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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Refimprove|date=April 2010}}
[[Image:France-Constituent-Lands.png|thumb|300px|The lands making up the French Republic, shown at the same [[Scale (map)|geographic scale]].]]
[[Image:France-Constituent-Lands.png|thumb|300px|The lands making up the French Republic, shown at the same [[Scale (map)|geographic scale]].]]


[[Metropolitan France]] uses [[Central European Time]] (''heure d'Europe centrale'', ''HEC'': [[UTC+01:00]]) and [[Central European Summer Time]] (''heure d'été d'Europe centrale'': [[UTC+02:00]]). [[Daylight saving time]] is observed in Metropolitan France from the last Sunday in March (02:00 CET) to the last Sunday in October (03:00 CEST). With its overseas territories, '''[[France]]''' uses 12 different [[time zone]]s, the most of any country in the world.
[[Metropolitan France]] uses [[Central European Time]] (''heure d'Europe centrale'', [[UTC+01:00]]) as its standard time, and observes [[Central European Summer Time]] (''heure d'été d'Europe centrale'', [[UTC+02:00]]) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. With its overseas territories, [[France]] uses 12 different [[time zone]]s (13 including [[Adélie Land|its claim in Antarctica]]), [[List of time zones by country|more than any other country in the world]].


== Notation ==
== Time zones ==
All parts of [[Overseas France]] use different time zones from [[Metropolitan France]].<ref name=decree2017>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000034154759 Decree no. 2017-292 of 6 March 2017 relative to French legal time], Légifrance, 8 March 2017 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref><ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000519351 Decree no. 79-896 of 17 October 1979 fixing the French legal time], Légifrance, 19 October 1979 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref>
{{Main|Date and time notation in France}}

== Overseas territories ==
The [[overseas territories of France]] use different timezones.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style=line-height:1.3
|-style=line-height:1
! Name !! Capital !! Status !! Location !! Time zone
! colspan=2|Territory !! Standard<br>time !! Summer<br>time
|-
|-
| rowspan=3|[[French Polynesia]] || [[Society Islands|Society]], [[Tuamotus|Tuamotu]]<br>and [[Austral Islands|Austral]] islands || colspan=2 data-sort-value=-10|{{center|[[UTC−10:00]]}}
| [[French Guiana]]
| [[Cayenne]]
| Overseas department / region
| [[South America]]
| [[UTC−03:00]]
|-
|-
| [[Marquesas Islands]]<ref name=pf>[https://www.moanavoyages.com/fr/infos-pratiques/quel-decalage-horaire-en-polynesie/ Which time difference in Polynesia?], Moana Voyages {{in lang|fr}}.</ref> || colspan=2 data-sort-value=-9.5|{{center|[[UTC−09:30]]}}
| [[French Polynesia]]
| [[Papeete]]
| Overseas collectivity
| [[Pacific ocean|South Pacific Ocean]]
| [[UTC−10:00]], [[UTC−09:30]], [[UTC−09:00]]
|-
|-
| [[Gambier Islands]]<ref name=pf/> || colspan=2 data-sort-value=-9|{{center|[[UTC−09:00]]}}
| [[Guadeloupe]]
| [[Basse-Terre]]
| Overseas department / region
| [[Antilles]]
| [[UTC−04:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Clipperton Island]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=-8|{{center|[[UTC−08:00]]}}
| [[Martinique]]
| [[Fort-de-France]]
| Overseas department / region
| Antilles
| [[UTC−04:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Guadeloupe]] || colspan=2 rowspan=4 data-sort-value=-4|{{center|[[UTC−04:00]]}}
| [[Mayotte]]
| [[Mamoudzou]]
| Overseas department / region
| [[Africa]]<br/>([[Mozambique Channel]])
| [[UTC+03:00]]
|-
|-
| [[New Caledonia]]
| colspan=2|[[Martinique]]
| [[Nouméa]]
| ''Sui&nbsp;generis''&nbsp;collectivity
| South Pacific Ocean
| [[UTC+11:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Saint Barthélemy]]
| [[Réunion]]
| [[Saint-Denis (Réunion)|Saint-Denis]]
| Overseas department / region
| [[Africa]]<br> ([[Indian Ocean]])
| [[UTC+04:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]]
| [[Saint Barthélemy]]
| [[Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy|Gustavia]]
| Overseas collectivity
| Antilles
| [[UTC−04:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[French Guiana]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=-3|{{center|[[UTC−03:00]]}}
| [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]]
| [[Marigot, Saint Martin|Marigot]]
| Overseas collectivity
| Antilles
| [[UTC−04:00]]
|-
|-
| [[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]
| colspan=2|[[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]] || data-sort-value=-3|{{center|[[UTC−03:00]]}} || data-sort-value=-2|{{center|[[UTC−02:00]]}}
| [[Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon|Saint-Pierre]]
| Overseas collectivity
| Southeast of [[Canada]]
| [[UTC−03:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Metropolitan France]] || data-sort-value=1|{{center|[[UTC+01:00]]}} || data-sort-value=2|{{center|[[UTC+02:00]]}}
| [[Wallis and Futuna]]
| [[Mata-Utu]]
| Overseas collectivity
| South Pacific Ocean
| [[UTC+12:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Mayotte]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=3|{{center|[[UTC+03:00]]}}
| [[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]]
| [[Port-aux-Français]]
| Overseas territory
| [[Indian Ocean]], [[Antarctica|Antarctica Continent]]
| [[UTC+04:00]], [[UTC+05:00]], [[UTC+10:00]]
|-
|-
| colspan=2|[[Réunion]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=4|{{center|[[UTC+04:00]]}}
| [[Clipperton]]
|-
| –
| rowspan=4|[[French Southern and Antarctic Lands|French Southern<br>and Antarctic Lands]] || [[Scattered Islands]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=3|{{center|[[UTC+03:00]]}}
| French state [[private property]]
|-
| West of [[Mexico]]
| [[Crozet Islands]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=4|{{center|[[UTC+04:00]]}}
| [[UTC−08:00]]
|-
| [[Kerguelen Islands|Kerguelen]], [[Île Saint-Paul|Saint Paul]]<br>and [[Île Amsterdam|Amsterdam]] islands || colspan=2 data-sort-value=5|{{center|[[UTC+05:00]]}}
|-style=font-style:italic
| [[Adélie Land]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=10|{{center|[[UTC+10:00]]}}
|-
| colspan=2|[[New Caledonia]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=11|{{center|[[UTC+11:00]]}}
|-
| colspan=2|[[Wallis and Futuna]] || colspan=2 data-sort-value=12|{{center|[[UTC+12:00]]}}
|}
|}

