# Switch to winter time 2026 in France and calls for caution > In the night of October 24 to 25, 2026, France set its clocks back one hour to switch to winter time. This change was followed by warnings on road safety, drowsiness and visibility, particularly for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and scooter users. The prefectures of Nord and Pas-de-Calais called for caution, while Prévention Routière organized visibility checks in Normandy and training sessions in Besançon. The question of abolishing the biannual clock change and energy savings were also debated. In Doubs, dusk-time burglaries slightly increased during the All Saints' Day holidays, favored by the clock change. **In brief**: Ongoing story bringing together 12 events in 10 departments (Doubs, Calvados, Cher and 7 more), followed from 24 October 2026 to 30 October 2026. 34 articles from 22 sources (society, security); last updated on 30 October 2026 at 17:19. - Status: ongoing - Category: Society, Security - Place: Doubs, Calvados, Cher, Eure, Manche, Nord, Orne, Pas-de-Calais, Seine-Maritime, Var - First detected: 24 October 2026 at 09:30 - Updated: 30 October 2026 at 17:19 - Web page: https://acturadar.com/en/stories/38-switch-to-winter-time-2026-in-france-and-calls-for-caution ## Coverage angles The three sides cover the 2026 switch to winter time starting from the same fact, but emphasize different angles: critical and historical on the left, verification and safety in the center, official synchronization and effects on the body or the European debate on the right. **Common ground** - France switched to winter time in the night of October 24 to 25, 2026, setting clocks back one hour. - The clock change rekindles the debate on its abolition or usefulness. - The question of energy savings is associated with the clock change. **Differences** - Cyclist and scooter user safety, with mandatory lighting and vigilance at the end of the day, is highlighted by centrist media and absent from left and right extracts. - The Allouis transmitter and official time broadcasting are emphasized on the right, but absent from left and center extracts. - The history of the 1975 reintroduction to limit energy consumption is present on the left, while right and center extracts do not mention it. - Seasonal depression is mentioned on the right, but absent from left and center extracts. ## Timeline (12 events) ### 24 October 2026 — [Passage à l'heure d'hiver dans la nuit du 24 au 25 octobre 2026](https://acturadar.com/en/events/226-passage-a-l-heure-d-hiver-dans-la-nuit-du-24-au-25-octobre-2026.md) Les Français reculeront leurs montres d'une heure dans la nuit du samedi 24 au dimanche 25 octobre 2026, comme chaque dernier dimanche d'octobre. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 24 October 2026 — [France switches to winter time from Saturday to Sunday](https://acturadar.com/en/events/15-france-switches-to-winter-time-from-saturday-to-sunday.md) The country turns its clocks back one hour from Saturday to Sunday, marking the switch to winter time. 15 sources, 17 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [The switch to winter time disrupts driving and road safety](https://acturadar.com/en/events/671-the-switch-to-winter-time-disrupts-driving-and-road-safety.md) The time change affects drivers' drowsiness and visibility, with an increase in accidents between 5pm and 7pm. 4 sources, 4 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [Dans le Cher, l'émetteur d'Allouis diffuse l'heure officielle de la France](https://acturadar.com/en/events/669-dans-le-cher-l-emetteur-d-allouis-diffuse-l-heure-officielle-de-la-france.md) Alors que la France passe à l'heure d'hiver, l'émetteur d'Allouis dans le Cher transmet l'heure officielle aux horloges des gares, hôpitaux et écoles. 1 sources, 1 articles · Allouis — Cher ### 26 October 2026 — [Debate on the end of daylight saving time](https://acturadar.com/en/events/563-debate-on-the-end-of-daylight-saving-time.md) As France switches to winter time, the question of abolishing the biannual clock change returns to the debate, the 2019 European proposal being frozen. 1 sources, 3 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [Electric scooters: increased risks at night despite reflective vest](https://acturadar.com/en/events/1078-electric-scooters-increased-risks-at-night-despite-reflective-vest.md) With the time change and night falling earlier, accident risks for scooters and bikes increase. Wearing a reflective vest remains mandatory but little respected. 2 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [La préfecture du Nord appelle à la prudence après le passage à l'heure d'hiver](https://acturadar.com/en/events/875-la-prefecture-du-nord-appelle-a-la-prudence-apres-le-passage-a-l-heure-d-hiver.md) La préfecture de la région Hauts-de-France et du Nord rappelle les consignes de visibilité et de prudence pour les piétons, cyclistes et automobilistes, la nuit tombant plus tôt après le changement d'heure. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nord ### 27 October 2026 — [Pas-de-Calais : appel à la prudence après le passage à l'heure d'hiver](https://acturadar.com/en/events/1608-pas-de-calais-appel-a-la-prudence-apres-le-passage-a-l-heure-d-hiver.md) La préfecture du Pas-de-Calais rappelle les bons réflexes de sécurité routière après la baisse de luminosité liée au passage à l'heure d'hiver. 1 sources, 1 articles · Pas-de-Calais ### 27 October 2026 — [Le changement d'heure permet-il vraiment des économies d'énergie ?](https://acturadar.com/en/events/2162-le-changement-d-heure-permet-il-vraiment-des-economies-d-energie.md) Après le passage à l'heure d'hiver, un fact-checking examine les économies d'énergie réelles du changement d'heure, modestes et surtout réalisées en été. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 28 October 2026 — [La Prévention Routière organise des contrôles de visibilité en Normandie](https://acturadar.com/en/events/3554-la-prevention-routiere-organise-des-controles-de-visibilite-en-normandie.md) Avec le passage à l'heure d'hiver, la nuit tombe plus tôt et les accidents augmentent. La Prévention Routière organise tout l'automne des contrôles gratuits des véhicules dans plusieurs villes de Normandie. 1 sources, 1 articles · Normandie — Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne, Seine-Maritime ### 30 October 2026 — [Besançon : la Prévention routière organise des stages de visibilité hivernale](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4907-besancon-la-prevention-routiere-organise-des-stages-de-visibilite-hivernale.md) La Prévention routière propose les 3 et 10 novembre à Besançon deux stages destinés aux cyclistes, piétons et usagers de trottinettes pour rappeler l'importance d'être visible après le passage à l'heure d'hiver. 1 sources, 1 articles · Besançon — Doubs ### 30 October 2026 — [Doubs : les cambriolages crépusculaires augmentent avec le changement d'heure](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4997-doubs-les-cambriolages-crepusculaires-augmentent-avec-le-changement-d-heure.md) Pendant les vacances de la Toussaint, les cambriolages ont légèrement augmenté dans le Doubs, favorisés par le changement d'heure. La commandante du groupement de gendarmerie départemental appelle à la vigilance. 1 sources, 1 articles · Doubs --- Cite as: Acturadar, “Switch to winter time 2026 in France and calls for caution”, https://acturadar.com/en/stories/38-switch-to-winter-time-2026-in-france-and-calls-for-caution Methodology: https://acturadar.com/en/methodology