Summer is the perfect time of year to admire shooting stars. We reveal the best spots to witness a fascinating celestial spectacle.
While most of France is affected by light pollution, making it impossible to observe shooting stars in good conditions, there are still a handful of places in France that are protected from this urbanization. Summits, isolated plateaus or even astronomical observatories, here is a list of the best spots in France to admire shooting stars.
Some places in France located far from cities are not very affected by light pollution. This is the case, for example, of the Black Triangle of Quercy in the Lot. Various observation sites have been set up there, equipped with interpretation tables. Some protected areas such as the Morvan Regional Park or the Cévennes National Park are also known for being places protected from light pollution. When passing through the Cévennes, go to the Bleymard resort located in Mont-Lozère. A calm spot immersed in nature awaits you for an unforgettable spectacle. To gain some height, take a detour via the Prat-Peyrot pass at an altitude of over 1,400 meters. In addition to a superb panorama, you will discover a clear sky, illuminated by the stars and shooting stars, if you are lucky.
Some observatories also offer visitors the opportunity to spend the night in their facilities in order to enjoy the viewpoint and the equipment available. This is the case of the famous Pic du Midi de Bigorre for which reservations are made two years in advance. But rest assured, other observatories are located in the area such as that of Saint-Véran in the Hautes-Alpes or the Baronnies Provençales observatory. You can enjoy evenings of astronomical observation during which you will have the chance to admire shooting stars during the summer period.
If you live in Paris, you can get in touch with a structure that organizes sky observation evenings. There are a number of them, such as the Uranoscope in Île-de-France or the Jean-Marc Salomon observatory in Seine-et-Marne (77). For the people of Lyon, the Vaulx-en-Velin planetarium welcomes the public from the Lyon region and for the people of Toulouse, the Balcon des étoiles organizes events south of the Toulouse metropolitan area. 25 kilometers from Bordeaux, the Cestas observatory opens its doors to the public, as does the Couyère observatory 34 kilometers from Rennes. Other structures also offer similar events, such as the Strasbourg planetarium and the Lille region astronomical club, which regularly organizes nighttime observations. Go to website of the French Astronomy Association to find a place near you. The opportunity to spend a magical night under the stars and make wishes!