“Time change: the time Winter 2024 has arrived, a throwback this weekend” The 2024 time change has been scheduled for this weekend, on the night of Saturday to Sunday. Our questions/answers to help you understand the switch to winter time. The time change of October 2024 marks, this weekend as every year, the arrival of winter time. On the night of Saturday to Sunday, a big rewind was programmed, switching the country to cooler and above all shorter and less bright days. The time change was introduced in France in 1976, at following the oil crisis, with the aim of saving energy by making the most of daylight. Thus, by moving the clocks forward one hour at the start of spring, the need for lighting is reduced in the evening, before being turned back in the fall. This system has been harmonized at the European level in the 1990s, in order to facilitate trade between Member States. Although the end of the time change was outlined in 2019, with several European decisions going in this direction, this double switch still has a bright future ahead of it within the EU. A pandemic, a war and endless discussions to harmonize time among the 27 seem to have diverted attention and ultimately got the better of the initiative. One thing is certain, the switch to winter time has well and truly arrived this Sunday, October 27 and a new switch to Daylight saving time will also take place next March. Here are all the answers to the questions that arise about this much-discussed time change. Questions/Answers The time change, especially during the transition to standard time, can temporarily affect productivity at work. Some employees may experience fatigue or difficulty concentrating for a few days while their body clock adjusts to the new routine. However, standard time also offers the benefit of allowing for better synchronization with daylight in the morning, which can improve alertness from the start of the day. Additionally, studies have shown that the quality of sleep could improve slightly with winter time, as it is closer to natural solar time. Since 1998, the time change, both winter and summer, has been coordinated at European level. This harmonisation measure aims to facilitate transport and communications between the different EU countries at the time of the time change. Result: in the “27”, we return to winter time every last Sunday in October (this weekend), three o'clock in the morning. A few days before All Saints' Day, all EU citizens therefore "gain" an hour of sleep. As for the change to summer time, also harmonised within the EU, it takes place every last Sunday in March, at two o'clock in the morning and in the opposite direction. The time change can be disruptive for children because their body clocks are often more rigid than those of adults. When they switch to standard time, they may have difficulty falling asleep earlier or waking up in the morning, which can affect their mood and concentration at school. Parents can help alleviate these effects by gradually adjusting bedtimes and maintaining a consistent routine around meals and activities to help children adjust more easily to the change. the new time. The 2024 winter time change has been set for this Sunday, October 27, 2024. On this date and starting at exactly 3 a.m., France switches to winter time, like all countries in the European Union. The winter time change is always scheduled for the last weekend of October, while the switch to summer time occurs on the last weekend of March. Next year, the switch will take place on Sunday, March 30. The time change takes place precisely at 3 a.m. on Sunday, October 27, 2024. At this precise time, the official time will return directly to 2 a.m. That night, an extra hour of sleep is therefore gained. The time of the change was not chosen at random: it is done at night to minimize disruptions to daily life, particularly with regard to transport and professional activities. This is a time when few people are active, which limits the inconvenience. To help everyone find their way around before and after the summer time change, we have integrated this clock into our page from the specialist site WebHorloge.fr, which displays Paris time live. The best way to know the exact time, no matter what time of the weekend it is. The change in time, especially during the transition to standard time, can impact mental health by increasing the risk of seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This disorder is linked to reduced exposure to natural light, which can disrupt the production of melatonin and serotonin, hormones that regulate sleep and mood. Some people experience a decrease in motivation, irritability, or a lack of energy during this period. To counteract these effects, light therapy (luminotherapy) or outdoor activities during daylight hours are often recommended. The French overseas departments and territories (DOM-TOM), located mainly in tropical and quatorial regions, do not practice time change. Indeed, these areas do not experience major seasonal variations in brightness as in mainland France. The days are relatively constant throughout the year, which makes time change unnecessary. For example, in Martinique or Reunion, the length of the day remains practically stable, which makes it possible to maintain a fixed time throughout the year. Night workers will work an extra hour if they keep their usual hours during the time change. The Labor Code does not specify anything on this subject. You must then refer to the collective agreement to find out the terms of your company and whether this hour will be paid extra or can be subject to compensatory rest.
06:07 – Can the time change affect productivity at work ?
00:00 – Are the changes to winter and summer time coordinated on a European scale ?