== Summer time ==
[[Metropolitan France]] follows the [[Summer time in Europe|summer time schedule in Europe]]. Summer time starts on the last Sunday in March at 01:00 [[UTC]], when local time changes from 02:00 (UTC+01:00) to 03:00 (UTC+02:00), and ends on the last Sunday in October at 01:00 UTC, when local time changes from 03:00 (UTC+02:00) to 02:00 (UTC+01:00).<ref name=decree2017/>

[[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]] follows the [[Daylight saving time in Canada|daylight saving time schedule of Canada]] and [[Daylight saving time in the United States|of the United States]]. It starts on the second Sunday in March at 02:00 (UTC−03:00), when local time changes to 03:00 (UTC−02:00), and ends on the first Sunday in November at 02:00 (UTC−02:00), when local time changes to 01:00 (UTC−03:00).<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000241766 Ruling of 23 February 2007 bearing dispositions relative to summer time in the territorial collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon], Légifrance, 10 March 2007 {{in lang|fr}}.</ref>

Other parts of [[Overseas France]] do not observe summer time.


==History==
==History==
Before 1891, each town and city in [[Metropolitan France]] had its own time based on local [[solar time]]. In 1891, due to complications with railway timetables, time was unified in Metropolitan France and based on the solar time of Paris. In 1911, Metropolitan France adopted [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]+0 (the solar time of [[Greenwich]]) as its official time, and used it until 1940 (with GMT+1 used during the summers from 1916 to 1940).
Before 1891, each town and city in [[Metropolitan France]] had its own time based on local [[solar time]]. In 1891, to avoid complications with railway timetables, time was unified in Metropolitan France and based on the solar time at the [[Paris Observatory]] — the [[Paris meridian]] being approximately 2°20′ east of the [[Greenwich meridian]], Paris mean solar time was 9 minutes 21 seconds ahead of [[Greenwich Mean Time]] (GMT). In detail, the railway companies used a unified time which lagged behind Paris solar time by 5 minutes, for the benefit of non-punctual travellers.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Angelier|first=Maryse|title=Voyage en train au temps des compagnies, 1832-1937|journal=Vie du Rail & des transports|year=1998|issue=96}}</ref> In 1911, Metropolitan France adopted GMT+0 as its official time, and used it until 1940 (with GMT+1 used during the summers from 1916 to 1940).


