Weights and measures in France
Weights and measures in France:
In general, weights & measures in France and the Continent are metric, and temperatures are expressed in degrees Centigrade.
It’s worth noting too, that in France decimals are indicated by a comma and not a point, as in English-speaking countries.
If you come from the United Kingdom or the United States, some of these units of measurement may be a little less familiar, but you will find our conversion tables useful.
Units legally used in business in France
| Kilometre | 1000 metres |
| Metre |
|
| Decimetre | 1/10 of a metre |
| Centimetre | 1/100 of a metre |
| Millimetre | 1/1000 of a metre |
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|
|
| Hectare | 100 ares |
| Decare | 10 ares |
| Are | 100 square metres |
| Square metre | An area equal to that of a square each side of which measures one metre |
| Square decimetre | 1/100 square metre |
| Square centimetre | 1/100 square decimetre |
| Square millimetre | 1/100 square centimetre |
|
|
|
| Cubic metre | A volume equal to that of a cube each edge of which measures one metre |
| Cubic decimetre | 1/1000 cubic metre |
| Cubic centimetre | 1/1000 cubic decimetre |
| Litre | A cubic decimetre |
| Decilitre | 1/10 litre |
| Centilitre | 1/100 litre |
| Millilitre | 1/1000 litre |
| Hectolitre | 100 litres |
|
|
|
| Tonne | 1000 kilograms |
| Kilogram |
|
| Hectogram | 1/10 kilogram |
| Gram | 1/1000 kilogram |
| Carat (metric) | 1/5 gram |
| Milligram | 1/1000 gram |
Here’s how to convert the metric system of weights and measures into their Imperial equivalents and vice versa:
| Unit | Conversion factor | New Unit |
| inches | 25.4 | millimetres |
| millimetres | 0.0394 | inches |
| inches | 2.54 | centimetres |
| centimetres | 0.3937 | inches |
| feet | 0.3048 | metres |
| metres | 3.281 | feet |
| yards | 0.9144 | metres |
| metres | 1.094 | yards |
| miles | 1.609 | kilometres |
| kilometres | 0.6214 | miles |
| sq inches | 6.452 | sq centimetres |
| sq centimetres | 0.155 | sq inches |
| sq metres | 10.76 | sq feet |
| sq feet | 0.0929 | sq metres |
| sq yards | 0.8361 | sq metres |
| sq metres | 1.196 | sq yards |
| sq miles | 2.589 | sq kilometres |
| sq kilometres | 0.3861 | sq miles |
| acres | 0.4047 | hectares |
| hectares | 2.471 | acres |
| cu inches | 16.39 | cu centimetres |
| cu centimetres | 0.06102 | cu inches |
| cu feet | 0.02832 | cu metres |
| cu metres | 35.315 | cu feet |
| cu yards | 0.7646 | cu metres |
| cu metres | 1.308 | cu yards |
| cu inches | 0.01639 | litres |
| litres | 61.03 | cu inches |
| pints | 0.5682 | litres |
| litres | 1.76 | pints |
| US pints | 0.47311 | litres |
| litres | 2.114 | US pints |
| US gallon | 3.785 | liters |
| gallons | 4.546 | litres |
| litres | 0.02642 | US gallons |
| litres | 0.22 | gallons |
| grains | 0.0648 | grams |
| grams | 15.43 | grains |
| ounces | 28.35 | grams |
| grams | 0.03527 | ounces |
| pounds | 453.6 | grams |
| grams | 0.002205 | pounds |
| pounds | 0.4536 | kilograms |
| kilograms | 2.205 | pounds |
| tons | 1016.05 | kilograms |
| kilograms | 0.0009842 | tons |
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Some examples:
A baguette of bread: 250 g = 8.825 oz
A half of beer: 25 cl = 0.52 US pt or 0.44 UK pt
Eiffel Tower: 324 m = 1063.04 ft
Champs-Elysées: 2 km = 1.24 mi
