Wednesday, August 12th, marks a rare solar eclipse - which will be visible from most of France.
Although you need to travel to Spain to see it as a total eclipse, the sun will be around 90 percent obscured in large parts of western and central France - the sun will be more than 99 percent obscured in the Basque Country, around 92 percent in Paris, and around 90 percent in north-east France. Weather reports predict mostly cloudless skies, giving good viewing conditions.
The eclipse begins at around 7.20pm and is expected to reach its peak at 8.20pm.
READ ALSO: MAP: How and when to see the solar eclipse in France
But looking directly at the sun is dangerous - you need special eclipse glasses (lunettes de protection or lunettes spéciales éclipse). These should have the 'CE' mark and the number ISO 12312-2:2015, showing that they meet relevant safety standards. Normal sunglasses will not protect your eyes.
The glasses normally sell for between €2 and €5, although as shortages increase some places have indulged in a little price gouging.
But where do you find these glasses?
Ordering online from specialist websites has been the preferred option, but it's now probably too late to guarantee delivery. There are, however, some other places to try.
Opticians - many opticians stocked up with the glasses in advance. As eclipse fever rises, many have already sold their stock, but it's worth asking at your local optician.
Pharmacies - many pharmacies also stocked up in advance, and you might still find some at your local pharmacy.
Supermarkets - several French supermarket chains including Leclerc and Carrefour had bought stocks of glasses, but managers told French media that in many stores they are now sold out. The glasses are showing as 'unavailable' on their websites.
Specialist shops - shops that specialise in astronomy, or museums dedicated to astronomy and science, have also been selling the glasses in recent weeks.
1999 glasses - France last experienced a solar eclipse in 1999, but in bad news for anyone who held on to their glasses from that occasion, these should not be used now as the filters will be too degraded to protect your eyes.
Even with the protective glasses, it is advised not to look directly at the sun for more than two consecutive minutes, and give your eyes regular breaks from the bright light of the sun.
If you cannot find the glasses, observation methods exist; punch a small hole in aluminium foil or cardboard and project an image of the Sun on to a light surface on the ground.
Alternatively, observe the shadows cast on the ground by natural “slits” – during a total eclipse, tree leaves, for example, cast small round images of the Sun.
If you have a hot tip for where to find eclipse glasses, please share it in the comments section below
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