Tell me, do you remember, kids? The legend of the donkey that ate the moon and the sun in the Fontgillarde fountain? And the one about the rooster who pecked at the stars in St Véran? We used to think that animals here had big appetites. Since then, we’ve come to understand that, in this region, legends and reality are intimately linked. This rooster story is one of them. Come on kids, I’ll take you on a tour of the Queyrassin skies.
Saint-Véran, with 150 clear nights a year (30% more than the famous Pic du Midi de Bigorre in the Pyrenees), is second only to such mythical sites as Chile and Hawaii. Measured scientifically by an index of visual purity called “seeing”, the Château-Renard – Paul Felenbok astronomical observatory gives access to one of the five most beautiful skies in the world.
You have two options: in the heart of Saint-Véran with the “Maison du soleil” and its Astro 2000 evenings, or at the the village top, at the “Pic de Chateau Renard” Observatory.
The Astronomy Festival
Each year in early July, the Saint-Véran village hosts the “Rencontre en Ciel Pur” event, intended for the general public and amateur astronomers alike. The program features round-table discussions with renowned speakers, fun and educational workshops and night-time observations.
The Guillestrois and Queyras skies can be admired, smelled, crossed, envisioned and gazed at. In a word, you can experience it. Whether you’re a great contemplative person or a great dreamer, you could love it, lying back and taking it all in… Would you rather enjoy a sunrise at the top of the 3,000-meter Agnel Pass?
