No more late-afternoon strolls in Parisian parks and gardens : starting this Sunday, October 26, 2025, they will close their doors earlier, at 5:45 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m. Why the change in hours? Well, it's simply because of the switch to winter time, and it will last until next February, as it does every year! But this is not the case for all green spaces; some are exempt, such as Parc Monceau.
Time change in 2026: When will we switch to summer time?
The days are gradually getting longer, while the nights appear slightly shorter. Although the switch to daylight saving time is approaching steadily, a little more patience is needed before the clocks change again. The transition to summer time will occur during the night of Saturday, March 28 to Sunday, March 29, 2026. We will lose an hour of sleep and will need to set our clocks forward by one hour. [Read more]
According to the city of Paris, opening hours vary according to the season. Gardens generally open between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and their closing times are adjusted according to the time of year, based on the average sunset time "to offer the public the widest possible access". In addition, a quarter of the 536 parks, gardens, and squares are open 24 hours a day, regardless of the time of year.
Among the parks affected by these earlier closures are Martin Luther King Park, André-Citroën Park, Montsouris Park, and the Luxembourg Gardens. According to Le Parisien, the closure of parks "is the responsibility of the municipal police and prevention department," whose officers often have to deal with several sites in the same area. It is therefore a question of safety, since after dark, the atmosphere is not the same as during the day and the sun sets earlier, so closures must be anticipated.
Check the opening hours of the gardens before you go there at the end of the day to avoid finding yourself in front of closed doors!
Time change in 2026: When will we switch to summer time?
