It's been 27 years since a comparable solar event was visible from France, and it's fair to say that eclipse fever has gripped the country.
The eclipse will happen when the Moon passes between the sun and the Earth, blocking part of the Sun’s disk from view and casting its shadow on the ground.
In order to see a total eclipse you will need to travel to Spain, but in France the sun will be around 90 percent obscured, depending on where you are.
The best view is in the Basque Country, with 99 percent obscured, around 92 percent in Paris, and around 90 percent in northeastern France.
READ ALSO: MAP: How and when to see the solar eclipse in France
The weather forecast for Wednesday is for clear skies for most of France - with some light cloud possible in Brittany and the Massif Central - so the view should be good.
Here's how to make the most of it;
Times
In good news for those who are still working in August, the eclipse takes place in the evening, as the sun is setting, so most people will not need to negotiate time off work.
In general, it will start at around 7.20pm, the peak moment will happen at around 8.20pm and the event ends at 9pm - however the timings vary slightly depending on where you are.
French newspaper Le Parisien has put together this handy tool which allows you to search the name of your commune and find the precise times, with the percentage of cover you can expect.
Place
You will want to view it from somewhere that has a good view to the west - anywhere that you can normally see the sun set should work, bearing in mind that as the eclipse ends the sun will be quite low in the sky. Sunset at this time of year is shortly after 9pm.
Some towns are hosting special events for the viewing, often at observatories, while others have published lists of good viewing spots - check out the website for your local mairie, or the local newspaper.
Glasses
Looking directly at the sun is dangerous, so you will need special protective glasses.
Due to the aforementioned eclipse fever many places in France have sold out, but some still have stocks available.
READ ALSO: Where in France to find protective glasses for Wednesday's eclipse
If you're not able to find any, there are alternative ways to view the eclipse such as creating a pinhole camera or watching via shadows.
Heat
Most of France is currently in the grip of a heatwave, so be careful to protect yourself during the viewing. During a heatwave, the early evening often records the day's highest temperatures, especially in cities due to the 'heat sink' effect.
Make sure you are wearing sunscreen when you go outside to watch and take water with you, as well as a hat.
Meteors
Wednesday's celestial dance does not end with the eclipse - the Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak during Wednesday night when observers could see up to 150 meteors per hour under favourable conditions. This will happen later in the evening - the best time is usually after midnight. You will get a better view of this one if you are in a place with dark skies, such as rural France. Conditions are ideal for seeing the peak, as it occurs during a new moon phase.
Eclipse-fest
A total solar eclipse, in which 100 percent of the sun is covered by the moon, will not be visible in France until September 2081.
But Wednesday's almost-total spectacular is the first of three similar events in less than two years.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible on August 2nd, 2027 - just five percent coverage in Paris, but 75 percent in Perpignan; and an annular eclipse, which occurs when the moon is further away in its eliptical orbit around the sun, creating the famous 'ring of fire' so popular with photographers, is due on January 26th 2028.
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