The French Republican calendar is also known as the Revolutionary calendar. It was introduced during the French Revolution.

This calendar was used in France for only 12 years (Sept. 1793 to Dec. 1805), in some records you may find the French calendar until 1807.

The calendar was used in France and in the countries under French rule (Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of Netherlands, parts of Germany, Switzerland, parts of Italy and different French colonies).

The French calendar year begun on September 22nd.

There were 30 days per month and 12 months in a year.

One week was 10 days long, and 3 weeks per month.

Five additional days were added to the end of the year.

Every four years an extra additional day was added.

In the countries under French rule different names for the week days and months have often been used and they differ from the original French names. If you experience this in your records, please contact us for more detailed information.

The twelve month of the French calendar do not correspond exact with the present month January trough December.

The names of the month are:

Vendémiaire (September)

Brumaire (October)

Frimaire (November)

Nivộse (December)

Pluviộse (January)

Ventộse (February)

Germinal (March)

Floréal (April)

Prairial (May)

Messidor (June)

Thermidor (July)

Fructidor (August)

The names of the ten week days are as follows:

1. Primidi
2. Duodi
3. Tridi
4. Quartidi
5. Quintidi
6. Sextidi
7. Septidi
8. Octidi
9. Nonidi
10. Decadi

The twelve years of the Republic are as follows:

Year I        Sept-Dec. 1792, Jan.- August 1793

Year II       Sept-Dec. 1793, Jan.- August 1794

Year III      Sept-Dec. 1794, Jan.- August 1795

Year IV      Sept-Dec. 1795, Jan.- August 1796

Year V       Sept-Dec. 1796, Jan.- August 1797

Year VI      Sept-Dec. 1797, Jan.- August 1798

Year VII     Sept-Dec. 1798, Jan.- August 1799

Year VIII    Sept-Dec. 1799, Jan.- August 1800

Year IX       Sept-Dec. 1800, Jan.- August 1801

Year X        Sept-Dec. 1801, Jan.- August 1802

Year XI       Sept-Dec. 1802, Jan.- August 1803

Year XII      Sept-Dec. 1803, Jan.- August 1804

Year XIII     Sept-Dec. 1804, Jan.- August 1805

Year XIV     Sept-Dec. 1805, Jan.- August 1806

Year XV      Sept-Dec. 1806, Jan.- August 1807

Complementary days:

French Republic Years: I, II, IV, V, VI;                    Sept.17-21

French Republic Years: III, VII;                               Sept.17-22

French Republic Years: VIII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV; Sept.18-22

French Republic Years: XI;                                      Sept.18-23

Because the French Republic calendar year begins between the 22^nd and the 24^th of September is a conversion not easy. Please contact us if you need an exact day converted.