Observatories
The pictures here are the results of observations made from the following sites and observatories which have been classified according to their latitude (from north to south)
Basse Plaine
latitude : 44.6436, longitude : 6.1536 E, altitude : 1055m.
An isolated villa in the valley of Champsaur, Chabootes, 15 km NE of Gap in the Hautes Alpes. Visibility is good, despite the fact that air pollution has increased regularly in the past few years. App. Mag. 6.5 – 6.7, SQM 21.3 – 21.5. It is here that I made most of my observations with a TSC Meade LX200 / 254mm, between 1998 and 2006.
OBP
latitude : 44,4083, longitude : 05,5143 E, altitude :850m.
Observatoire des Baronnies Provençales, in the aera of the village of Moydans, a very remote place, well preserved from industrial and light pollution. The sky is among the best anywhere in France, and no far away from Namibian or Chilian ones ! SQM reaches exceptionnally 21,92, and routenely, 21,60. Astronomical stuff is great, with a T 800 and several others remotely managedable by internet ; accomodation is on the same level. A must for the practise of astronomy at a high level
More information about the OBP can be found at: http://www.obs-bp.com/
OHP
latitude : 43.9319, longitude : 5.7157 E, altitude : 607m 
Observatory of Haute Provence, situated at Saint-Michel, the Observatory in the Alpes de Haute Provence, is a high level professional installation from where the first exo-planet was sighted.
The sky is between that of Basse Plaine and Petit Telle.
I spent 3 nights there at a T 120cm telescope in February 2009. I’m sure you’ll enjoy visiting the Observatory site at: : www.obs-hp.fr
Le Petit Telle
latitude : 43.8950, longitude : 6.0803 E, altitude 705m
A privately owned and beautifully restored XVII century farm on the Valensole plateau in the Alpes of Haute Provence, and more precisely, in the Natural Park of Verdon.
The Obsession 635 telescope had found a home there from 2007, in an a very good sky for France: App. Mag (apparent magnitude to the naked eye) 7.0v and SQM 21.60. I have even had opportunity to register App. Mag 7.44v, with SQM 21.77 and SQM-L 21.74. Most importantly there isn’t a light on the 180° of the southern horizon which is clear to h = 0°.
Unfortunately, the owner’s requirements have regulary increased (minimal stay of one week, even in winter, and booking needed a long time in advance in other seasons) involving astronomy practice and clear sky inssurance hardly compatible. I had to move out on 2010.
More information about the Petit Telle can be found at: www.gite-provence-verdon.com
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Space Observatory
Latitude : -22.9531, longitude : 291.8201 E, altitude : 2384m 
This is Alain Maury’s personal observatory, 7km south from San Pedro de Atacama. The sky is of exceptional quality: App. Mag. 7.5, SQM 22.07, and especially, a level of daytime humidity inferior to 20% and nighttime lower than 30% despite the temperature being at freezing point! In October 2007, I had the opportunity to make my observations with Alain’s 330 and 450 mm Dobson telescopes, which have excellent quality mirrors despite a certain roughness of movement. Find out more about Alain Maury at: www.spaceobs.com
Tivoli Lodge
Latitude : -23.4616, longitude : 18.0094 E, altitude 1450m. 
The owners of this lodge have refurbished it specially for astronomy purposes with several exceptional instruments, among others a 400m hypergraph on a raised cupola. The observation conditions are close to perfection: App. Mag. 7.88 !, SQM 22.14, humidity 30 – 35%, nocturnal temperature +/- 0°. Not a single lamp, let alone a lamp post at a 10km range and not a village for 50km. The only town of Namibia, Windhoek, the capital is 160 km northwards and the pollution of this town is only equivalent to that of a European town of 15 to 20,000 inhabitants and nothing southwards for 1,000km. The cherry on the cake is that the facilities and cooking are excellent! I have been observing from there with an Obsession 500mm, regularly since 2004, for about a fortnight every other year. I highly recommend the Tivoli site: www.tivoli-astrofarm.de/e_tivoli_astrofarm.htm