The school year

Date of update

The school year lasts 10 months.

It begins in early September and ends in late June or early July.

There are four school holidays spread over the year:

  • in late October (Toussaint) ;
  • at the holidays season (Christmas/New year);
  • in the winter (February/March) ; and
  • in the spring (April/May).

 

These holidays last for two weeks, except for Toussaint, which lasts for 10 days around All Saints’ Day (November 1).

Each year, the French Ministry for Education sets holiday dates for the different academic zones. Mainland France is split into three areas, A, B and C, each comprising various academic regions.

The overseas departments have a distinct academic calendar.

2022-2023 academic year calendar (Mainland France)

Holidays Zone A Zone B Zone C
Académies : Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers Académies : Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandie, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Strasbourg Académies : Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles
Back-to-school Classes resume on: Thursday, September 4, 2023 Classes resume on: Thursday, September 4, 2023 Classes resume on: Thursday, September 4, 2023
Toussaint holidays Classes end on: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume on: Monday, November 6, 2023
Classes end on: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume on: Monday, November 6, 2023
Classes end on: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume on: Monday, November 6, 2023
Christmas Holidays Classes end on: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume on: Tuesday, January 8, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume on: Tuesday, January 8, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume on: Tuesday, January 8, 2024
Winter Holidays Classes end on: Saturday, February 17, 2024
Classes resume on: Monday, March 4, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, February 24, 2024
Classes resume on: Monday, March 11, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, February 10, 2024
Classes resume on: Monday, February 26, 2024
Spring Holidays Classes end on: Saturday, April 13, 2024
Classes resume on: Monday, April 29, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Classes resume on: Tuesday, May 6, 2024
Classes end on: Saturday, April 6, 2024
Classes resume on: Tuesday, April 22, 2024
Summer Holidays Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024

The holidays begin once the day’s classes are completed.  For students who do not have classes on Saturdays, the holidays begin on the Friday evening. Classes resume on the morning of the dates indicated above.

2022-2023 academic year calendar (Overseas departments and regions)

Holidays Guadeloupe French Guiana Mayotte Reunion Island Martinique
Back-to-school Classes resume on: Monday, September 4, 2023 Classes resume on: Monday, September 4, 2023 Classes resume on: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 Classes resume on: Thursday, August 17, 2023 Classes resume on: Monday, September 4, 2023
Toussaint holidays Classes end: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, November 6, 2023
Classes end: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, November 6, 2023
Classes end: Saturday, October 16, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, October 30, 2023
Classes end: Saturday, October 14, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, October 30, 2023
Classes end: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, November 6, 2023
Christmas Holidays/ Austral Summer Classes end: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, January 8, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, January 8, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, December 16, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, January 15, 2024
Classes end: Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Classes resume: Monday, January 22, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Classes resume: Mondayday, January 8, 2024
Carnival Holidays Classes end: Saturday, February 10, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, February 26, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, February 10, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, February 26, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, February 24, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, March 11, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, March 02, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, March 18, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, February 10, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, February 26, 2024
Easter Holidays Classes end: Saturday, March 28, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, April 15, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Classes resume: Thursday, May 2, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, April 27, 2024
Classes resume: TMonday, May 13, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, May 4, 2024
Classes resume: Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Classes end: Saturday, March 23, 2024
Classes resume: Monday, April 8, 2024
Summer Holidays/ Austral Winter Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024 Classes end on: Saturday, July 6, 2024

The holidays begin once the day’s classes are completed.  For students who do not have classes on Saturdays, the holidays begin on the Friday evening. Classes resume on the morning of the dates indicated above.

 

Additional public holidays in 2021:

  • in Guadeloupe:
    • Mid-Lent: Thursday March 7, 2024;
    • Abolition of slavery: Monday May 27, 2024;
  • Mayotte:
    • Abolition of slavery: Thursday April 27, 2023.