On the morning of 11th August 1999 the weather in North-eastern France was less than favourable.   Torrential rain and thick cloud cover were the problems!

As we approached Vouziers things started to get better as the cloud cover began to break.  Suddenly a lot of people were gathering in the fields and on roadsides close to the town.  The town centre square was packed.

Vouziers is located about 50 Km to the North-east of Reims and was pretty well on the centre-line of totality.    Viewing actually took place from the garden of a gite about 1.5 Km to the north-east of Vouziers town centre.

First Contact took place at 11.07.28 local time and this picture was taken shortly after.  The fact that the Sun was visible at this point was - in itself - very exciting.

Shortly after this picture was taken the clouds returned and it really did seem that we could miss out!

This is the point at which clear skies returned!

With the sun substantially obscured by cloud I decided to take the first direct photograph.  I hasten to add that this was done by viewing through the LCD display of the digital camera.

Getting close!

Very close.  I was surprised by the amount of light given that so much of the sun was obscured, but it was a very strange, eerie light.  The temperature seemed to drop quite rapidly and the wind changed.

As this picture shows the light was now deteriorating very fast.   This cloud just had a little way to move!

Left: the last projected image that I took prior to totality.  After this it was too dark.

The very last picture before totality.  Years of waiting in anticipation were almost at an end!

Go to Second Contact!