  The GALAXIES beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron is dedicated to inelastic
x-ray scattering (IXS) and photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) in the 2.3-12
keV hard x-ray range. These two techniques offer powerful, complementary
methods of characterization of materials with bulk sensitivity, chemical and
orbital selectivity, resonant enhancement and high resolving power. After a
description of the beamline components and endstations, we address the beamline
performances through a selection of recent works both in the solid and gas
phases and using either IXS or HAXPES approaches. Prospects for studies on
liquids are discussed.
