PRIMARY SCHOOL CALENDAR · 2026–27
France school calendar 2026-27 (primary schools)
Dates checked against official sources on 24 September 2026.
The school year this calendar covers has ended. The next calendar is published once the ministry releases it.
Zone A
Applies to: Applies to the académies of Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon and Poitiers. Does NOT apply to Zone B or Zone C académies, nor to Corsica or France's overseas académies/collectivités (Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), which follow separate calendars fixed under other provisions of the Code de l'éducation.
Dates
- Break
- Public holiday
- Exam
- School days
September 2026
-
Start of school year (rentrée des élèves) [1]
The arrêté separately fixes the teachers' pre-return (prérentrée) for Monday 31 August 2026, one day before pupils return.
School days
October 2026
-
Autumn break (Toussaint) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
December 2026
-
Christmas break (Noël) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
February 2027
-
Winter break (hiver) — Zone A [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
April 2027
-
Spring break (printemps) — Zone A [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
May 2027
-
Ascension bridge day (pont de l'Ascension) [1]
The arrêté states that there are no classes on Friday 7 May 2027 ("Les classes vaqueront le vendredi 7 mai 2027"), making a four-day weekend with Ascension Day (Thursday 6 May).
School days
July 2027
-
Last day of classes [1]
The summer holidays begin on Saturday 3 July 2027. Pupils without Saturday class, which includes primary pupils, leave on Friday 2 July after class, as the arrêté states.
School days
No more dates this school year.
Zone B
Applies to: Applies to the académies of Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandie, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes and Strasbourg. Does NOT apply to Zone A or Zone C académies, nor to Corsica or France's overseas académies/collectivités (Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), which follow separate calendars fixed under other provisions of the Code de l'éducation.
Dates
- Break
- Public holiday
- Exam
- School days
September 2026
-
Start of school year (rentrée des élèves) [1]
The arrêté separately fixes the teachers' pre-return (prérentrée) for Monday 31 August 2026, one day before pupils return.
School days
October 2026
-
Autumn break (Toussaint) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
December 2026
-
Christmas break (Noël) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
February 2027
-
Winter break (hiver) — Zone B [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
April 2027
-
Spring break (printemps) — Zone B [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
May 2027
-
Ascension bridge day (pont de l'Ascension) [1]
The arrêté states that there are no classes on Friday 7 May 2027 ("Les classes vaqueront le vendredi 7 mai 2027"), making a four-day weekend with Ascension Day (Thursday 6 May).
School days
July 2027
-
Last day of classes [1]
The summer holidays begin on Saturday 3 July 2027. Pupils without Saturday class, which includes primary pupils, leave on Friday 2 July after class, as the arrêté states.
School days
No more dates this school year.
Zone C
Applies to: Applies to the académies of Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse and Versailles. Does NOT apply to Zone A or Zone B académies, nor to Corsica or France's overseas académies/collectivités (Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), which follow separate calendars fixed under other provisions of the Code de l'éducation.
Dates
- Break
- Public holiday
- Exam
- School days
September 2026
-
Start of school year (rentrée des élèves) [1]
The arrêté separately fixes the teachers' pre-return (prérentrée) for Monday 31 August 2026, one day before pupils return.
School days
October 2026
-
Autumn break (Toussaint) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
December 2026
-
Christmas break (Noël) [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
February 2027
-
Winter break (hiver) — Zone C [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
April 2027
-
Spring break (printemps) — Zone C [1]
The arrêté gives Saturday as the first day of the break and the following Monday as the return date (classes resume that morning). It also states that pupils without Saturday class leave on the Friday after class, so for primary pupils the break runs from that Saturday to the Sunday before the return.
Break 16 days
May 2027
-
Ascension bridge day (pont de l'Ascension) [1]
The arrêté states that there are no classes on Friday 7 May 2027 ("Les classes vaqueront le vendredi 7 mai 2027"), making a four-day weekend with Ascension Day (Thursday 6 May).
School days
July 2027
-
Last day of classes [1]
The summer holidays begin on Saturday 3 July 2027. Pupils without Saturday class, which includes primary pupils, leave on Friday 2 July after class, as the arrêté states.
School days
No more dates this school year.
Planning parent communication around these dates
Each date is a message: reminders before breaks, and a welcome-back note after them.
Official sources
- Arrêté du 22 octobre 2025 fixant le calendrier scolaire de l'année 2026-2027 (NOR MENE2526965A) , Ministère de l'Éducation nationale et de la Jeunesse — Légifrance (Journal officiel) (22 October 2025)