France Readies for Evening Partial Solar Eclipse as Totality Crosses Spain

Overview

• The eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12 in the early evening and will last roughly 1 hour 45 minutes across France with the moment of greatest obscuration varying by location.
• Northern Spain falls inside the narrow path of totality while most of France will see a partial eclipse that hides about 90–99% of the Sun, with the highest obscuration in the southwest.
• French health and consumer bodies require viewers to use ISO 12312-2:2015 eyewear showing a CE mark, manufacturer or distributor details and French instructions, and the DGCCRF is inspecting suppliers for counterfeit or non‑compliant glasses.
• Authorities advise limiting each continuous viewing session to about three minutes, supervising children, and never using eclipse glasses with cameras, binoculars or telescopes without dedicated solar filters to avoid eye or sensor damage.
• Totality offers short windows to study the solar corona in Spain while in France the event is a rare visual spectacle until 2081 and may briefly affect outdoor activities through lower light, cooler temperatures and larger crowds.