Cosmology and Gravitation: the grand scheme for High-Energy Physics

Abstract: These lectures describe how the Standard Model of cosmology ($\Lambda$CDM) has developped, based on observational facts but also on ideas formed in the context of the theory of fundamental interactions, both gravitational and nongravitational, the latter being described by the Standard Model of high energy physics. It focuses on the latest developments, in particular the precise knowledge of the early Universe provided by the observation of the Cosmic Microwave Background and the discovery of the present acceleration of the expansion of the Universe. While insisting on the successes of the Standard Model of cosmology, we will stress that it rests on three pillars which involve many open questions: the theory of inflation, the nature of dark matter and of dark energy. We will devote one chapter to each of these issues, describing in particular how this impacts our views on the theory of fundamental interactions. More technical parts are given in italics. They may be skipped altogether.