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.
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.