The borders around the island of Fasianos are the only ones in the world that are affected by time. They move twice a year, thus changing the island's nationality. For six months it is Spanish and for the other six it is French. This is something that does not happen anywhere else on the planet. It is a symbol of peace between two powers that have repeatedly clashed throughout history.
As he explains in a video BBC Reel, This situation has been going on for more than 350 years. In 1659, for three months, the Spanish and French negotiated the end of their long war on the island, as it was considered neutral territory. Wooden bridges were extended from both sides. The armies were ready as negotiations began, but they never received orders to attack.
A peace agreement was signed – the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Territory was exchanged and borders were demarcated. The agreement was sealed with a royal marriage, as the French king Louis XIV married the daughter of the Spanish king Philip IV.
Another detail was that the island itself was to be shared between the two countries, with control alternating. For six months of the year, from February 1 to July 31, it is under Spanish sovereignty—and for the next six months, it is French. This type of shared sovereignty is called joint sovereignty, and Fasianos Island is one of the oldest examples of it.
The naval commander in the Spanish city of San Sebastian and his French counterpart in Bayonne act as governors or regents of the island. In reality, they have much more important matters to attend to, so it is up to the mayors of the region to take care of the island in turn. Once a year, they send a small team by boat to the island to mow the grass, cut the tree branches, and that's it.
The river is tidal—sometimes you can reach the island on foot from Spain—so, in addition to cutting the grass, the Spanish police chase away illegal campers.
It is a tiny island – just over 200 meters long and 40 meters wide. Very occasionally, the public is invited to visit it on cultural heritage open days. However, it has remained hidden from the eyes of «indiscreet» tourists.
