Pheasant Island sits between the borders of France and Spain in the Bidasoa River (Picture: Getty Images) ‘There are no pheasants on Pheasant Island,’ complained the French author Victor Hugo in 1843. Calm down, Mr Hugo. The lack of game birds is the least interesting thing about the place. Less than 200 metres long and 40 metres wide, this tiny stretch of land on the Bidasoa River between France and Spain can brag about something unique: it changes nationality every six months. Let’s backtrack a bit. Pheasant Island is uninhabited, briefly home to migratory birds and wild animals, and lush with greenery. Sunshine is permanent, thanks to the year-long subtropical climate. The only structure is a 19th-century monolith that shares both Spanish and French inscriptions, a symbol of peace between the two nations. But there’s more to this geopolitical anomaly than meets the eye. From February 1 to July 31, it’s under Spanish rule. Then, from August 1 to January 31, it belongs to France. The island is uninhabited, and tours are limited (Picture: Shutterstock/EQRoy) Despite the curious concept, few people have heard of the island. Or, what it stands for. Back in 1659, it served as the signing location for the Treaty of the Pyrenees. This was a significant peace treaty between Louis XIV of France and Philip IV of Spain, as it ended the 30-year Franco-Spanish War. Remember the tomb-like monolith from earlier? It was erected centuries later to commemorate this very meeting. In simple terms, it gave each nation the chance to govern the humanless island. Sharing is caring, after all. @james_stew The island shared by 2 countries😳🇫🇷🇪🇸 #pheasantisland #island #history #historytok #historytime ♬ original sound – James Stewart The occasion was so momentous that a year later, French King Louis XIV married the daughter of King Philip IV, Maria Theresa of Spain, in the exact spot where the treaty was signed. Wooden bridges were erected so royal entourages could pass through in barges and carriages, and paintings were commissioned to immortalise the event. These days, general access to Pheasant Island is prohibited. The only time you might be able to set foot on this metaphor for neutrality is during the swap. Twice a year (on February 1 and August 1), French and Spanish authorities conduct a formal handover of the island. With suitable pomp and ceremony, both perform military dress parades around the monolith before peacefully switching governance. Bizarre, and fascinating. Don’t be fooled by the name – there are no pheasants on Pheasant Island (Picture: Metro) Local town councils use this as an opportunity to organise heritage tours. For a limited time, tourists can set foot on the island and step back in time. Pheasant Island aside, you’d be a fool not to explore the surrounding areas of this unique part of the world. For one, it’s technically located in the famous Basque Country. The autonomous community in northern Spain straddles France is known as much for its lively festivals and celebrations as it is for its diverse landscape of mountainous terrain and rugged coastlines. It’s also close to the Camino de Santiago, a network of ancient, spiritual pilgrimage routes in Spain. Getting there British Airways flies direct from London City Airport to San Sebastian, which is about a 10-minute drive to Pheasant Island. Alternatively, you could fly to Bilbao or Biarritz from a variety of UK airports. Other bizarre borders around the world Baarle-Nassau & Baarle-Hertog: Baarle-Nassau & Baarle-Hertog is probably the weirdest place you’ve never heard of. Because in a quiet corner in the south of the Netherlands, you can find Belgium. Close to the Belgium border is the Dutch municipality of Baarle-Nassau, which is also home to many enclaves known as Baarle-Hertog. The latter is a Belgian municipality, consisting of 24 pieces of scattered land, the majority of which are located inside of the Netherlands. Some buildings are half in one country, half in another – meaning restaurants can move tables between countries to benefit from better opening hours or tax rates. The geographical location of these enclaves makes the two areas the most complex border town in the world. There are also sections of Baarle-Nassau (the Netherlands) enclosed by parts of Baarle-Hertog (Belgium), which are then enclosed in larger areas of the Dutch municipality. The border is so unconventional that many residents’ houses are situated in both territories, meaning you and your partner could be sharing a bed but sleeping in different countries. Big and Little Diomede: How do you fancy yourself as a real-life time traveller? If you head to the remote islands of Big and Little Diomede, you’ll find that it’s possible because one is 21 hours behind the other. Despite there being just 2.4 miles distance between the islands, their unique location in the Bering Strait means that they sit on either side of the International Date Line – an imaginary line that runs between the South and North Poles, serving as the boundary between one day and another. Because they’re so close but are separated by different time zones, it’s led to them being dubbed as the Yesterday and Tomorrow Islands. Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg: Have you ever considered flying into three countries at once? Sounds impossible, right? Wrong. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is not only a mouthful to say, but the only place on Earth with exits in two countries. Located at the meeting point of the borders of France, Switzerland, and Germany, EuroAirport serves three cities – Basel (Switzerland), Mulhouse (France), and Freiburg (Germany) – and is considered the ‘gateway to the trinational region’. Here’s where it gets more confusing: Despite the airport being located on French soil, it is managed by France and Switzerland and has a governing board that includes members from Germany.