The french calendar (in french : republican calendar) was passed in France on the 24th of october 1793 and abolished on the 1st of january 1806 by Napoleon. It was briefly re-used during the 'Commune de Paris' in 1871.

A standard year counts 365 days, a leap year 366. The year is divided in 12 months of 30 days, followed by 5 or 6 'additionnal' days.

The week disappears, it is replaced by a decade (period of 10 days), every month counts 3 decades, every decade ends with a rest day (1 for 10 days instead of 1 for 7 !).

The months names are in relation with nature : Vendémiaire (grape harvest), Brumaire (smog), Frimaire (wintry weather), Nivôse (snow), Pluviôse (rain), Ventôse (wind), Germinal (germ), Floréal (flowers), Prairial (meadows), Messidor (harvest), Thermidor (heat), Fructidor (fruits).

The 10 days of a decade are called : : Primidi, Duodi, Tridi, Quartidi, Quintidi, Sextidi, Septidi, Octidi, Nonidi, Decadi.

The 5 or 6 insert days, which follow the last day of Fructidor are : Virtue day, Genious day, Labor day, Reason day, Rewards day for the 'normal' year and Revolution day for a leap year.

The counting of hours was revised as well, one day was divided in 10 hours of 100 minutes of 100 seconds, that is 100,000 seconds per day.

The calendar starts on the day of the establishment of the first french republic, the 22nd of September 1792, which becomes 'Primidi 1st of Vendémiaire of the year 1 of the Republic'.


©Alain Opériol - 1991-2010 (www.encinaal.fr)