Meteorite falls in France
France has 58 observed falls in NASA’s Meteorite Landings dataset (records to 2013), the third-highest count of 107 countries. The heaviest is Saint-Séverin (271 kg, 1966). The earliest is Ensisheim in 1491. The most recent is Alby sur Chéran in 2002.
- Median recovered mass
- 4 kg
- Different class labels
- 16
- Falls with their own page
- 12
Dot size grows with recovered mass; the three heaviest are named.
Year by year
Of the 58, 49 are dated before 1900 and five are from 1950 or later. The busiest decade there is the 1840s, with seven falls. The median distance from a fall in France to its nearest recorded neighbour, in any country, is 51 km. The closest fall recorded across the border is Lesves in Belgium, 71 km from Hainaut.
What fell in France
The most common class is L6 (20 falls), followed by H5 (10). Together the falls recorded in France recovered 1.2 tonnes.
- L chondrites 24
- H chondrites 19
- LL chondrites 3
- Carbonaceous chondrites 4
- Enstatite chondrites 1
- Eucrites, howardites and diogenites 4
- Other achondrites 1
- Martian meteorites 1
- Unclassified stones 1
Every fall in France
| Year | Fall | Class | Recovered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1491 | Ensisheim | LL6 | 127 kg |
| 1637 | Mount Vaisi | Unclassified stone | 17 kg |
| 1753 | Luponnas | H3-5 | 14 kg |
| 1768 | Lucé | L6 | 3.5 kg |
| 1790 | Barbotan | H5 | 6.4 kg |
| 1798 | Salles | L5 | 9 kg |
| 1803 | Apt | L6 | 3.2 kg |
| 1803 | L'Aigle | L6 | 37 kg |
| 1805 | Asco | H6 | 41 g |
| 1806 | Alais | CI1 | 6 kg |
| 1810 | Charsonville | H6 | 27 kg |
| 1812 | Chantonnay | L6 | 32 kg |
| 1812 | Toulouse | H6 | 1 kg |
| 1814 | Agen | H5 | 30 kg |
| 1815 | Chassigny | Martian (chassignite) | 4 kg |
| 1819 | Jonzac | Eucrite-mmict | 5 kg |
| 1821 | Juvinas | Eucrite-mmict | 91 kg |
| 1822 | Épinal | H5 | 277 g |
| 1826 | Galapian | H6 | 133 g |
| 1831 | Vouillé | L6 | 20 kg |
| 1836 | Aubres | Aubrite | 800 g |
| 1836 | Mascombes | L6 | 1 kg |
| 1837 | Esnandes | L6 | 1.5 kg |
| 1838 | Montlivault | L6 | 500 g |
| 1841 | Château-Renard | L6 | 30 kg |
| 1841 | St. Christophe-la-Chartreuse | L6 | 5.5 kg |
| 1842 | Aumieres | L6 | 2 kg |
| 1844 | Favars | H5 | 1.5 kg |
| 1845 | Le Pressoir | H5 | 3 kg |
| 1845 | Le Teilleul | Howardite | 780 g |
| 1848 | Marmande | L5 | 3 kg |
| 1851 | Quincay | L6 | 65 g |
| 1857 | Les Ormes | L6 | 125 g |
| 1858 | Ausson | L5 | 50 kg |
| 1859 | Beuste | L5 | 2 kg |
| 1860 | Sologne | H5 | 54 g |
| 1864 | Orgueil | CI1 | 14 kg |
| 1866 | St. Mesmin | LL6 | 8.3 kg |
| 1868 | Ornans | CO3.4 | 6 kg |
| 1868 | Sauguis | L6 | 4 kg |
| 1869 | Kernouve | H6 | 80 kg |
| 1871 | Laborel | H5 | 3.8 kg |
| 1872 | Lancé | CO3.5 | 52 kg |
| 1874 | Kerilis | H5 | 5 kg |
| 1875 | Mornans | H5 | 1.3 kg |
| 1879 | La Bécasse | L6 | 2.8 kg |
| 1883 | St. Caprais-de-Quinsac | L6 | 360 g |
| 1890 | St. Germain-du-Pinel | H6 | 4 kg |
| 1897 | Lancon | H6 | 7 kg |
| 1914 | Saint-Sauveur | EH5 | 14 kg |
| 1923 | Montferré | H5 | 149 kg |
| 1934 | Hainaut | H3-6 | 9 kg |
| 1949 | Mezel | L6 | 1.3 kg |
| 1959 | St.-Chinian | L6 | 134 g |
| 1964 | Granes | L6 | 9 kg |
| 1966 | Saint-Séverin | LL6 | 271 kg |
| 1978 | Chitenay | L6 | 4 kg |
| 2002 | Alby sur Chéran | Eucrite-mmict | 252 g |