In the summer of 1940, the German military authorities switched the occupied northern part of Metropolitan France to GMT+2 (German summer time), while the non-occupied southern part of Metropolitan France remained at GMT+1 (French summer time). The [[Vichy France|Vichy authorities]] kept GMT+1 (French summer time) during the winter of 1940–1941 and adopted GMT+2 (double summer time, which was the same as German summer time) in May 1941 in order to unify the railway timetables between occupied and non-occupied Metropolitan France. In 1942, 1943, and 1944 the whole of Metropolitan France thus used GMT+2 during the summer, and GMT+1 during the winter.
In the summer of 1940, the German military authorities switched the occupied northern part of Metropolitan France to GMT+2 (German summer time), while the non-occupied southern part of Metropolitan France remained at GMT+1 (French summer time). The [[Vichy France|Vichy authorities]] kept GMT+1 (French summer time) during the winter of 1940–1941 and adopted GMT+2 (double summer time, which was the same as German summer time) in May 1941 in order to unify the railway timetables between occupied and non-occupied Metropolitan France. In 1942, 1943, and 1944 the whole of Metropolitan France thus used GMT+2 during the summer, and GMT+1 during the winter.<ref name=Poulle>{{cite journal|last=Poulle|first=Yvonne|title=La France à l'heure allemande|journal=Bibliothèque de l'école des chartes|year=1999|volume=157|issue=2|pages=493–502|url=http://www.persee.fr/doc/bec_0373-6237_1999_num_157_2_450989|accessdate=29 March 2016|doi=10.3406/bec.1999.450989}}</ref>


At the [[Liberation of France]] in the summer of 1944, Metropolitan France kept GMT+2 as it was the time then used by the Allies ([[British Summer Time#Periods of deviation|British Double Summer Time]]). In the winter of 1944–1945, Metropolitan France switched to GMT+1, same as in the United Kingdom, and switched again to GMT+2 in April 1945 like its British ally. In September 1945, Metropolitan France returned to GMT+1 (pre-war summer time), which the British had already done in July 1945. Metropolitan France was officially scheduled to return to GMT+0 on November 18, 1945 (the British returned to GMT+0 in on October 7, 1945), but the French government canceled the decision on November 5, 1945,<ref name=Poulle>{{cite journal|last=Poulle|first=Yvonne|title=La France à l'heure allemande|journal=Bibliothèque de l'école des chartes|year=1999|volume=157|issue=2|pages=493–502|url=http://www.persee.fr/articleAsPDF/bec_0373-6237_1999_num_157_2_450989/article_bec_0373-6237_1999_num_157_2_450989.pdf|accessdate=11 January 2012|doi=10.3406/bec.1999.450989}}</ref> and GMT+1 has since then remained the official time of Metropolitan France.
At the [[Liberation of France]] in the summer of 1944, Metropolitan France kept GMT+2 as it was the time then used by the Allies ([[British Summer Time#Periods of deviation|British Double Summer Time]]). In the winter of 1944–1945, Metropolitan France switched to GMT+1, same as in the United Kingdom, and switched again to GMT+2 in April 1945. In September 1945, Metropolitan France returned to GMT+1 (pre-war summer time), which the British had already done in July 1945. Metropolitan France was officially scheduled to return to GMT+0 on November 18, 1945 (the British returned to GMT+0 in on October 7, 1945), but the French government canceled the decision on November 5, 1945, and GMT+1 has since then remained the official time of Metropolitan France.<ref name=Poulle/>


In 1976, daylight saving time (summer time) was reintroduced in Metropolitan France for the first time since WW2 because of the [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis]], and since 1976 Metropolitan France has thus been at GMT+1 (now [[UTC+01:00]]) during the winter and GMT+2 (now [[UTC+02:00]]) during the summer. In 1996, daylight saving time was harmonized throughout the [[European Union]] by [[Directive 2000/84/EC]], which moved the end of DST to the last Sunday in October.
In 1976, daylight saving time (summer time) was reintroduced in Metropolitan France for the first time since WW2 because of the [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis]],{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} and since 1976 Metropolitan France has thus been at GMT+1 (now [[UTC+01:00]]) during the winter and GMT+2 (now [[UTC+02:00]]) during the summer. In 1996,{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} daylight saving time was harmonized throughout the [[European Union]] by Directive 2000/84/EC, which moved the end of DST to the last Sunday in October.


