The daylight saving time change on March 29, 2026 is approaching, and with it comes, as always, the same question: should we move the clocks forward or back? But this year, another question is gaining traction in public debate: what if we ended this ritual once and for all? Since the European Parliament voted to abolish the daylight saving time change in 2019, with no concrete decision ever taken, the French are waiting. In Île-de-France as elsewhere, fatigue is palpable. And the core question remains: if France had to choose between permanent daylight saving time and permanent standard time, what would Parisian daily life look like?
By far the public’s top choice. In a public consultation, 59% of respondents backed permanent daylight saving time. It’s easy to see why: keeping natural light until 10 p.m. in June on the terraces of the Marais or along the Seine is an enticing prospect.
In summer, not much changes, since it’s already our current time. But the issue shows up in winter. If we kept daylight saving time year-round, a Parisian would see sunrise around 9:45–10:00 a.m. in December, instead of roughly 8:40 a.m. today.
In other words, schoolchildren would head to class in complete darkness, workers would take the metro before dawn, and the winter mood, already stretched thin, would take another hit. With permanent daylight saving time, France would be two hours out of sync with its natural solar time, an even wider gap than today.
Scientists, for their part, clearly favor the other option. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes unambiguously that permanent standard time is the most beneficial for the human body. It aligns more closely with our natural circadian rhythm, that biological clock tuned to the day-night cycle that the twice-yearly time changes disrupt.
Inserm also notes that this seasonal shift triggers sleep problems, irritability and a drop in alertness. With permanent standard time, mornings would be brighter, and children and the elderly—the groups most vulnerable to these disruptions—would be less affected.
But Parisians would have to accept a sizable concession: evenings that would stretch to around 5 p.m. in December, instead of the current 4:56 p.m. The terraces, strolls in the Bois de Boulogne, post-work outings... everything would be more concentrated in daylight.
The problem is that Paris does not decide alone. Daylight saving is an EU-wide obligation, and it’s in Brussels, not the Élysée, where the decisions are made. And in Brussels, the matter has been stuck since 2020. Northern European countries favor winter time, better suited to their latitude, while Southern countries back summer time to enjoy longer evenings. This geographic split is preventing any workable compromise.
Meanwhile, Ademe estimates the energy gain from changing the clock at less than 0.1% of national consumption — in other words, the economic rationale that justified this ritual since the 1976 oil shock no longer holds up.
In 2026, the two dates remain on the calendar: March 29 to move to daylight saving time (clocks go forward one hour at 2:00 a.m.), and October 25 for the return to standard time. To weather the March 29 switch with the least discomfort, experts advise shifting your bedtime by 15 minutes each night in the days leading up, cutting back on screen time in the evening, and getting natural light as soon as you wake up. Simple steps, while Europe finally settles a question that, in Paris as elsewhere, arrives with flawless punctuality: twice a year, no exceptions.
To follow how the issue is evolving on the European front, you can consult the European Commission's work on daylight saving time and Inserm's recommendations on circadian rhythm.
