Compare result types
cartes.gouv.fr explores layers; OpenStreetMap describes objects and history; Copernicus, Worldview and EarthExplorer provide observation products. A collaborative annotation and a sensor pixel carry different evidence.
Choose a source family
Geographic sources and observation imagery
Choose a map, collaborative object or satellite product by scale and observation date.
Choose the right source
Start with coordinates, target date and required resolution. Record coordinate system, layer, product and processing. A basemap may combine different acquisitions. Release time is not always acquisition time.
Reading example
An object appears absent from an image. Inspect resolution, cloud cover, angle, extent and date. Do not infer demolition or construction from views with incomparable conditions.
Sources in this family · 5
FR
cartes.gouv.fr
Explore IGN maps, aerial photography and public territorial layers.
Check each layer’s origin, scale and date before comparing places.
EU
Copernicus Browser
View and compare satellite imagery and metadata over time.
Cloud cover, resolution, processing and acquisition date constrain interpretation.
INT
NASA Worldview
Browse Earth observation layers and compare dates or phenomena.
A coloured visual depends on its layer and is not itself a ground measurement.
US
USGS EarthExplorer
Find USGS satellite and aerial scenes by area, date and collection.
Check acquisition, sensor, resolution, clouds and processing level before interpreting an image.
INT
OpenStreetMap
Explore a collaborative map and geographic features described by contributors.
Read feature history and tags; a collaborative map does not replace a field survey or cadastral document.
Frequently asked questions
Can a map screenshot be freely published?
Check each layer’s terms and required attribution. Inclusion in a viewer does not automatically give identical rights for every basemap and product.
Methods to follow
Official references
Choose a source family
Topic pages to select a service and understand what its result can establish.
Sources for company and identifier verification
Choose between a directory, registry, filing, interest declaration and international identifier according to the fact you need to establish.
10 results
Sources for laws and public decisions
Retrieve the text, version and procedure while separating decisions, announcements and commentary.
6 results
Public data sources and comparable statistics
Choose a producer, catalogue or series by unit, coverage and research question.
21 results
Archives and public traces of the web
Document an older page or infrastructure while retaining observation dates and limits.
5 results
Geographic sources and observation imagery
Choose a map, collaborative object or satellite product by scale and observation date.
5 results
Sources for trademarks, patents and designs
Locate a publication and then verify territory, procedure and title status in the relevant registry.
6 results
Sources for scientific reference verification
Separate work, author, organisation, repository, journal and trial to cite the right object and version.
13 results