  We present a comprehensive spectroscopic study of C$_{2v}$ point-group
symmetry sites in Sm$^{3+}$:CaF$_2$/SrF$_2$ codoped with either NaF or LiF.
Data includes electron paramagnetic resonance measurements of Zeeman and
hyperfine interactions for the ground state, as well as site-selective
excitation and fluorescence spectroscopy up to the $^{4}$G$_{5/2}$ multiplet.
Inclusion of the EPR data allowed us to determine unique crystal-field
parameters. The parameters provide information about the geometry of the sites
and the nature of the interactions between the Sm$^{3+}$ dopant and the
alkaline earth co-dopant.
