French Guiana is 3 hours behind London in UK winter and 4 hours behind during British Summer Time; it is 2 hours ahead of New York during Eastern Standard Time and 1 hour ahead during Eastern Daylight Time (UK and US daylight saving seasons; French Guiana does not change its clocks).
In practice, when it is noon in London it is 09:00 in Cayenne during UK winter time (GMT) and 08:00 during British Summer Time. When it is noon in New York, it is 14:00 in Cayenne during Eastern Standard Time and 13:00 during Eastern Daylight Time.
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Live local time
Calculated by your browser from the IANA time zone database.
Time in French Guiana: key facts
- Time zone: UTC−3, IANA identifier
America/Cayenne - Difference with London: −3 h in UK winter (GMT), −4 h during British Summer Time
- Difference with New York: +2 h during Eastern Standard Time, +1 h during Eastern Daylight Time
- Daylight saving in French Guiana: no, local time stays the same all year
- Next clock changes: UK on Sunday 25 October 2026 (BST to GMT) and Sunday 28 March 2027; US on Sunday 1 November 2026 (EDT to EST) and Sunday 14 March 2027
Time difference between London, New York and French Guiana
| Time in London | In Cayenne (UK winter, GMT) | In Cayenne (UK summer, BST) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 05:00 | 04:00 |
| 12:00 | 09:00 | 08:00 |
| 18:00 | 15:00 | 14:00 |
| 22:00 | 19:00 | 18:00 |
| Time in New York | In Cayenne (US winter, EST) | In Cayenne (US summer, EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 (8 am) | 10:00 | 09:00 |
| 12:00 (noon) | 14:00 | 13:00 |
| 18:00 (6 pm) | 20:00 | 19:00 |
| 22:00 (10 pm) | 00:00 (next day) | 23:00 |
| Period | Cayenne vs London | Cayenne vs New York |
|---|---|---|
| 25 October – 31 October 2026 | −3 h | +1 h |
| 1 November 2026 – 13 March 2027 | −3 h | +2 h |
| 14 March – 27 March 2027 | −3 h | +1 h |
| 28 March – 30 October 2027 | −4 h | +1 h |
| 31 October – 6 November 2027 | −3 h | +1 h |
| 7 November – 31 December 2027 | −3 h | +2 h |
The one-hour difference between winter and summer comes from daylight saving time in the UK and the US; local time in French Guiana does not change.
Clock changes 2026–2027
French Guiana does not observe daylight saving time: local time stays at UTC−3 all year round. Only clock changes in your home country alter the gap.
Clocks change on the following dates (local time):
- UK, Sunday 25 October 2026: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 1 November 2026: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5) in New York
- US, Sunday 14 March 2027: EST (UTC−5) to EDT (UTC−4)
- UK, Sunday 28 March 2027: GMT (UTC+0) to BST (UTC+1)
- UK, Sunday 31 October 2027: BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0)
- US, Sunday 7 November 2027: EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5)
When to call French Guiana from the UK or the US
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 Cayenne time, call between 12:00 and 23:00 London time in UK winter and between 13:00 and 00:00 (ending after midnight) during British Summer Time. From New York, call between 07:00 and 18:00 during EST, and between 08:00 and 19:00 during EDT.
Time difference and jet lag: practical tips
Flying to French Guiana from the UK means travelling west: your day is lengthened and you will go to bed later than usual. From the US East Coast the difference is much smaller (2 hours in winter and 1 hour in summer). A few simple rules help you adjust to local time:
- Set your watch and phone to local time as soon as you board.
- Align meals and bedtime with local time from the first day.
- Plan a light first day, with no important meetings or long drives.
- Get out in daylight when you arrive and avoid long naps.
- If you take medication at fixed times, ask your doctor how to adapt the schedule to the time difference.
French Guiana time zone: IANA identifier and history
| Zone | IANA identifier | Standard time on 15 January 2027 | On 15 July 2027 | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cayenne | America/Cayenne | UTC−3 | UTC−3 | — |
- Cayenne (
America/Cayenne): no clock change recorded since 1 January 1970.
