heure dorée
feminine
The English phrase "golden hour" is translated into French as heure dorée.
The term heure dorée refers to the period of time shortly after sunrise or shortly before sunset. You may use the phrase pendant l'heure dorée to mean "during the golden hour".
Meaning: period shortly after sunrise or before sunset (noun)
Which one should you use?
While heure dorée is the standard term, you may encounter L'heure magique in informal contexts or La période de lumière rasante when referring specifically to the period of angled light.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term heure dorée is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- The word heure in heure dorée shares a root with the English word 'year' through the Proto-Indo-European term for a season.
- While English speakers use 'golden hour' for photography, a French photographer might use the term l'heure bleue to describe the even more specific period of deep blue light just before sunrise or after sunset.
- The word dorée comes from the verb dorer, which means 'to gild' or 'to cover in gold', suggesting the light is physically coating the world in a layer of gold.
Examples in context
- Viens, on va profiter de l'heure magique pour prendre des photos.Come on, let's take advantage of the magical hour to take some photos.
- La lumière de l'heure dorée est magnifique.The light during the golden hour is beautiful.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are planning a photo shoot in a park.
- LéaOn part quand pour le parc ?When are we leaving for the park?
- NathanOn doit arriver pour l'heure dorée.We have to arrive for the golden hour.
- LéaC'est une excellente idée, Nathan.That is an excellent idea, Nathan.
- NathanLa lumière sera magnifique.The light will be magnificent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “golden hour” translations and entries heure dorée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries heure, heure dorée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
