Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory

Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory keeps a permanent watch over one of the world's most active shield volcanoes from the village of Bourg-Murat on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

About Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory

Established in 1979, the observatory is part of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), a French governmental, non-profit research and higher education institution. Its core mission is monitoring the Piton de la Fournaise shield volcano.

History

The observatory was founded in 1979 by the CNRS, later becoming part of IPGP's network of observation stations, with a mandate spanning monitoring, research, and public communication about volcanic hazards.

Telescopes & research

Rather than astronomical instruments, the observatory runs one of the densest volcano-monitoring networks in the world, tracking seismic activity, ground deformation and gas emissions around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits at 1,550 metres elevation near Bourg-Murat, on the slopes leading to Piton de la Fournaise on Réunion Island, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean.

Visiting Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory

As an active scientific monitoring station, the observatory's primary role is research rather than public tourism. Check the official IPGP page for any public communication or education activities before visiting.

See your named star from here

Even from a volcano observatory, Réunion's clear tropical night skies offer a chance to trace the coordinates of a star you've named through Star Register. Find its position in the star catalogue.