Flag lighting in France: floodlights and light pollution rules
Published Written by Flagpole Guides
This page is an English translation of the French original. Where the two versions differ, the French text is the original.
A lit flag stays visible at night and highlights a building, a memorial or a business. In France, outdoor lighting is governed by the rules on light pollution, which set times and technical limits for several categories of installation. This guide presents the common lighting options and the rules that may apply.
The flag at night
No text requires taking the flag down at sunset. According to the Ministry of the Interior’s guide, republican custom has the national flag permanently on the façade of public buildings. On town halls and schools the flag therefore often stays up day and night. Among private households, some take the flag in at night to preserve it, others light it.
Lighting options
- Ground floodlight: one or more recessed or spike-mounted floodlights aimed up the pole. This is the most common option.
- Top-of-pole lighting: a light fixed under the finial, lighting the flag from above.
- Façade lighting: for a flag on a staff, the building’s lighting is often enough.
- Solar lighting: a floodlight with a solar panel and battery, with no buried cable; its output depends on the sunshine.
Lighting aimed downwards sends less light towards the sky than a floodlight aimed upwards.
The light pollution rules
Article R. 583-2 of the Environmental Code lists the lighting installations subject to the rules on preventing light pollution. It covers, among other things, lighting that highlights heritage, the built environment and parks and gardens, and lighting of buildings, including façade illumination. Depending on its purpose, flag lighting can fall into one of these categories.
The order of 27 December 2018 sets requirements for these installations, which the Ministry of Ecological Transition presents:
- Times: switch-on and switch-off times depending on the category of lighting; the mayor can grant occasional exemptions, for example on the eve of public holidays.
- Light towards the sky: a limited share of the light emitted above the horizontal by the fittings.
- Colour: a colour temperature of no more than 3,000 K to limit blue light.
- Area lit: the lighting is limited to the area for which it is installed.
The prefect can tighten these requirements to protect fauna and flora, and the order provides for stricter rules around eleven astronomical observation sites. According to the ministry, the mayor is generally the authority responsible for enforcing these rules.
Company flags and signs
A flag bearing the name or logo of a business, installed on the land where it operates, can be a sign (enseigne) under article L. 581-3 of the Environmental Code. Under article R. 583-3, the light pollution requirements do not apply to illuminated signs, which have their own rules, notably on switching off at night. More on this is in the guide to flagpoles for businesses.
The electrical installation
A mains-powered floodlight requires a buried cable to the foot of the pole and a protected outdoor circuit. Electrical installations in homes follow standard NF C 15-100, and an electrician can make the connection. Before digging a trench, a declaration of works near networks (DT-DICT) may be required; more on this is in the guide to flagpole installation.
Frequently asked questions
Can a flag stay up at night in France?
No text forbids it. According to the Ministry of the Interior, republican custom has the national flag permanently on the façade of public buildings, day and night. Among private households, many take the flag in at night or light it if it stays up.
Is lighting a flag subject to rules?
It can be. Article R. 583-2 of the Environmental Code covers, among other things, lighting that highlights heritage and the built environment and lighting of buildings. The order of 27 December 2018 sets for these installations switch-off times, a limit on light emitted towards the sky and a colour temperature of no more than 3,000 K.
Is a lit company flag an illuminated sign?
A flag bearing the name or logo of a business, installed where that business operates, can be a sign under article L. 581-3 of the Environmental Code. Illuminated signs have their own night-time switch-off rules, and the town hall or prefecture can answer for a specific case.
Sources
This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in French:
- Arrêté du 27 décembre 2018 relatif à la prévention, à la réduction et à la limitation des nuisances lumineuses – Ministère de la Transition écologique
- Arrêté du 27 décembre 2018 (texte) – Légifrance
- Enseigne : règles d’installation – Service Public Entreprendre
- Le protocole à l’usage des maires – Ministère de l’Intérieur
Related guides
- Flagpole accessoriesThe accessories of a flagpole in France: halyard, pulley, cleat, snap hooks, finial, arm, ground sleeve, façade bracket and mourning ribbon.
- Flagpoles for businessesCompany flagpoles and flags in France: the Environmental Code rules on signs, planning, the tricolour beside logo flags, safety and maintenance.
- Flagpole installationInstalling a flagpole in France: exemption or prior declaration under the Planning Code, protected areas, local plan, co-ownership, DT-DICT and foundation.
- Flagpole safetyThe risks of a flagpole in France: wind and storms, work at height under the Labour Code and the INRS, power lines and buried networks.