Cévennes – The Mont Aigoual weather observatory in France's southern Cévennes region has been transformed into Le Climatographe, a centre dedicated to teaching people about climate change.
The observatory, built in 1894, has provided some of the world's oldest climatological records. It's a member of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) network, which has listed it as a centenary station.
French weather service Météo France has run the site since WWII and will continue to do so until the end of October, when meteorologists will no longer be present.
The weather technicians produced a forecast bulletin three times a day until 2012. They've been archiving their data in records kept since the 19th century.
Weather data meticulously collected by generations of forecasters and meteorologists has shown that climate change is increasingly spiralling out of control.
Satellite data from the observatory, which is now fully automated, is sent to Toulouse, some 250 kilometres away in south-western of France.
► Read also: Memories of life among the elements at France's Mont Aigoual weather station
Transformation
Le Climatographe has opened to the public since the start of July.
"It is managed by a small local authority (collectivité territoriale), Causses Aigoual Cévennes – Terres Solidaires," Laurent Bonnard, director of the Climatographe, told RFI.
So far, around 3.5 million euros have been invested redeveloping the new site. But to ensure it remains in good condition and is able to cope with future needs, local authorities have opened up financing to sponsorship and donations.
"We welcome visitors to both providing them with information and encouraging them to ask new questions about environment and how they can take action on a daily basis ... either individually or collectively," Bonnard said.
The Climatographe is also a place where science and the general public can come together.
"Sometimes we're all busy in our own little world of science ... and the general public is unaware of how research is carried out," Bonnard said.
"We hope to be able to host scientific seminars, as well as opportunities for visitors, scientists and local residents to meet and talk."
On the roof of the observatory, a test centre invites companies to test the resistance of materials and equipment to the extreme conditions of the site.
A scientific committee for the site said it aimed to use scientifically validated facts to cut through the arguments of the climate sceptics.
The commitee is chaired by Valérie Masson-Delmotte, palaeoclimatologist and member of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
