# Switch to winter time 2026 in France: safety and debates > In the night of October 24 to 25, 2026, France switched to winter time, clocks going back one hour. On October 26, the Allouis transmitter in the Cher continued to broadcast the official time, while the debate on abolishing the biannual clock change resurfaced, the 2019 European project being frozen. On October 26 and 27, authorities warned of increased road risks due to reduced visibility for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and scooter users, with the prefectures of Nord and Pas-de-Calais calling for caution, and a fact-check examined the actual energy savings from the clock change. From October 28, checks and visibility workshops were organized in Normandy, Besançon and Romilly-sur-Seine, while the Doubs gendarmerie reported on October 30 a slight increase in dusk-time burglaries. **In brief**: Ongoing story bringing together 13 events in 11 departments (Doubs, Aube, Calvados and 8 more), followed from 24 October 2026 to 31 October 2026. 35 articles from 22 sources (society, security); last updated on 31 October 2026 at 12:39. - Status: ongoing - Category: Society, Security - Place: Doubs, Aube, Calvados, Cher, Eure, Manche, Nord, Orne, Pas-de-Calais, Seine-Maritime, Var - First detected: 24 October 2026 at 09:30 - Updated: 31 October 2026 at 12:39 - Web page: https://acturadar.com/en/stories/38-switch-to-winter-time-2026-in-france-safety-and-debates ## Coverage angles The three sides cover the switch to winter time by combining practical explanations and criticism, but the left emphasizes the energy origin and criticism of the measure, the center focuses on safety and user visibility, and the right highlights effects on the body, health and the blockage of the reform. **Common ground** - The switch to winter time took place in the night of October 24 to 25, 2026, with clocks going back one hour - The measure has been reintroduced since 1975, originally to limit energy consumption - The clock change sparks debate over its usefulness and possible abolition - The body does not necessarily benefit from an extra hour of sleep **Differences** - The left highlights criticism of the measure and its energy origin, while the center focuses on safety and user visibility - The right raises seasonal depression and the blockage of the reform in Brussels, angles absent from the provided left and center articles - The center details road safety prevention actions (workshops, mandatory lighting) not mentioned by the left and right ## Timeline (13 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 ### 31 October 2026 — [Romilly-sur-Seine : contrôles gratuits pour préparer les voitures à l'hiver](https://acturadar.com/en/events/5814-romilly-sur-seine-controles-gratuits-pour-preparer-les-voitures-a-l-hiver.md) Une opération gratuite de prévention routière s'est tenue place des Martyrs à Romilly-sur-Seine, comme chaque année au moment du passage à l'heure d'hiver. 1 sources, 1 articles · Romilly-sur-Seine — Aube --- Cite as: Acturadar, “Switch to winter time 2026 in France: safety and debates”, https://acturadar.com/en/stories/38-switch-to-winter-time-2026-in-france-safety-and-debates Methodology: https://acturadar.com/en/methodology