-
Light and reflector rules for cyclists in France: what is mandatory?
There are laws on the type, position, and colours of lights and reflectors
-
Anger as another area of France decides to return to 90 km/h on many roads
The measure is ‘anti-environmental’ and would worsen road safety, a campaign group says
-
MAP: How likely are you to pass your French driving test by department?
Your location could make more of a difference than you think
Message in a bottle's 9 years to reach France from US
American university student's 'mind blown' after he receives response to letter he threw into sea as a 10 year old
An American who threw a message in a bottle into the sea nine years ago and has just received a response - from France.
Max Vredenburgh was 10 when wrote a message on a piece of paper, put it into a glass bottle and threw it into the sea at Long Beach in Rockport, Massachusetts.
The letter was sent in 2010 and included his home address, in case anyone found it. He has finally received a reply.
Now 19 and a university student, Mr Vredenburgh drew attention to the response when he posted a picture of his original letter and the reply on his Twitter page. He captioned the photo with: “On August 21, 2010, I threw a message in a bottle into the ocean from a beach in Rockport, MA. On October 10, 2019 that letter was found on the beach in France. I am mind blown. 9 years.”
The bottle had washed up on a beach between Contis and Mimizan, in the Landes department on the west coast of France.
The man who found the letter, “G Dubois” wrote back five days after he had found it on October 15 and included maps to demonstrate exactly where the bottle had washed up. In his reply he said: “It will have taken nine years to cover the 6,000kms that separates us. You had grown a lot during that time: 10 to 19 years old.”
In the original letter Mr Vredenburgh had mainly written details about what he liked at the time. It said: “Hello whoever is reading this letter, my name is Max, please write back. I like apples, I like the beach, my favourite colors blue, I like animals, I like cars and I like outer space. Please write back.”
When asked if there had been any updates to the story, Mr Vredenburgh said: “Not yet but going to write back and see! Due to popular demand I will be keeping you all posted!”
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France