School holidays in France, 2026
Term breaks region by region, taken from the published education calendars. Schools add their own staff-training and free-choice days on top, so confirm the exact first and last day with your school.
School holiday dates 2026
France splits the country into three holiday zones. Autumn, Christmas and summer are the same everywhere; the February and spring breaks rotate between zones A, B and C so ski resorts and roads are not swamped in one week. Corsica and the overseas académies publish separate calendars. Dates are the first and last day off inclusive.
Zone A (Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Dijon, Besançon, Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges, Poitiers)
Christmas holidays
Starts: 20 Dec 2025
Ends: 4 Jan 2026
16 days
Winter holidays
Starts: 7 Feb 2026
Ends: 22 Feb 2026
16 days
Spring holidays
Starts: 4 Apr 2026
Ends: 19 Apr 2026
16 days
Summer holidays
Term restarts for pupils on 1 September 2026.
Starts: 4 Jul 2026
Ends: 31 Aug 2026
59 days
All Saints holidays
Starts: 17 Oct 2026
Ends: 1 Nov 2026
16 days
Christmas holidays
Starts: 19 Dec 2026
Ends: 3 Jan 2027
16 days
Zone B (Lille, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Reims, Normandie, Amiens, Nancy-Metz, Orléans-Tours)
Christmas holidays
Starts: 20 Dec 2025
Ends: 4 Jan 2026
16 days
Winter holidays
Starts: 14 Feb 2026
Ends: 1 Mar 2026
16 days
Spring holidays
Starts: 11 Apr 2026
Ends: 26 Apr 2026
16 days
Summer holidays
Starts: 4 Jul 2026
Ends: 31 Aug 2026
59 days
All Saints holidays
Starts: 17 Oct 2026
Ends: 1 Nov 2026
16 days
Christmas holidays
Starts: 19 Dec 2026
Ends: 3 Jan 2027
16 days
Zone C (Paris, Versailles, Créteil, Toulouse, Montpellier)
Christmas holidays
Starts: 20 Dec 2025
Ends: 4 Jan 2026
16 days
Winter holidays
Starts: 21 Feb 2026
Ends: 8 Mar 2026
16 days
Spring holidays
Starts: 18 Apr 2026
Ends: 3 May 2026
16 days
Summer holidays
Starts: 4 Jul 2026
Ends: 31 Aug 2026
59 days
All Saints holidays
Starts: 17 Oct 2026
Ends: 1 Nov 2026
16 days
Christmas holidays
Starts: 19 Dec 2026
Ends: 3 Jan 2027
16 days
Dates published by: the Ministère de l'Éducation nationale. Official source
Public holidays that close schools anyway
Jour de l'an
New Year's Day · Nationwide
Vendredi saint
Good Friday (Alsace-Moselle) · Regional · FR-67, FR-68, FR-57
Lundi de Pâques
Easter Monday · Nationwide
Abolition de l'esclavage (Mayotte)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Mayotte) · Regional · FR-YT
Fête du Travail
Labour Day · Nationwide
Victoire 1945
Victory in Europe Day · Nationwide
Ascension
Ascension Day · Nationwide
Abolition de l'esclavage (Martinique)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Martinique) · Regional · FR-MQ
Lundi de Pentecôte
Whit Monday · Nationwide
Abolition de l'esclavage (Guadeloupe)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Guadeloupe) · Regional · FR-GP
Abolition de l'esclavage (Saint-Martin)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Saint-Martin) · Regional · FR-MF
Abolition de l'esclavage (Guyane)
Abolition of Slavery Day (French Guiana) · Regional · FR-GF
Fête nationale
Bastille Day · Nationwide
Assomption
Assumption Day · Nationwide
Abolition de l'esclavage (Saint-Barthélemy)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Saint-Barthélemy) · Regional · FR-BL
Toussaint
All Saints' Day · Nationwide
Armistice 1918
Armistice Day · Nationwide
Fête de la Liberté (La Réunion)
Abolition of Slavery Day (Réunion) · Regional · FR-RE
Noël
Christmas Day · Nationwide
Saint Étienne
St Stephen's Day (Alsace-Moselle) · Regional · FR-67, FR-68, FR-57