#[1]alternate [2]alternate

#[1]alternate [2]alternate

[3]BBC Homepage
* [4]Skip to content
* [5]Accessibility Help

* [6]BBC Account
* [7]Home
* [8]News
* [9]Sport
* [10]Reel
* [11]Worklife
* [12]Travel
* [13]Future
* [14]Culture
* [15]MenuMore

[16]Search
* [17]Home
* [18]News
* [19]Sport
* [20]Reel
* [21]Worklife
* [22]Travel
* [23]Future
* [24]Culture
* [25]Music
* [26]TV
* [27]Weather
* [28]Sounds

(BUTTON) Close menu
[29]BBC News

[30]Menu
* [31]Home
* [32]Coronavirus
* [33]Video
* [34]World
* [35]US & Canada
* [36]UK
* [37]Business
* [38]Tech
* [39]Science
* [40]Stories
* [41]Entertainment & Arts

[42]More
* [43]Health
* [44]In Pictures
* [45]Reality Check
* [46]World News TV
* [47]Newsbeat
* [48]Long Reads

* [49]World
* [50]Africa
* [51]Asia
* [52]Australia
* [53]Europe
* [54]Latin America
* [55]Middle East

Belgian farmer accidentally moves French border

Published
6 hours ago

(BUTTON) Share
(BUTTON) close
Share page
(BUTTON) Copy link
[56]About sharing
The border stone engraved with the date 1819 image copyrightDavid
Lavaux
image captionThe border was marked out by stone markers which have
remained in place

A farmer in Belgium has caused a stir after inadvertently redrawing the
country's border with France.

A local history enthusiast was walking in the forest when he noticed
the stone marking the boundary between the two countries had moved
2.29m (7.5ft).

The Belgian farmer, apparently annoyed by the stone in his tractor's
path, had moved it inside French territory.

Instead of causing international uproar, the incident has been met with
smiles on both sides of the border.

"He made Belgium bigger and France smaller, it's not a good idea,"
David Lavaux, mayor of the Belgian village of Erquelinnes, told French
TV channel TF1. That sort of move caused a headache between private
landowners, he pointed out, let alone neighbouring states.

The border between France and what is now Belgium stretches 620km (390
miles). It was formally established under the Treaty of Kortrijk,
signed in 1820 after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo five years earlier.
The stone dates back to 1819, when the border was first marked out.

"I was happy, my town was bigger," the Belgian mayor added with a
laugh. "But the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc didn't agree."
Aerial view of a tractor in Belgium image copyrightGetty Images
image captionThe farmer will now be asked to move the stone back to its
original position (file pic)

"We should be able to avoid a new border war," the amused mayor of the
neighbouring French village, Aurélie Welonek, told La Voix du Nord.

Local Belgian authorities plan to contact the farmer to ask him to
return the stone to its original location. If that does not happen the
case could end up at the Belgian foreign ministry, which would have to
summon a Franco-Belgian border commission, dormant since 1930.

Mr Lavaux noted that the farmer could also face criminal charges if he
failed to comply.

"If he shows good will, he won't have a problem, we will settle this
issue amicably," he told Belgian news website Sudinfo.
line

More border stories:

[57]End to Gibraltar land border prompts joy and trepidation
media captionSixteen-year-old twins Ana Fernanda and Ana Luisa begin
their journey from Mexico in the early hours

Related Topics

* [58]France
* [59]Belgium

Top Stories

* [60]India opposition calls for full national lockdown
The prime minister is resisting a nationwide lockdown due to the
potential economic impact.

Published
57 minutes ago

* [61]Fears structural failure behind Mexico crash

Published
1 hour ago

* [62]Bill and Melinda Gates have 'agreed estate split'

Published
2 hours ago

Features

* [63]Anger rises as Covid rages in Modi's constituency
Cremations in Varanasi
* [64]Why 2021 is shaping up to be Dove Cameron's year
Dove Cameron
* [65]The Americans hesitant about the Covid vaccine. VideoThe
Americans hesitant about the Covid vaccine
For the US to achieve herd immunity it needs to convince two big
groups to get the jab.
*
* [66]Inside a microchip factory racing to meet demand. VideoInside a
microchip factory racing to meet demand
Katie Silver
* [67]The dangerous rise of India's 'Covid quack'
Mr Chowdhury wearing a t-shirt that says his diet can cure Covid-19
* [68]Is the Five Eyes alliance in trouble?
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media at a press
conference at Auckland Policy Office on 12 March 2021 in Auckland,
New Zealand.
* [69]The ancient board game which has Antiguans hooked
Close-up of a Warri board
* [70]Food giants respond to worries over packaging
Skittles wrapper
* [71]How rising sea levels are threatening my home. VideoHow rising
sea levels are threatening my home
Hereiti looks out over the South Pacific Ocean

Elsewhere on the BBC

* [72]Football phrases
15 sayings from around the world
football being kicked on a field - Vauxhall image blurred in the
background.

