Which are the very large scientific research facilities (VLRF) and what role do they play in state and private research in France and in Europe? What are the foreseeable needs in this field? What are the present decision-making and funding procedures and how can they be improved? In what way could their construction and operation be given enhanced support by business undertakings and the European Union? These are some of the questions answered by Mr Christian CUVILLIEZ, Deputy and Mr René TRÉGOUËT, Senator, following their earlier study on the conditions governing the installation of a new synchrotron published in March 2000. The reader is first given an introduction to large research facilities: there is a presentation – that does not claim to be exhaustive – covering first a number of large facilities already in service, some of which appear in the current list and, secondly, some of the schemes drawn up by the researchers themselves. The Rapporteurs then suggest that the various large facilities should be subdivided into three categories they devise for the purpose: very large facilities intended to advance a particular subject, those concerned with infrastructure, and those concerned with major programmes. This classification is used to define ways and means of decision-making and funding adapted to each particular case, since all the major facilities currently necessitate a policy of close co-operation with the scientific community and continuous action over time. Pointing out the need to elucidate prospects for future schemes not only for reasons of the necessary capital expenditure but also with a view to recruiting young researchers, Messrs Christian CUVILLIEZ and René TRÉGOUËT call for an overall review of the status of research at the opening of the 21st century, encompassing the public, the scientific community and elected representatives, in order to identify the plans and organisation of French research over the coming decades, the proposals of which could form part of a planning law reflecting the Contract of Objectives for French research at the beginning of the 21st century.