Queyras astronomy observatory at Saint-Véran

The Sud region, a giant science observatory

The Sud is an enormous natural observatory. An exciting study area for scientists, it is home to many educational sites and natural areas dedicated to discovery, making the region a hot spot for scientific tourism.

Exceptional nature

With 4 national parks and many regional natural parks,natural reserves and biosphere reserves, the Sud is a region widely recognised for the exceptional diversity of its landscapes and nature. It is an open-air observation lab for scientists and those keen on biodiversity. It is also a favourite destination for those who want to immerse themselves in nature in order to understand how it works and learn to recognise the various wildlife species it hosts. Discover the educational areas in the region, such as the Naturoptère or L’Arche des Cimes, or set off to explore the Sud’s natural sites on your own or with a naturalist guide!

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Le Naturoptère

National Parks

Flowers and Wildlife in the Alps

L'Arche des cimes

Bureau des Guides Naturalistes

A unique underwater world

With a front-row seat on the Mediterranean, the Sud region allows you to access a whole remarkable subaquatic world. The Mediterranean coast is an unlimited scientific research area and a magical world to be explored. Several entry points and various educational places have been developed all along the coast: underwater trails to see fascinating aquatic ecosystems, the Port-Cros National Park and its exceptional diving sites, and also cultural areas devoted to understanding the underwater world, and particularly to raising our awareness on its protection, and to the exploration of buried treasures such as the Grotte Cosquer (Cosquer Cave). And Neptune Project has listed the flagship sites for submarine exploration, discovery and innovation. So, in your bathing suit or at the museum, get ready to enter the captivating universe of the “Silent World”!

Top hotspots for observing our Mediterranean underwater plant & animal life

Neptune, total immersion in the Mediterranean seabed

Cosquer Cave replica, from Sea to Land

Port-Cros National Natural Park

Posidonia - Espace Mer et Littoral

One of the most beautiful star-filled skies in Europe

For a long time, the sky of the French Southern Alps has been famous for its purity with the scientific community. In 2019, the “Alpes Sud Mercantour” territory even obtained the « Réserve Internationale de Ciel Étoilé » label which bears witness to the quality of its night sky. The good news is that the sky does not (yet) belong to anyone and you don’t have to be an astronomer to enjoy its wonders. In the Sud, many educational sites offer you the possibility to observe it and get to understand it better. To get a little nearer the stars, head for the Planétarium de Haute-Provence in Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire, the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, the Observatoire de Saint-Véran or the Observatoire Astronomique de la Guindaine, to mention just a few!

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Planétarium de Haute-Provence au Centre d'Astronomie de Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire

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Night at the Saint-Véran Observatory

Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur

Astronomic Observatory "La Guindaine"

Geological and subterranean wealth

With its terrain, its remains and its subterranean worlds, the Sud tells us, in its own way, the great secrets of our History. Today, archaeologists, palaeontologists and geologists are passionate about this territory with its thousands of treasures and revelations. Sites such as the Gorges du Verdon, the Géoparc de Haute-Provence, the Souterroscope de la Baume Obscure or the Musée de la Géologie, in Apt, allow you to discover unique formations and geological phenomena, which bear witness to millions of years of terrestrial evolution. For those of you keen on archaeology, Vaison-la-Romaine or the ancient city of Glanum reveal the architectural wealth of the Roman past in Provence. In the open air or underground, climb aboard for a real trip back in time!