CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
CNRS is a public organization under the authority of the French Ministry of Education and Research. Within it, the National Institute for Earth sciences, Astrophysics and Planetology (CNRS-INSU), develops and coordinates research in these areas. It conceives and manages research infrastructures; it funds and provides technical support for multi-year research projects and large scale facilities. CNRS-INSU also organizes foresight activities that are to define future scientific directions.