School calendar 2026-2027 — France Zone A
Based on the official calendar published by the French Ministry of Education (decree of October 22, 2025).
Download your 2026-2027 school calendar — Zone A in PDF format
Key dates of the school year — Zone A
Event | Date |
|---|---|
Teachers' return | Monday, August 31, 2026 |
Students' first day | Tuesday, September 1, 2026 |
End of the school year | Friday, July 2, 2027 |
Start of summer holidays | Saturday, July 3, 2027 |
Académies covered by Zone A
Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers
School holidays 2026-2027 — Zone A
Holidays | From | To | Back to school |
|---|---|---|---|
Toussaint (All Saints holidays) | Sat 10/17/2026 | Sun 11/01/2026 | Mon 11/02/2026 |
Noël (Christmas holidays) | Sat 12/19/2026 | Sun 01/03/2027 | Mon 01/04/2027 |
Hiver (Winter holidays) | Sat 02/13/2027 | Sun 02/28/2027 | Mon 03/01/2027 |
Printemps (Spring holidays) | Sat 04/10/2027 | Sun 04/25/2027 | Mon 04/26/2027 |
Été (Summer holidays) | Sat 07/03/2027 | — | — |
Source: decree of October 22, 2025, French Official Journal.
👉 For students who do not have classes on Saturdays, holidays start on Friday after class.
Ascension bridging weekend 2027
For Zones A, B and C, students will not have class on Friday, May 7, 2027, the day after Ascension. This creates a 4-day weekend from Thursday, May 6 to Sunday, May 9, 2027.
Public holidays during the 2026-2027 school year
Public holiday | Date | Impact |
|---|---|---|
All Saints' Day | Sun 11/01/2026 | Falls during holidays |
Armistice 1918 | Wed 11/11/2026 | No school |
Christmas | Fri 12/25/2026 | Falls during holidays |
New Year's Day | Fri 01/01/2027 | Falls during holidays |
Easter Monday | Mon 03/29/2027 | No school |
Labour Day | Sat 05/01/2027 | Falls on a Saturday |
Victory in 1945 | Sat 05/08/2027 | Falls on a Saturday |
Ascension Day | Thu 05/06/2027 | No school |
Friday after Ascension | Fri 05/07/2027 | No school (bridging day) |
Whit Monday | Mon 05/17/2027 | No school |
Bastille Day | Wed 07/14/2027 | Falls during summer holidays |
What about Corsica?
The Corsican académie follows a separate calendar from Zones A, B and C. The official 2026-2027 dates have not yet all been released by the Ministry.
Holidays | Corsica 2026-2027 dates |
|---|---|
Toussaint | To be announced |
Noël | To be announced |
Hiver | To be announced |
Printemps | To be announced |
Été | From Sat 07/03/2027 |
Source: Service-Public.fr — Corsica calendar 2026-2027 not yet published.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are the dates of the 2026-2027 school calendar for Zone A final?
Yes.
The dates were published in the French Official Journal on October 22, 2025 by the Ministry of Education.
They apply to all public and contracted private schools in the académies of Zone A.
2. When does the 2026-2027 school year start and end?
Teachers' return: Monday, August 31, 2026
Students' first day: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
End of classes: Friday, July 2, 2027 after school
Summer holidays start on Saturday, July 3, 2027 for all zones in mainland France.
3. Which académies are in Zone A?
Zone A covers the following académies: Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers.
4. Why is France divided into three zones?
The split into Zones A, B and C has existed since 1995. Its purpose is to:
spread holiday departures to avoid road and resort congestion,
distribute tourism flows, particularly during winter,
facilitate the country's economic and logistical organisation.
👉 Only the winter and spring holidays are staggered between zones. Toussaint, Christmas and Summer holidays remain common to all zones.
5. Is there a long weekend in May 2027?
Yes.
Students will not have class on Friday, May 7, 2027, the day after Ascension.
This creates a 4-day weekend, from Thursday, May 6 to Sunday, May 9.
6. Is the calendar the same for Corsica?
No.
The Corsican académie follows a separate calendar set locally.
To date, only the summer 2027 holiday dates (from Saturday, July 3, 2027) are confirmed. Other dates will be released by the Corsican rectorate.
7. Does this calendar also apply to overseas territories?
No.
Overseas departments and territories (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Saint-Martin, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, etc.) follow specific local calendars.
8. Are there pedagogical days on top of official holidays?
Yes.
In addition to the official calendar, each school may schedule pedagogical days or locally decided bridging days. These are communicated by each school at the start of the year.
9. Can the dates change during the school year?
No.
Once published in the Official Journal, the school calendar is fixed for the entire year. Only school-specific pedagogical days may vary.
10. Where can I download the official 2026-2027 school calendar?
The official calendar is available:
and as a downloadable PDF on this page.
12. Why is this calendar important for parents?
The 2026-2027 school calendar makes it possible to:
plan family holidays and travel,
book camps and extracurricular activities,
anticipate childcare needs,
avoid date confusion between zones and borders.
13. Is there a specific calendar for Alsace-Moselle?
The school calendar is identical to Zone B (Nancy-Metz and Strasbourg académies). However, Alsace-Moselle has two extra public holidays: Good Friday (March 26, 2027) and Saint Stephen's Day (December 26, 2026), which do not change school holiday dates.
14. Is this calendar compliant with legal requirements?
Yes.
It complies with the minimum number of school days required by the French Education Code (36 weeks of classes) and the provisions of the decree of October 22, 2025.
👉 For parents
During the school holidays, rediscover your city in a different way with Coddy urban escape games. A fun activity adapted for the whole family — in Lyon, Bordeaux, Paris, Lille, Marseille, Toulouse and many other French cities.
Discover city games adapted to each holiday period.
👉 For teachers / school administrators
Organise an original school outing:
Coddy educational urban escape games — a way to explore the history, culture and heritage of your city while developing teamwork and critical thinking.