No daylight saving time in French Guiana in 2027
The tz database lists no clock change in 2027 for America/Cayenne: standard time remains UTC−3 all year. Only the UK clock changes (Sunday 28 March and Sunday 31 October 2027) and the US clock changes (Sunday 14 March and Sunday 7 November 2027) alter the gap.
| 2027 period | Cayenne vs London | Cayenne vs New York |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January – 13 March | −3 h | +2 h |
| 14 March – 27 March | −3 h | +1 h |
| 28 March – 30 October | −4 h | +1 h |
| 31 October – 6 November | −3 h | +1 h |
| 7 November – 31 December | −3 h | +2 h |
Sunrise and sunset in Cayenne in 2027
Local sunrise and sunset times on the 15th of each month in Cayenne (4.93° N, 52.33° W). They help you time your exposure to daylight, the main lever for resetting your body clock on arrival.
| 15th of the month | Sunrise | Solar noon | Sunset | Day length | Sunrise / sunset in London time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:43 | 12:39 | 18:35 | 11 h 52 | 09:43 / 21:35 |
| February | 06:44 | 12:43 | 18:42 | 11 h 58 | 09:44 / 21:42 |
| March | 06:36 | 12:38 | 18:41 | 12 h 05 | 09:36 / 21:41 |
| April | 06:23 | 12:29 | 18:36 | 12 h 14 | 10:23 / 22:36 |
| May | 06:15 | 12:26 | 18:36 | 12 h 21 | 10:15 / 22:36 |
| June | 06:18 | 12:30 | 18:42 | 12 h 24 | 10:18 / 22:42 |
| July | 06:24 | 12:35 | 18:47 | 12 h 23 | 10:24 / 22:47 |
| August | 06:25 | 12:34 | 18:42 | 12 h 17 | 10:25 / 22:42 |
| September | 06:20 | 12:25 | 18:29 | 12 h 09 | 10:20 / 22:29 |
| October | 06:15 | 12:15 | 18:15 | 12 h 01 | 10:15 / 22:15 |
| November | 06:17 | 12:14 | 18:11 | 11 h 54 | 09:17 / 21:11 |
| December | 06:29 | 12:24 | 18:20 | 11 h 50 | 09:29 / 21:20 |
The longest day in the table is 15 June (12 h 24 between 06:18 and 18:42), the shortest 15 December (11 h 50).
Jet lag: how flight direction affects you in French Guiana
- Outbound from the UK (flying west): you « gain » 3 hours in UK winter and 4 hours in summer; your arrival day is lengthened and tiredness hits early in the local evening.
- Return to the UK (flying east): the opposite applies. Flying east shortens the day, so plan a quiet day when you get home.
- From New York: the gap is small (2 hours during EST, 1 hour during EDT), so the time change itself is easy to absorb.
- Your usual night at home (23:00 – 07:00) corresponds to 20:00 – 04:00 in Cayenne from London in UK winter (19:00 – 03:00 during British Summer Time), and to 01:00 – 09:00 from New York during EST (00:00 – 08:00 during EDT): this is when your body will want to sleep for the first few days.
- Daylight on arrival: in Cayenne, the sun rises around 06:43 and sets around 18:35 in mid-January, and around 06:24 and 18:47 in mid-July (table above). After flying west, make the most of late-afternoon light to stay awake until the evening; this is the standard advice for shifting your body clock.
Plan your trip to French Guiana
- Our complete French Guiana travel guide: highlights, itineraries and budget
- Best time to visit French Guiana: month-by-month weather and the best season
- Time differences around the world: every country in our guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the time difference between French Guiana and the UK or the US?
French Guiana is 3 hours behind London in UK winter and 4 hours behind during British Summer Time. It is 2 hours ahead of New York during Eastern Standard Time and 1 hour ahead during Eastern Daylight Time.
What time is it in French Guiana when it is noon in London or New York?
Noon in London is 09:00 in Cayenne in UK winter and 08:00 in summer. Noon in New York is 14:00 in Cayenne during EST and 13:00 during EDT.
Does French Guiana have daylight saving time?
No, local time stays at UTC−3 all year. Only clock changes in the UK or the US alter the gap.
When should I call French Guiana from the UK or the US?
To reach someone between 09:00 and 20:00 local time, call between 12:00 and 23:00 London time in UK winter (13:00 and 00:00 (ending after midnight) during British Summer Time), or between 07:00 and 18:00 New York time during EST (08:00 and 19:00 during EDT).
What is the IANA time zone for French Guiana?
Cayenne: America/Cayenne.
What time does the sun rise in Cayenne?
Around 06:43 on 15 January 2027 and around 06:24 on 15 July 2027 (local time); sunset around 18:35 and 18:47. Destination de Voyage calculation (NOAA algorithm).
Our sources
- Sunrise and sunset: algorithm from the NOAA Solar Calculator (Global Monitoring Laboratory), applied to the capital’s coordinates (Natural Earth, Wikidata or Wikipedia): Destination de Voyage calculation.
- IANA Time Zone Database (tz database), version 2026b, consulted on 13 October 2026: time zones, rules and clock-change dates. Future dates may be changed by local authorities.
- UK clock changes: GOV.UK, « When do the clocks change? » (last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October).
- US clock changes: NIST, « Daylight Saving Time » (second Sunday of March to first Sunday of November).
- Live time: calculated by your browser (Intl API), which relies on the same IANA database.
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026.
