty of Turin. The line of the border between France and Italy has been modified more recently than that of any other French border: in 1860 with the incorporation of Savoy and the County of Nice into France, then in 1947 with the incorporation of the canton of Tende. This long border, extending from Mont-Blanc to Menton on the Mediterranean coast, is very difficult to cross due to its mountainous terrain. There are few valleys providing through routes across the border, and the transport of passengers and goods goes mainly through tunnels. Unlike the border with Switzerland there is limited cross border collaboration with limited linguistic penetration.

France – Monaco border. Monaco is a semi enclave and independent country on the Mediterranean coast. It is a Principality linked to the House of Grimaldi. It is small, 2 square Kilometres in area, with a land border of 5.7 km and a coastline of 3.83 km. Monaco has a population of 38000. It is nevertheless exceedingly wealthy. The state’s sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861, with Monaco becoming a full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco’s independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France. Monaco is not formally a part of the European Union (EU), but it participates in certain EU policies, including customs and border controls.

France – Spain border is 656 km long but interrupted for 63.7 km by Andorra. The border is marked by 602 (main) border markers.

Llívia did not become part of the French kingdom as the treaty stipulated that only villages were to be ceded to France, and Llívia was considered a city and not a village due to its status as the ancient capital of Cerdanya. My report on Llivia is here.

France – Andorra border extends for 63.7 km in southern France (Ariège and Pyrenees-Orientales départements) and northern and north-eastern Andorra. The border’s western extremity starts at the western Andorra–Spain–France tripoint ADESFRw, located at the summit of the Pic de Médécourbe. It then follows a general north-east direction before switching south-eastwards to the eastern Andorra–Spain–France tripoint ADESFRe.

French Registration Plates

French Tripoints

Number	Name	Countries	TYPE	Coordinates	LINKS
1	ADESFRe	Andorra – France – Spain (E)	Dry	42°30’09″N 01°43’28″E	The Portella Blanca d’Andorra or Coll d’Engaït (2515m) is a mountain pass where the boundaries of Andorra, Spain and France meet. It also forms the administrative boundary of Encamp , Lles de Cerdanya , and Porta. At the top of the pass there is border marker #427 which is taken to mark the tripoint. Both Andorra and Spain record the tripoint as being slightly further south at an unmarked col however. Berns (2004)
2	ADESFRw	Andorra – France – Spain	Dry	42°36’07″N 01°26’32″E	The tripoint is located at the summit of Pic de Médecourbe (2914m). From the Collada dels Estanys Forcat (2745 m) there is a short but steep and faint path up to the narrow top. Berns (2004)
3	BEFRLU	Belgium – France – Luxembourg	Wet	49°32’47″N 5°49’7″E	The wet tripoint is situated in industrial wasteland near Radange (LU), Athus (BE) and Mont-Saint Martin (FR). BE and LU border markers. No FR marker, The TP is at the confluence of the Bruehl creek into the Chiers river. Van der Giessen (2024) Wallis (2008)
4	CHDEFR	France – Germany – Switzerland	Wet	47°35’23″N 07°35’20″E	The Dreiländereck is located on the Rhine River, along the borders of Basel, Saint-Louis, and Weil-am-Rhein.  It is marked indirectly by an impressive tripoint monument designed in 1957 by Wilhelm Münger (150m to the SE).  The monument is a large iron pylon in the shape of a rocket with the flags of France, Germany and Switzerland on the tails. North of the tripoint there is a Three Countries Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. Opened in 2007 and is the world’s longest span pedestrian bridge at 229m. Van der Giessen (2024)
5	CHFRIT	France – Italy – Switzerland	Dry	45°55’21″N 07°02’39″E	This is the hardest European tripoint physically to reach. Mont Dolent is regarded as the tripoint. The tripoint is located at Pointes Supérieures de Pré de Bar (3658m), on the ridge that leads east (100m) to the summit of Mount Dolent (3749m). In 1954, a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected on Mont Dolent’s summit by the young people of Valais. A 2 day trek with an overnight in a mountain hut. Competency with glacier, ice and using ropes. A guide is recommended
6	DEFRLU	France – Germany – Luxembourg	Both	49°28’10″N 6°22’6″E	Like BEDELU the borders at this triline (not tripoint) are complicated because of the condominium arrangements regarding the shared ownership of the Moselle between Germany and Luxembourg. Above the triline the river is shared, hence like BEDELU there are 3 points of interest along the 114m triline, 1 at each end and one in the middle. Schengen is also of interest Krogh (2003) Van der Giessen (2024)

Tripoint Gallery

Please click on the images below to access the tripoint visit reports