Overview
- The solstice is a precise instant, not a full day, and near this date sunsets begin getting later even as sunrises keep getting later for a short period, briefly stabilizing total daylight.
- Day length at the solstice is about 8 hours in Paris and roughly 7 hours in Lille, reflecting latitude-driven differences across France.
- In Paris on December 21 the sun rose at 8:41 and set at 16:56 for 8 hours 15 minutes of daylight, increasing to 8 hours 16 minutes by December 26 as sunrise shifts to 8:43 and sunset to 16:59.
- The Northern Hemisphere experiences its minimum daylight now as the South enjoys peak summer conditions, with parts of the Arctic in polar night and long days near the Antarctic.
- Because of atmospheric inertia, average temperatures typically bottom out weeks after the solstice, around mid‑January, even though daylight begins to increase.