The establishment of the French Republican Calendar was a significant step in the transformation of France following the Revolution. The year one of the calendar was set to commence in 1792, with Primidi Vendémiaire being its inaugural day. The decision to create a new calendar stemmed from the revolutionary desire to break from the old monarchic traditions that were seen as symbols of oppression. The calendar was designed with twelve months, each containing thirty days, further divided into three ten-day weeks known as décades. The months were named in accordance with the agricultural cycle, reflecting the connection of the citizens to the land and nature.

As Primidi Vendémiaire coincided with the autumn harvest, the day took on an additional significance as it symbolized both a literal and metaphorical harvest for the new republic. Communities across France participated in festivities, declaring the birth of a new time and a renewed commitment to the principles of the revolution. The event drew large public gatherings, where speeches were delivered to instill revolutionary zeal and to communicate the importance of the new republican identity.

The calendar also served to phase out the influence of the Church in daily life, replacing names of saints with names reflecting nature and reason. Officially endorsed by the revolutionary government, the establishment of this calendar would ultimately play a role in shaping the culture and societal norms of France as it navigated its new republican path. Although the calendar was not widely adopted for long, its creation represented a bold assertion of autonomy and a rejection of the past. It illustrated the extent to which the Revolution sought to redefine not only governance and society but even the very measurement of time itself.