The city of Paris will be completely plunged into darkness in March, here's why!

Here’s a tradition that Paris will never miss for any reason: Earth Hour. What is it? A global movement initiated by WWF, which involves turning off the lights of the most famous landmarks around the world. And this 2026 edition, taking place on Saturday, March 28, will be especially memorable as it celebrates the 20th anniversary of the event. 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par WWF Scotland (@wwfscotland)

An international mobilization for the environment

A seemingly simple action that carries a special symbolic significance. Once a year, 185 countries celebrate Earth Hour and thus demonstrate their ecological commitment. New York, London, Sydney, Singapore, as well as Paris, Lille, Rouen, Lyon, Marseille, and La Rochelle come together to be plunged into darkness for one hour. 

What is the goal of such an initiative? To collectively raise awareness of our hyper-connected lifestyles and consumption patterns, along with the dangers our planet faces. More concretely, this blackout, even though it lasts only an hour, helps save several thousand tons of CO2.

About twenty Parisian monuments turned off

In Paris, this means that the most iconic monuments and places in the capital, usually illuminated continuously, will be turned off. This includes, for example, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame de Paris, Sacré-Cœur, the Champs-Élysées, the Vendôme Column and Square, the Column of the Throne, the City Hall, the Panthéon, the Hôtel des Invalides, the Petit Palais, the Place de la Concorde, the Bir-Hakeim Bridge, the Pont-Neuf, the Academy of Climate, the Saint-Sulpice Church, as well as the town halls of the 5th, 9th, 14th, and 18th districts. For this occasion, some establishments in the capital are also joining in: such is the case of the Grand Café Fauchon, which will offer...a candlelit dinner. Two menus with three and five courses, crafted by Chef Baptiste Limouzin, will be available that evening. 

See this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah Terry (@geographer7)

Earth Hour
Saturday, March 28, 2026, starting at 8:30 PM
More info