Solar eclipse on August 12: France warns against unsuitable protective glasses

Paris – 05.08.2026: One week before the solar eclipse on August 12, French authorities have renewed their warnings on safe viewing. The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) is inspecting manufacturers, importers and retailers of protective glasses. According to the Ministry of Economy, nearly 90 companies have already been checked.

The eclipse will be visible across France shortly before sunset. In the southwest, the sun will be almost completely obscured, while the rest of the country will experience a partial eclipse. For Paris, the US space agency NASA forecasts maximum coverage of around 92 percent at 20:17, between 19:22 and 21:09.

A total eclipse will not be visible in France, however. The moon’s umbra will pass over Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic, northern Spain and a small part of Portugal. In northern Spain, totality will last less than two minutes shortly before sunset. Southwestern France lies outside this narrow zone of totality.

The Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Health warn of significant risks to the retina. Looking directly at the sun can cause severe and permanent damage without causing pain during observation. Visual impairments may only become noticeable hours later. Even the reduced brightness during a partial eclipse does not protect the eyes.

Only special solar eclipse glasses bearing the CE marking and complying with the international ISO 12312-2 standard are suitable. Buyers should check whether the filters are undamaged, whether safety instructions in French are included, and whether the manufacturer or importer is clearly identified. Glasses from the total solar eclipse on August 11, 1999 should not be reused because the filters may have deteriorated.

Regular sunglasses, tinted lenses, X-ray films, photographic negatives, CDs and 3D glasses do not provide sufficient protection. The sun must also not be viewed through binoculars, cameras, telescopes or spotting scopes unless a suitable solar filter is fitted in front of the respective device. Wearing protective glasses behind an optical device is expressly dangerous: concentrated sunlight can damage the filter and reach the eye.

Even with suitable equipment, the French government portal recommends observing the sun for no more than three minutes at a time before taking a break. Children require special supervision to ensure that the glasses fit correctly and are not removed while looking at the sun.

Anyone without certified protective glasses can follow the eclipse indirectly. With a pinhole camera, sunlight passes through a small opening and projects the image onto a surface, making direct viewing of the sun unnecessary. Because of the sun’s low position on the evening of August 12, an unobstructed view to the west is needed.