La Caseta de Biot Hace más de 200 años, un metro no medía lo que mide ahora. En 1790 Francia se propuso estandarizar el sistema métrico decimal para convertirlo en universal. Para ello necesitaba realizar mediciones sobre la línea imaginaria del Meridiano 0º. Y para conseguirlo debían lanzar triangulaciones desde Dunkerque hacia el sur, es decir, que no fuese una medida únicamente francesa. Y siguieron hasta España, en concreto Catalunya, la Comunidad Valenciana y las Islas Baleares....y al Montgó
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Para el artículo completo y las ilustraciones ver:: La aventura de los científicos que construyeron una cabaña en lo alto del Montgó (EnjoyXabia Blog)

English translation of the text here >>>

The Biot Cabin More than 200 years ago, a metres was not what it measures now. In 1790 France set out to standardise the decimal metric system and make it universal. To do this, it needed to take measurements on the imaginary line of the 0º Meridian. And to achieve this they had to carry out triangulations from Dunkerque to the south continuing into Spain, specifically Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands.

​There were three expeditions. A first (1792-1798) ended in Barcelona; the second (1803-1804) brought F.A. Méchain to the Montgó. He climbed to the top on April 23, and measured the height of the mountain at 758.94 meters. But he died in 1804, so the third and final expedition took place between 1806 and 1808. The triangulation works were completed by French scientists Jean-Baptiste Biot and François Aragó.

Biot and Aragó first traveled to Eivissa (Ibiza). They wanted to find out which mountain on the peninsula was best seen from there. They believed it was Cullera's.Once there they discovered that it was no other than the Montgó. So in 1806 they climbed our mountain. Once at the top they noticed the harshness of the wind. It was perhaps not the best location for a cabin where they would spend months. So they decided to move from Cap Gros (where the highest point of the Montgó is) to the north, towards the Creueta de Dénia. Halfway there they found a good location for the cabin (42 metres lower than the summit and still in Xàbia) and, most importantly, suitable for triangulations.

These were made using mirrors and reflectors during the coldest - and clearest - nights of the year (January and February). The flash of lights were reflected up to Carmel mountain in Eivissa and the Desert de les Palmes in Benicàssim (Castelló) and were used by to make the measurements. The cabin was built following the dry stone system so typical of Xàbia. The walls were one metre wide and the height was between 1.50 and 1.80 metres. Much safer than the first wooden shelter built.