The school year
Themes
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.
2024-2025 academic year calendar (Mainland France)
| Holidays | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C and Corsica |
| 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: Monday, September 2, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, September 2, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, September 2, 2024 |
| Toussaint holidays |
Classes end on: Saturday, October 19, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
Classes end on: Saturday, October 19, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
Classes end on: Saturday, October 19, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
| Christmas Holidays |
Classes end on: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume on: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
| Winter Holidays |
Classes end on: Saturday, February 22, 2025 Classes resume on: Monday, March 10, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, February 8, 2025 Classes resume on: Monday, February 24, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, February 15, 2025 Classes resume on: Monday, March 3, 2025 |
| Spring Holidays |
Classes end on: Saturday, April 19, 2025 Classes resume on: Monday, May 5, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, April 5, 2025 Classes resume on: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
Classes end on: Saturday, April 12, 2025 Classes resume on: Monday, April 18, 2025 |
| Summer Holidays | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 |
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.
2024-2025 academic year calendar (Overseas departments and regions)
| Holidays | Guadeloupe | French Guiana | Mayotte | Reunion Island | Martinique |
| Back-to-school | Classes resume on: Monday, September 2, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, September 2, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, August 26, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, August 19, 2024 | Classes resume on: Monday, September 2, 2024 |
| Toussaint holidays |
Classes end: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
Classes end: Saturday, October 19, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
Classes end: Saturday, October 12, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, October 28, 2024 |
Classes end: Saturday, October 12, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, October 28, 2024 |
Classes end: Saturday, October 19, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, November 4, 2024 |
| Christmas Holidays/ Austral Summer |
Classes end: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, December 14, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, January 13, 2025 |
Classes end: Thursday, December 19, 2024 Classes resume: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Classes resume: Monday, January 6, 2025 |
| Carnival Holidays |
Classes end: Saturday, February 22, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, March 10, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, February 22, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, March 10, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, March 1st, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, March 10, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, March 1st, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, March 17, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, February 22, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, March 10, 2025 |
| Easter Holidays |
Classes end: Saturday, April 17, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, May 5, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, April 17, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, May 5, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, April 26, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, May 12, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, May 3, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, May 19, 2025 |
Classes end: Saturday, April 12, 2025 Classes resume: Monday, April 28, 2025 |
| Summer Holidays/ Austral Winter | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Classes end on: Saturday, July 5, 2025 |
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.