The reactor VENUS is a zero-power research reactor mainly devoted to s
tudies on light water fuels. The need for undertaking a neutron spectr
ometric and dosimetric study became apparent when locally high neutron
dose rates were measured. The spectrometric study is based on two app
roaches. The first is an experimental one in which the neutron spectru
m was measured at three positions around the facility. The second is a
theoretical one in which a numerical modelling of the neutron transpo
rt at the reactor site was performed in order to determine neutron spe
ctra and fluence rates at different positions around the site. The mea
sured and calculated spectra are interpreted in terms of the response
of different individual and environmental dosemeters. These responses
are confronted with the in situ measurements. The impact of the ICRP 6
0 recommendations on the determined dose fates is also studied.