Paris school holidays 2026

French public holidays 2026

Every Paris school closes on French public holidays (jours feries). The 2026 dates are fixed except for the two that move with Easter.

May is the heaviest month, with four public holidays falling close to the spring break. The French custom of faire le pont, taking the bridging day between a midweek holiday and the weekend, means some schools and most offices effectively close for longer stretches in early May.

Zone C term dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

Paris belongs to Zone C, which also covers the academies of Versailles, Creteil, Toulouse and Montpellier. France rotates the winter and spring break dates across three zones to spread demand on ski resorts and roads, so Paris dates differ from the rest of the country. The official Zone C calendar for 2025-26 is below. Breaks begin after class on the Saturday shown and pupils return on the following Monday.

The 2026-27 Zone C dates follow the same structure. Expect the rentree in the first week of September 2026, the Toussaint break in mid to late October, and the Christmas break from around 19 December 2026. We will confirm exact 2026-27 dates here once they are formally published; treat them as indicative until then.

International school term dates

Paris has one of Europe's largest international school markets, and the calendars split two ways. The bilingual and French-tradition schools, including the Lycee International network and many EIB sites, follow the Zone C calendar above. The American School of Paris, the British School of Paris and the International School of Paris run their own term dates aligned to their home curriculum, which means a US-style fall and spring semester or a British three-term year with two half terms.

This matters most for families with children in different schools, where one might follow the Zone C calendar and another a British or American one. Expect at least a week or two of misaligned breaks across the year. All of these schools still close on the French public holidays in the table above. For the cost picture across the market see our international school fees in Paris guide, and to weigh the curricula read the curriculum guide.

Planning the year

Three practical notes for Paris families. First, the February winter break is the most expensive travel window of the year because Zone C dates feed straight into peak ski season; book Alpine trips by November. Second, the cluster of May public holidays around the spring break makes late April and early May a long, fragmented stretch, useful for a European city break but awkward for childcare. Third, French external exams, including the brevet and the baccalaureat, run in June, so keep family travel out of that window if you have a child in an exam year. For the cost of living and visa context behind a move read the France country guide, and to compare neighbourhoods return to the Paris city guide.

Common questions

When do schools break up in Paris for summer 2026? State schools in Zone C finish on Saturday 4 July 2026. International schools generally finish in mid to late June, a little earlier than the state calendar.

How long is the summer holiday in Paris? The French state summer break runs from early July to the end of August, about eight weeks. International schools on a British or American calendar take a slightly longer break.

When does the 2026 to 2027 school year start in Paris? French state schools return at the rentree in the first week of September 2026, with the Toussaint break following in mid to late October.

Which holiday zone is Paris in? Paris is in Zone C, along with Versailles, Creteil, Toulouse and Montpellier. Its winter and spring dates differ from Zones A and B.

Do international schools in Paris follow the French calendar? Some do. Bilingual and French-tradition schools follow Zone C, while the American and British schools run their own term dates.

Related guides

• International school fees in Paris
• Paris city guide
• London school holidays 2026