Overview
- The eclipse on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, will be visible across France as a very high partial eclipse with occultation rates roughly 90% in the northeast, about 96% in Marseille and Provence, and up to about 99–99.5% in the southwest and Basque Country.
- Coverage reports inconsistent local start times, with several outlets giving times around 19:20 and others between 20:00 and 20:20, so viewers should check an official local timetable before going outside to observe.
- Pr Baillif of CHU de Nice and other medical experts say the drop in brightness can encourage people to stare at the Sun while harmful ultraviolet rays remain, and they stress using certified eclipse glasses marked CE or ISO 12312-2 to avoid permanent retinal injury.
- Practical viewing advice includes using only proper solar filters for cameras or telescopes, shielding phone sensors or using clips and tripods, and choosing a clear line of sight free of hills or buildings to avoid missing the event.
- The event is the most notable eclipse for mainland France since 1999, totality will occur only along a narrow path in Greenland, Iceland and parts of Spain, and the next total solar eclipse visible in France is not expected until 3 September 2081.