French explorations of the Mediterranean Sea during the 17th and 18th centuries

Abstract Many 17th- and 18th-century French astronomers and geophysicists made very valuable contributions to our knowledge of Mediterranean geography. Peiresc was the first, and after him came Chazelles, La Condamine, and Chabert. They were all meticulous geodesists, and, in order to carry out their work in sometimes hostile environments, intrepid travellers as well. This invited paper summarizes the 17th and 18th century expeditions and observations of these astronomers.