A proposal to repeal this directive and require that member states observe their own choice of time year-round from 2021 is going through the legislative process {{As of|March 2019|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=Euro MPs vote to end summer time clock changes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47704345 |work=BBC News |date=26 March 2019}}</ref> A non-binding public consultation showed that approximately 59% of respondents would prefer France to apply year-round summer time (UTC+02:00), with 37% in favour of year-round winter time (UTC+01:00) and 4% expressing no preference.<ref>{{cite news |title=Forever summer: French vote overwhelmingly to scrap changing of the clocks |url=https://www.thelocal.fr/20190307/forever-summer-80-of-french-people-want-stop-changing-clocks |work=www.thelocal.fr |date=7 March 2019}}</ref>
Since GMT (now UTC) is Metropolitan France's "natural" time zone its use of UTC+1 in winter can be seen as a form of [[daylight saving time]] in winter, while Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) can be seen as a form of "double summer time."<ref>{{cite web|last=Thorsen|first=Steffen|title=France and Spain kicks into "Double Summer Time"|url=http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/france-spain-summer-time.html|publisher=Time and Date.com|accessdate=11 January 2012}}</ref>


Since GMT (now UTC) is Metropolitan France's "natural" time zone, its use of [[UTC+01:00]] in winter can be seen as a form of [[daylight saving time]] in winter, while Central European Summer Time ([[UTC+02:00]]) can be seen as a form of "double summer time."<ref>{{cite web|last=Thorsen|first=Steffen|title=France and Spain kicks into "Double Summer Time"|url=http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/france-spain-summer-time.html|publisher=Time and Date.com|accessdate=11 January 2012}}</ref>
==References==

{{reflist}}
== Notation ==
{{Main|Date and time notation in France}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|France}}
*[[List of time zones]]
*[[List of time zones]]

== External links ==
* [https://time.is/France Time in France] Time in France Now

==References==
{{reflist}}


{{Europe topic|Time in}}
{{Europe topic|Time in}}


[[Category:Time in France| ]]
[[Category:Time in France| ]]
[[Category:Geography of France]]

Latest revision as of 23:15, 10 June 2024

The lands making up the French Republic, shown at the same geographic scale.

Metropolitan France uses Central European Time (heure d'Europe centrale, UTC+01:00) as its standard time, and observes Central European Summer Time (heure d'été d'Europe centrale, UTC+02:00) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. With its overseas territories, France uses 12 different time zones (13 including its claim in Antarctica), more than any other country in the world.

Time zones[edit]

All parts of Overseas France use different time zones from Metropolitan France.[1][2]

Territory Standard
time		 Summer
time
French Polynesia Society, Tuamotu
and Austral islands
UTC−10:00
Marquesas Islands[3]
UTC−09:30
Gambier Islands[3]
UTC−09:00
Clipperton Island
UTC−08:00
Guadeloupe
UTC−04:00
Martinique
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Martin
French Guiana
UTC−03:00
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
UTC−03:00
UTC−02:00
Metropolitan France
UTC+01:00
UTC+02:00
Mayotte
UTC+03:00
Réunion
UTC+04:00
French Southern
and Antarctic Lands		 Scattered Islands
UTC+03:00
Crozet Islands
UTC+04:00
Kerguelen, Saint Paul
and Amsterdam islands
UTC+05:00
Adélie Land
UTC+10:00
New Caledonia
UTC+11:00
Wallis and Futuna
UTC+12:00

Summer time[edit]

Metropolitan France follows the summer time schedule in Europe. Summer time starts on the last Sunday in March at 01:00 UTC, when local time changes from 02:00 (UTC+01:00) to 03:00 (UTC+02:00), and ends on the last Sunday in October at 01:00 UTC, when local time changes from 03:00 (UTC+02:00) to 02:00 (UTC+01:00).[1]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon follows the daylight saving time schedule of Canada and of the United States. It starts on the second Sunday in March at 02:00 (UTC−03:00), when local time changes to 03:00 (UTC−02:00), and ends on the first Sunday in November at 02:00 (UTC−02:00), when local time changes to 01:00 (UTC−03:00).[4]

Other parts of Overseas France do not observe summer time.