Most Read

* [73]Bill and Melinda Gates have 'agreed estate split'1
* [74]Belgian farmer accidentally moves French border2
* [75]Canadian sign war captivates the internet3
* [76]Cleaner's resignation note sparks flood of support4
* [77]Duchess of Sussex to publish children's book5
* [78]Fears structural failure behind Mexico crash6
* [79]Teenager kills young children in Brazil nursery7
* [80]Pfizer expects Covid vaccine demand for years8
* [81]Is the Five Eyes alliance in trouble?9
* [82]India opposition calls for full national lockdown10

BBC News Services

* [83]On your mobile
* [84]On smart speakers
* [85]Get news alerts
* [86]Contact BBC News

* [87]Home
* [88]News
* [89]Sport
* [90]Reel
* [91]Worklife
* [92]Travel
* [93]Future
* [94]Culture
* [95]Music
* [96]TV
* [97]Weather
* [98]Sounds

* [99]Terms of Use
* [100]About the BBC
* [101]Privacy Policy
* [102]Cookies
* [103]Accessibility Help
* [104]Parental Guidance
* [105]Contact the BBC
* [106]Get Personalised Newsletters
* [107]Why you can trust the BBC
* [108]Advertise with us
* [109]AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info

© 2021 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external
sites. [110]Read about our approach to external linking.

References

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56978344
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344
3. https://www.bbc.com/
4. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344#main-heading
5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/
6. https://account.bbc.com/account?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344
7. https://www.bbc.com/
8. https://www.bbc.com/news
9. https://www.bbc.com/sport
10. https://www.bbc.com/reel
11. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
12. https://www.bbc.com/travel
13. https://www.bbc.com/future
14. https://www.bbc.com/culture
15. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344#footer-navigation
16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/search
17. https://www.bbc.com/
18. https://www.bbc.com/news
19. https://www.bbc.com/sport
20. https://www.bbc.com/reel
21. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
22. https://www.bbc.com/travel
23. https://www.bbc.com/future
24. https://www.bbc.com/culture
25. https://www.bbc.com/culture/music
26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m
27. https://www.bbc.com/weather
28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
29. https://www.bbc.com/news
30. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344#product-navigation-menu
31. https://www.bbc.com/news
32. https://www.bbc.com/news/coronavirus
33. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/10462520
34. https://www.bbc.com/news/world
35. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/us_and_canada
36. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk
37. https://www.bbc.com/news/business
38. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology
39. https://www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment
40. https://www.bbc.com/news/stories
41. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment_and_arts
42. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344#product-navigation-more-menu
43. https://www.bbc.com/news/health
44. https://www.bbc.com/news/in_pictures
45. https://www.bbc.com/news/reality_check
46. https://www.bbc.com/news/world_radio_and_tv
47. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat
48. https://www.bbc.com/news/the_reporters
49. https://www.bbc.com/news/world
50. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/africa
51. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia
52. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/australia
53. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/europe
54. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/latin_america
55. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/middle_east
56. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/can-i-share-things-from-the-bbc
57. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55674148
58. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c302m85qenyt
59. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cz4pr2gdgrdt
60. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56976214
61. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56985164
62. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56984733
63. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56969283
64. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56943632
65. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56929695
66. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56943292
67. https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56845610
68. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-56970640
69. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56814500
70. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56770732
71. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56853156
72. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/51MWxHsTD7YhW4gTWWtPvKf/end-to-end-with-15-football-phrases-from-around-the-world?intc_type=promo&intc_location=news&intc_campaign=fifteenfootballphrases_article&intc_linkname=radio4_sm_mid_c3
73. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56984733
74. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56978344
75. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56972907
76. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56977650
77. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56978021
78. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56985164
79. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56983868
80. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56979406
81. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-56970640
82. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56976214
83. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628994
84. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-50068132
85. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628323
86. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/20039682
87. https://www.bbc.com/
88. https://www.bbc.com/news
89. https://www.bbc.com/sport
90. https://www.bbc.com/reel
91. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
92. https://www.bbc.com/travel
93. https://www.bbc.com/future
94. https://www.bbc.com/culture
95. https://www.bbc.com/culture/music
96. https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m
97. https://www.bbc.com/weather
98. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
99. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms
100. https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc
101. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/privacy
102. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/cookies
103. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility
104. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/guidance
105. https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact
106. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewsletter
107. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-41670342
108. https://www.bbcglobalnews.com/home/
109. https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/cookies/how-does-the-bbc-use-cookies-for-advertising/
110. https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidance/feeds-and-links