The SOPHIE search for northern extrasolar planets

Context. The mass domain where massive extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs lie is still poorly understood. Indeed, not even a clear dividing line between massive planets and brown dwarfs has been established yet. This is partly because these objects are very scarce in close orbits around solar-type stars, the so-called brown dwarf desert. Owing to this, it has proven difficult to set up a strong observational base with which to compare models and theories of formation and evolution.