Le Temps, which first appeared on 25 April 1861, was a major moderate and liberal newspaper.
After World War I (1914–18) it moved towards the right and the confederations of major French employers.
Émile Mireaux and Jacques Chastenet were put in charge of the paper in 1931.
After the defeat of France in World War II (1939–45) the newspaper's distribution was restricted to the zone libre.
It ceased publication on 29 November 1942 following the German invasion of the zone libre.