Time in France facts for kids

France is a country in Europe that uses different time zones. During the winter, most of France uses something called Central European Time (CET). This is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+01:00). When summer arrives, France switches to Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is two hours ahead of UTC (UTC+02:00). This change helps make the most of daylight.

This map shows the different time zones across Europe. Notice how some countries, like Russia, don't use daylight saving time.

Time Zones in French Territories

France is special because it has many lands all over the world. These places are called French territories. They are located in different parts of the globe, so they use many different time zones.

Here are some of the French territories and their time zones:

• French Polynesia: This area uses three different times! They are UTC-10:00 (Tahiti Time), UTC-09:30 (Marquesas Time), and UTC-09:00 (Gambier Time).
• Clipperton Island: This small island uses UTC-08:00, which is also known as Easter Island Standard Time.
• Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, and Saint Martin: These islands in the Caribbean all use UTC-04:00, which is Atlantic Time.
• French Guiana and Saint Pierre: These territories use UTC-03:00. This is called French Guiana Time and Pierre & Miquelon Standard Time.
• Mayotte: This island in the Indian Ocean uses UTC+03:00, or East Africa Time.
• Reunion: Another island in the Indian Ocean, Reunion uses UTC+04:00 (Reunion Time).
• French Southern Territories: These distant lands use UTC+05:00, known as French Southern and Antarctic Time.
• New Caledonia: This group of islands in the Pacific uses UTC+11:00 (New Caledonia Time).
• Wallis and Futuna: These Pacific islands are very far east, using UTC+12:00 (Wallis and Futuna Time).

Understanding Daylight Saving Time

Most of France uses daylight saving time (DST). This means they move their clocks forward by one hour in the spring and back by one hour in the autumn. This helps save energy and makes evenings brighter.

In mainland France, DST starts at 2:00 AM local time on the last Sunday in March. It ends at 3:00 AM local time on the last Sunday in October.

Only one French territory also uses DST: Saint Pierre and Miquelon. However, it follows a different schedule. It changes its clocks at the same time as Canada and the United States. For them, DST starts on the second Sunday in March and finishes on the first Sunday in November.

Images for kids

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  This map shows all the different lands that make up the French Republic. They are shown at the same size to help you compare them.