Night at the Saint-Véran Observatory

Reservations are essential for this unforgettable experience: a night at the Saint-Véran Paul Felenbok Observatory to discover the starry sky!

The observatory has only eight places and two rooms, so it's best to book several months in advance.

And if the weather forecast really doesn't allow for sky-watching, the observatory staff will contact you the day before. But this is still the Queyras, so weather-wise we're spoiled, with blue skies all year round.

Here's a tip: a good night's sleep before you go won't go amiss. And don't forget your down jacket and hat, even in summer! It's freezing up there at 3,000 meters! You'll also need sunglasses and water for the climb, and a picnic lunch for dinner.

When you get up there, the scientific leaders welcome you with the warmth and enthusiasm of true enthusiasts. In the small rooms with just 2 bunk beds, you'll feel right at home.

Everyone brings his or her own evening meal, and everyone eats together in a convivial, good-humored atmosphere. What's more, everything is provided on site: plates, cutlery and all you need to heat up your picnic (gas stove, oven, microwave, fondue set).

And where does the science come in? First, a tour of the facilities: telescopes, astronomical missions, calculators of all kinds, energy autonomy and ecological construction, you name it. Before the sun sets behind a 3000-metre summit, it's time for solar observation through a telescope, and sketching a sky map with the first stars. Then, after lunch, when it's pitch-dark, it's time for the big game. A dome housing the 620 mm telescope (it's big, very big!) will be visited, then the scientific mediator will become a star storyteller, showing you the deep sky, star clusters and planets. Early in the morning, you can observe the famous "green ray", the magical sunrise over the mountain.

FYI: If you can't find a time slot to suit your schedule at the Observatory, you can discover the Queyras sky during an "Astro 2000" astronomical observation evening at the Maison du Soleil et de l'Astronomie, located in the village of Saint-Véran.