Although our smartphones, computers, and tablets automatically change the time, our watches and clocks will have to do it manually. The time change will take place again this year, on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 2 a.m. You will need to add 60 minutes to standard time. It will then be 3 hours instead of 2 hours. Unfortunately, it won't be the last! But do you know why? And do you know the origin of these time changes as winter and summer approach?
1916: the introduction of the first time change in France
The change to summer time was first introduced during the First World War, in an effort to save energy. European countries began adopting daylight saving time in 1916, setting clocks forward one hour in the summer to take advantage of natural light for longer in the evenings and thus reduce energy consumption.
Daylight saving time was officially introduced in France in 1976 following a rise in oil prices, and since then, many other countries around the world have adopted the practice, although the exact dates of the time change vary from country to country. In the United States, daylight saving time was introduced in 1918 but was abolished after the war, then reinstated during World War II and finally made permanent in 1966. It was not until 1998 that Europe introduced this time change on a large scale.
Was the expected objective achieved?
An interesting study conducted in 2010 by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, shows that these time changes in 2009, the reference year of the study, saved 440 GWh, which represents the annual consumption of 800,000 households. This result is also accompanied by a reduction of 44,000 tons of CO2 emissions, still in 2009. According to calculations made by Ademe, this time change, if still active in 2030, could reduce CO2 emissions by 110,000 tons.
But was this perceived in the same way by the population? No, some people have been campaigning for years to stop the time change in France, as in Europe. The impact of this time change is not as beneficial for human beings, with more or less significant disruptions and an increase in road accidents.
This hit the mark at the Council of the European Union, which had planned the end of the time change for 2019 after a favorable vote by the European Parliament. European countries were therefore responsible for choosing a definitive time, winter time or summer time. However, this would cause logistical problems between a country that uses summer time and its neighbor that uses winter time. It would seem logical for all European countries to have a single time.
The European Affairs Committee of the National Assembly interviewed several French people to find out their opinions on these time changes. This survey shows that 83.71% of the French population, compared to 16.29%, want to see the end of the time change. A second question asked during the survey shows more divergence. Indeed, 59.17% of people want to keep summer time, compared to 36.97% who want to keep winter time.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has come along, putting a stop to many projects, including this time change. Consequently, on the night of March 29 to 30, we will switch to summer time.
Last time change? No, we will move forward one hour on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
Before all the countries of the European Union agree, a lot of ink will have been spilled on paper, or water under the bridge. Therefore, you will have to put your clocks forward by one hour on the night of March 29 to 30, 2025. This means that on Sunday, at 2 a.m., it will actually be 3 a.m., or “one hour less under the covers”!
We invite you to join us on the night of Saturday, October 25 to Sunday, October 26, 2025, to set our clocks back one hour to enter winter time.
If we sleep less, where do we sleep best in France?
A recent study conducted by Unobravo analyzed sleep conditions in 30 French cities based on criteria such as noise and light pollution, air quality, internet speed, and the number of cafes. The study aimed to identify the cities offering the best environment for restful sleep. According to the results, Besançon is ranked as the best French city for sleep, thanks to its low noise and light pollution rate (38 out of 100) and a high percentage of green spaces (54%). In addition, an average internet speed of 200 Mbps reduces digital distractions before bedtime, promoting quality sleep.
Saint-Étienne ranks second, with the highest percentage of green spaces (57%), which helps improve sleep quality and duration. The city also has few cafes per capita (3.4 per 100,000), reducing the temptation to consume caffeine late in the evening. Aix-en-Provence ranks third, boasting low noise and light pollution (35 out of 100) and 56% green space. However, the city has a high number of cafes, which could disrupt the sleep of night owls.
In contrast, Lyon is considered the worst French city for sleep, with a low percentage of green space (29%) and fast internet speeds (279 Mbps), which increase digital distractions before bedtime. Bordeaux and Strasbourg follow in the ranking of the worst cities, with urban environments disrupting sleep. Bordeaux has a high density of cafes, while Strasbourg suffers from high noise and light pollution.
0 Comments