History[edit]

Before 1891, each town and city in Metropolitan France had its own time based on local solar time. In 1891, to avoid complications with railway timetables, time was unified in Metropolitan France and based on the solar time at the Paris Observatory — the Paris meridian being approximately 2°20′ east of the Greenwich meridian, Paris mean solar time was 9 minutes 21 seconds ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In detail, the railway companies used a unified time which lagged behind Paris solar time by 5 minutes, for the benefit of non-punctual travellers.[5] In 1911, Metropolitan France adopted GMT+0 as its official time, and used it until 1940 (with GMT+1 used during the summers from 1916 to 1940).

In the summer of 1940, the German military authorities switched the occupied northern part of Metropolitan France to GMT+2 (German summer time), while the non-occupied southern part of Metropolitan France remained at GMT+1 (French summer time). The Vichy authorities kept GMT+1 (French summer time) during the winter of 1940–1941 and adopted GMT+2 (double summer time, which was the same as German summer time) in May 1941 in order to unify the railway timetables between occupied and non-occupied Metropolitan France. In 1942, 1943, and 1944 the whole of Metropolitan France thus used GMT+2 during the summer, and GMT+1 during the winter.[6]

At the Liberation of France in the summer of 1944, Metropolitan France kept GMT+2 as it was the time then used by the Allies (British Double Summer Time). In the winter of 1944–1945, Metropolitan France switched to GMT+1, same as in the United Kingdom, and switched again to GMT+2 in April 1945. In September 1945, Metropolitan France returned to GMT+1 (pre-war summer time), which the British had already done in July 1945. Metropolitan France was officially scheduled to return to GMT+0 on November 18, 1945 (the British returned to GMT+0 in on October 7, 1945), but the French government canceled the decision on November 5, 1945, and GMT+1 has since then remained the official time of Metropolitan France.[6]

In 1976, daylight saving time (summer time) was reintroduced in Metropolitan France for the first time since WW2 because of the oil crisis,[citation needed] and since 1976 Metropolitan France has thus been at GMT+1 (now UTC+01:00) during the winter and GMT+2 (now UTC+02:00) during the summer. In 1996,[citation needed] daylight saving time was harmonized throughout the European Union by Directive 2000/84/EC, which moved the end of DST to the last Sunday in October.

A proposal to repeal this directive and require that member states observe their own choice of time year-round from 2021 is going through the legislative process as of March 2019.[7] A non-binding public consultation showed that approximately 59% of respondents would prefer France to apply year-round summer time (UTC+02:00), with 37% in favour of year-round winter time (UTC+01:00) and 4% expressing no preference.[8]

Since GMT (now UTC) is Metropolitan France's "natural" time zone, its use of UTC+01:00 in winter can be seen as a form of daylight saving time in winter, while Central European Summer Time (UTC+02:00) can be seen as a form of "double summer time."[9]

Notation[edit]

Main article: Date and time notation in France

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Decree no. 2017-292 of 6 March 2017 relative to French legal time, Légifrance, 8 March 2017 (in French).
  2. ^ Decree no. 79-896 of 17 October 1979 fixing the French legal time, Légifrance, 19 October 1979 (in French).
  3. ^ a b Which time difference in Polynesia?, Moana Voyages (in French).
  4. ^ Ruling of 23 February 2007 bearing dispositions relative to summer time in the territorial collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Légifrance, 10 March 2007 (in French).
  5. ^ Angelier, Maryse (1998). "Voyage en train au temps des compagnies, 1832-1937". Vie du Rail & des transports (96).
  6. ^ a b Poulle, Yvonne (1999). "La France à l'heure allemande". Bibliothèque de l'école des chartes. 157 (2): 493–502. doi:10.3406/bec.1999.450989. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Euro MPs vote to end summer time clock changes". BBC News. 26 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Forever summer: French vote overwhelmingly to scrap changing of the clocks". www.thelocal.fr. 7 March 2019.
  9. ^ Thorsen, Steffen. "France and Spain kicks into "Double Summer Time"". Time and Date.com. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
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