In this article, the Fr-Vs.Info team has compiled the most useful information on the topic of school holidays in France in 2026-2027. We’ve listed the official dates for summer holidays, All Saints’ Day, Christmas, winter, and spring breaks. We’ve also listed the public holidays for 2025-2026 when schools are closed, and outlined some of the weekly school schedules.
School holidays in France 2026-2027
Below are the 2026-2027 school holidays in France. Please note that the dates of winter and spring breaks depend on the academic zone your school is in. A list of districts in zones A, B, and C is found further down in this article.
IMPORTANT! The information provided is the same as in the laws defining the school year schedule. The Education Code stipulates that school holidays begin after classes on the first day of school holidays and end before classes on the last day of school holidays.
EXAMPLE: Summer school holidays in 2026 in France begin on Saturday, July 4th. If you or your child attends school on Saturdays, their holidays will begin after school ends. Summer holidays in 2026 end on Tuesday, September 2nd. This means they officially last until the first day of school, and for you or your child, Tuesday, September 2nd, is a full school day.
- Summer Break 2026 – Saturday, July 4, 2026 to Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
- All Saints’ Day Break (Autumn Break) runs from Saturday, October 17, 2026 to Monday, November 2, 2026.
- Christmas break is from Saturday, December 19, 2026 to Monday, January 4, 2027.
Winter holidays:
- Zone A – Saturday, February 13, 2027 through Monday, March 1, 2027.
- Zone B – Saturday, February 20, 2027 through Monday, March 8, 2027.
- Zone C – Saturday, February 6, 2027 through Monday, February 22, 2027.
Spring break:
- Zone A – Saturday, April 10, 2027 through Monday, April 26, 2027.
- Zone B – Saturday, April 17, 2027 through Monday, May 3, 2027.
- Zone C – Saturday, April 3, 2027 through Monday, April 19, 2027.
- Ascension Bridge (Ascension Holidays) – Wednesday, May 5, 2027 through Monday, May 10, 2027.
- Summer holidays 2027 – from Saturday, July 3, 2027.
Special rules on Wednesday and Saturday
On Wednesdays, children usually have classes until 12 or 1 p.m. After that, they may have elective classes or activities. Some schools have Wednesdays completely free of classes. Check your school’s website for the Wednesday schedule.
Since 2008, classes on Saturdays have been officially abolished. However, some schools still hold classes on this day of the week. This is done to evenly distribute the workload among students. If an educational institution does offer classes on Saturdays, then Wednesday is almost always completely free of classes. Below are the types of schools that most often hold classes on Saturdays:
- Prestigious private lyceums.
- Private religious schools.
- State specialized schools with a technical or artistic focus.
- Preparatory classes for public schools (Classes préparatoires aux grandes écoles).
Public holidays in 2026-2027
Below are public holidays in France in 2026 and 2027. On these days, everyone is entitled to a day off (or compensation if they have to work), and schools are closed. Most public holidays fall during school holidays in France in 2026-2027, but for clarity, we have provided the full lists.
Public holidays in France 2026
- January 1 (Thursday) 2026 — New Year.
- April 6 (Monday) 2026 – Easter Monday.
- May 1 (Friday) 2026 – Labor Day.
- May 8 (Friday) 2026 – Allied victory 1945.
- May 14 (Thursday) 2026 — Ascension.
- May 25 (Monday) 2026 – Monday of Pentecost.
- July 14 (Tuesday) 2026 – National Day of France.
- August 15 (Saturday) 2026 – Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
- November 1 (Sunday) 2026 – All Saints’ Day.
- November 11 (Wednesday) 2026 – Armistice of 1918.
- December 25 (Friday) 2026 – Christmas.
Public holidays in France 2027
- January 1 (Friday) 2027 – New Year.
- March 29 (Monday) 2027 – Easter Monday.
- May 1 (Saturday) 2027 – Labor Day.
- May 8 (Saturday) 2027 – Victory in Europe Day (1945).
- May 6 (Thursday) 2027 — Ascension.
- May 17 (Monday), 2027 – Pentecost Monday.
- July 14 (Wednesday) 2027 – National Day of France.
- August 15 (Sunday) 2027 — Assumption.
- November 1 (Monday) 2027 – All Saints’ Day.
- November 11 (Thursday) 2027 – Armistice Day (1918).
- December 25 (Saturday) 2027 – Christmas.
Academic zones of France
The entire territory of France is divided into academic zones (educational districts). On the mainland, there are three zones: A, B, and C. Each zone has a slightly different academic year schedule. Winter and spring school holidays in France for 2026-2027 vary by zone, while other break periods are the same for all zones. Below is a list of the academic districts within the various zones:
Zone A
- Besançon District.
- Bordeaux district.
- Clermont-Ferrand district.
- Dijon District.
- Grenoble district.
- Limoges district.
- Lyon County.
- Poitiers District.
Zone B
- Aix-Marseille arrondissement.
- District of Amiens.
- Lille district.
- Nancy-Metz County.
- Nantes district.
- Nice district.
- Normandy District.
- Orleans-Tours arrondissement.
- District of Reims.
- Rennes District.
- District of Strasbourg.
Zone C
- District of Créteil.
- Montpelier District.
- Paris district.
- Toulouse district.
- Versailles District.
In this publication, we provide useful information on the topic of school holidays in France in 2026-2027. When writing this article, the Fr-Vs.Info team consulted the website of the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research, the official website of the French administration , and other reliable and trustworthy sources. Don’t forget to share this publication with your friends!