Étranger Things: Time change France 2025 — the one-week “oops” with the U.S., explained

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Who this is for & what you’ll get

New to Aix (or just new to clock chaos)? This quick guide tells you exactly when France changes time this fall 2025, why the U.S. lags by a week, and how to sanity-proof your calendars, calls, and travel.

When do clocks change in France (Fall 2025)?

Sunday, 26 October 2025 at 03:00, clocks roll back to 02:00 as we leave CEST (UTC+2) for CET (UTC+1). That’s the EU-wide rule: last Sunday in October. (Time and Date)

Why the one-week mismatch with the U.S.?

Because the U.S. ends DST on the first Sunday in November—this year 2 November 2025—one week after France. Result: a temporary shift in time differences. (Time and Date)

The practical ripple (26 Oct → 2 Nov 2025)

  • Paris ↔ New York: normally 6h difference. For that week: 5h. Back to 6h after Nov 2. (Time and Date)

  • Paris ↔ Los Angeles: normally 9h (summer) → 8h for that week → 9h once the U.S. falls back. (Time and Date)

  • Paris ↔ London: no drama—UK changes the same day as France. Paris stays +1h to London. (GOV.UK)

  • Paris ↔ Toronto/Vancouver: follows U.S. timing (Nov 2 in most provinces). Expect the same one-week quirk. (Time and Date)

  • Mexico: most of the country no longer changes clocks (border cities follow the U.S.). Double-check meeting times. (Wikipedia)

  • Australia (NSW/VIC/SA/TAS/ACT): already on daylight time since Oct 5, so spring/summer offsets apply. (Time and Date)

“Don’t miss your train/Zoom/flight” checklist

  • Phones/computers: usually auto-update—leave “Set automatically” on.

  • SNCF/airlines: tickets display local time; re-check departure times on Oct 26 and the following week.

  • Calendars: for cross-Atlantic meetings during the odd week, send invites again (or note “Paris is 5h ahead of NYC this week”).

  • Home stuff: oven/microwave/car clocks—manual tweak. Bonus: perfect moment to test smoke/CO alarms.

Fast facts & sources

  • France ends DST: Sun 26 Oct 2025, 03:00 → 02:00. (Time and Date)

  • EU rule: last Sunday of March/October, coordinated. (Time and Date)

  • U.S. ends DST: Sun 2 Nov 2025 (most states). (Time and Date)

  • UK clocks back: Sun 26 Oct 2025. (GOV.UK)

FAQ

Do I gain or lose an hour in France?
You gain one delicious hour of sleep (03:00 becomes 02:00). Brunch wins. (Time and Date)

Will the EU scrap clock changes soon?
Not for 2025—the coordinated EU schedule is still in force. (Time and Date)

Do France’s overseas territories change too?
Many do not observe DST. Always check local rules before planning calls.

Why does my Google/Outlook event shift?
Cross-time-zone invites recalculate to local time. During the odd week, re-send invites or add a manual note.

Internal links you might need

Your turn (on papote à Aix !)

Tell us: Did the one-week offset ever trip you up? Drop your best “I joined the Zoom an hour early” story (we’ve all done it).

Practice corner (A1 → C1):

  • A1: “On recule d’une heure le 26 octobre.” / “What time is it in New York this week?”

  • A2: “Attention: la France passe à l’heure d’hiver une semaine avant les États-Unis.”

  • B1: “Mon vol est affiché en heure locale—je vérifie après le changement d’heure.”

  • B2: “Pendant l’intervalle d’une semaine, Paris n’est plus qu’à cinq heures de New York.”

  • C1: “Pour éviter les quiproquos, je renvoie des invitations horodatées et j’indique explicitement le fuseau (CET/CEST, EDT/EST).”

Psst… If you spot a timetable or offset we should add, comment below and we’ll update this post for everyone.

Location: France

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