What Is Paris Time Called?

By Anna Duncan

If you are planning a trip to Paris or need to communicate with someone who lives there, you may be wondering what the time in Paris is called. The answer is simple: Paris time is known as Central European Time (CET).

What Is Central European Time?

Central European Time, also known as CET, is the standard time zone used in most parts of Europe. It is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+1) and is used in countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

Why Is Paris Time Called Central European Time?

Paris, the capital city of France, is located in the central part of Europe. Therefore, it falls under the Central European Time zone. This means that when it’s noon in London (which uses Greenwich Mean Time), it’s already 1 pm in Paris.

Daylight Saving Time

Like many other countries that use CET, France observes Daylight Saving Time (DST). During DST period (from March to October), clocks are advanced by one hour to make better use of natural daylight. This means that during DST period, Paris time is one hour ahead of CET.

Other Names for Central European Time

Although CET is the official name for this time zone used in most parts of Europe including France and Spain, some countries have their own names for it. For example:

  • In Germany and Austria: Mitteleuropäische Zeit (MEZ)
  • In Italy: Ora Centrale Europea (OCE)
  • In Norway and Sweden: Sentral-Europeisk Tid (SET)

Conclusion

To sum it up, if you want to know what time it is in Paris or if you need to communicate with someone who lives there, you can refer to Central European Time (CET). This time zone is used in most parts of Europe, including France, and is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+1). Don’t forget to take Daylight Saving Time into account if you’re traveling during the summer months.