Numerous shooting star nights occur throughout the year. These stars can be admired if the weather allows it, in places where pollution is less. But where to find these rare pearls in Paris and Ile-de-France?
Every year, famous shooting stars return to visit us by the thousands. In April we see the Lyrides, in August the Perseids, in November the Leonids and in December the Geminids. If the weather 's on our side, it's possible to see them with the naked eye, looking north-east after 11pm.
Don't hesitate to get a sky map to help you spot the constellations from which the shooting stars emerge. You'll need to look down to the horizon, and higher and higher as the night goes on, to follow them. At peak times, there are almost 100 shooting stars per hour - a splendid event not to be missed!
However, the light and atmospheric pollution of the Paris region can spoil the show, so it's best to get out of town or get some height to admire the stars at their best. Here's a small selection of places where you can observe the sky and make lots of wishes!
In Paris
- The Butte Montmartre, 130m high, on the Sacré-Coeur square or in the Marcel Bleustein square, behind the basilica;
- Buttes-Chaumont park, around the belvedere
- Belleville park, in the 20th arrondissement
- Butte Bergeyre, with a direct view of Montmartre
In the Paris region :
- Mont Valérien, located in the Hauts-de-Seine department, between Suresnes, Nanterre and Rueil-Malmaison
- Butte d'Orgemont and Butte des Châtaigners, Argenteuil, Val d'Oise, France
- Parc de Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine, France
- Parc des Lilas in Vitry, Val-de-Marne
- Parc Jean-Moulin between Bagnolet and Montreuil, in Seine-Saint-Denis
- Parc départemental du plateau in Champigny-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne
- Quarries eco-park in Fontenay-sous-Bois, also in Val-de-Marne
- The Limours plateau, in theEssonne department
All that's left is to choose your meeting place with the stars!
