The Meudon astrophysical observatory was a private establishment essentially financed by the State. However, there was also an astrophysical activity at the Paris Observatory, and it was considered, quite rightly, that there was no point in having two institutions of similar size doing much the same thing in the Parisian region. They were thus combined, and it was Henri Deslandres, who had worked at both observatories and knew each very well, who became the overall director.

caption : Dome of Meudon - credits : Observatoire de Paris