Cadran solaire, Sundial in Saint-Prix, France
The Cadran solaire is a sundial in Saint-Prix, set on a raised stone base in an open space. It has two readable faces and sits at a 45-degree tilt that matches the local latitude, allowing the shadow to mark the hours with reasonable accuracy throughout the year.
The sundial was installed in September 2005, after a large stone was found during construction work in the area. The city's green spaces department decided to turn this stone into a working sundial, and called on specialist Emile Vilaplana from nearby Vénissieux to carry out the project.
The base of the sundial is engraved with directions pointing to capitals of 25 European countries, each marked with a small star. These markings turn a simple visit into a quiet lesson in geography and the movement of the sun across the sky.
The sundial sits in an open outdoor space and can be visited at any time without restriction. A clear, sunny day is the best time to see it in action, since the shadow is only visible when the sun is out.
This sundial is the first of its kind, known as an equatorial type, in the entire Rhône department. The stone that forms its face weighs around 4 tons and was found by chance during construction work, with no particular use in mind at the time.
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