25/10/24 – 20:40 – How does the time change affect children ?
When does the winter time change take place in 2024 ?
What time is it exactly in France ?
10/25/24- 3:35 PM – Does changing time affect mental health ?
10/25/24 – 2:38 PM – How does the time change work in the French overseas departments and territories ?
10/25/24- 11:28 – Does the time change have an impact on the salaries of night workers ?
Learn more
- Summer time change 2025 : Sunday, March 30, 2025
- Winter time change 2025 : Sunday, October 26, 2025
- Summer time change 2026 : Sunday, March 29, 2026
- Winter time change 2026 : Sunday, October 25, 2026
The transition to standard time, with an hour of sleep “gained”, is often perceived as gentler than the transition to summer time. It allows our bodies to return to a more natural rhythm, where sunrise coincides more with waking up. Studies have shown that standard time is closer to the internal biological clock of most people, which can contribute to better quality sleep and a more restorative rest.
The change between winter and summer time as we know it today was introduced by decree in 1975, following the oil crisis. It then involved introducing a summer time at GMT+2, i.e. a two-hour time difference with natural time, from the following March. Objective: to better coordinate natural lighting and human activities from spring onwards, to save energy.
The end of March is then chosen to coincide with the spring equinox, synonymous with the return of fine weather and longer days. The return to “normal” time (evening GMT+1) is logically set at the opposite as the autumn equinox approaches, i.e. at the end of October. The weekend, and in particular the night from Saturday to Sunday, will quickly appear to be the time when the immediate impact of the time change will be the most limited.
The seasonal time change was initiated by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), as the government agency responsible for ensuring optimizing the energy bill. In a 2010 synthesis, the organization still estimated the savings made the previous year at 440 GWh thanks to the time change.
The time change was harmonised across Europe in 1998 and is now applied by all EU Member States and 70 countries in total. However, it has been highly controversial for years. Its detractors point out above all the too limited energy gains, especially with the evolution of technologies and uses, as well as the negative effects on health, sleep and road safety.
No, the winter time change is not the last. In March 2019, after consultation, the European Parliament adopted a draft by a majority to end the time change, but it will not be implemented for several years. The draft directive provided for the elimination of the rapid time change: to do so, each Member State had to decide between remaining at winter time or stay on summer time. The European Parliament had also called for coordination between the Member States and the European Commission so that the application of permanent hours (winter and summer) in the different countries does not disrupt the functioning of the internal market.
The directive was to be adopted by the Council at the end of 2020, then transposed by the Member States, underlines the official Vie Publique website. However, due to the health crisis linked to Covid-19, Brexit, then the upheavals caused by the war in Ukraine, not to mention the hesitations of European leaders, the text in question on the end of the time change is no longer on the agenda “and should not be discussed in the near future”, concludes the French administration website. And once put back on the table, the debates are expected to be long: “It is up to each Member State to decide on the legal time it wishes to adopt,” the European Commission confirmed to Euronews in autumn 2022. While the majority of French people have expressed their weariness with the time change and their desire to end it, the debate on which time zone to adopt remains open. According to the consultation conducted by the National Assembly in 2019, 59% of respondents expressed their preference for permanent daylight saving time, which would allow for longer light evenings. However, some public health experts warn against this option, arguing that daylight saving time permanent could disrupt sleep cycles and have health consequences.
Sources
- Service-public.fr : https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A15539
- Council of the European Union : https://www.consilium.europa.eu/fr/policies/seasonal-time-changes/#:~:text=The%20directive%20currently%20in%20force,the%20last%20sunday%20of%27october.
- Statista: https://fr.statista.com/infographie/13334/les-pays-qui-ont-adopte-lheure-dete/#:~:text=Aux%20côtés%20des%20Européens%20sont,Maroc%20et%20quelques%20autres%20pays.
- Légifrance: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000000500782
- Agence de l'environnement et de la gestion de l'énergie: https://presse.ademe.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/impact-changement-heure-2010-synthese.pdf
- European Parliament: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2019-0225_FR.html
- Senate: https://www.senat.fr/rap/r96-13/r96-13_mono.html#toc11
- International Federation of Chronobiological Societies: https://www.sf-chronobiologie.org/les-statuts-de-la-sfc/
- National Institute of Health and medical research: https://www.inserm.fr