School vacations 2025 in France
In France, the school vacations 2025 is spread out over different periods throughout the year. These periods vary by the three academic zones (A, B, and C) in order to spread out the flow of vacationers and optimize the use of tourist infrastructure in the country.
2025–2026 School Breaks in France: All Dates by Region
Are you planning your next vacation in France? The 2025–2026 school calendar helps you anticipate peak travel periods and choose dates for your trip outside of school breaks.
In metropolitan France, the school districts are divided among the Zones A, B, and C. The All Saints' Day and Christmas breaks are the same for all three zones, while the dates for the winter and spring breaks vary by school district.
2025–2026 School Break Schedule
| Period | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back to School | Monday, September 1, 2025 | Monday, September 1, 2025 | Monday, September 1, 2025 |
| All Saints' Day vacations | From Saturday, October 18, to Monday, November 3, 2025 | From Saturday, October 18, to Monday, November 3, 2025 | From Saturday, October 18, to Monday, November 3, 2025 |
| Christmas vacations | From Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Monday, January 5, 2026 | From Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Monday, January 5, 2026 | From Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Monday, January 5, 2026 |
| Winter vacations | From Saturday, February 7, to Monday, February 23, 2026 | From Saturday, February 14, to Monday, March 2, 2026 | From Saturday, February 21, to Monday, March 9, 2026 |
| Spring Break | From Saturday, April 4, to Monday, April 20, 2026 | From Saturday, April 11, to Monday, April 27, 2026 | From Saturday, April 18, to Monday, May 4, 2026 |
| Ascension Day Bridge | No classes on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, 2026 | No classes on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, 2026 | No classes on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, 2026 |
| Summer vacation | Starting Saturday, July 4, 2026 | Starting Saturday, July 4, 2026 | Starting Saturday, July 4, 2026 |
Note: The vacation begins after classes on the specified day. When students do not have classes on Saturday, the vacation begins on Friday after classes. Classes resume on the morning of the specified day.
What is your school vacation zone?
Zone A: Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, and Poitiers.
Zone B: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandy, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, and Strasbourg.
Zone C: Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, and Versailles.
Corsica and the overseas territories have their own specific schedules, with dates that may differ from those in Zones A, B, and C.
When is the best time to go on vacation in France in 2025–2026?
Knowing the school vacation dates is helpful when planning a weekend getaway or a trip to France. Ski resorts, the coast, and major tourist destinations are generally more crowded during winter and spring break, as well as during the long summer vacation.
To enjoy a quieter atmosphere, traveling between school vacation periods can also be a good option, especially in the spring and early fall.
School Holiday Calendar 2024-2025
| Vacations | Zone A Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers. | Zone B Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg. | Zone C Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles. |
| All Saints' Day vacations | October 19 - November 4, 2024 | October 19 - November 4, 2024 | October 19 - November 4, 2024 |
| Christmas vacations | December 21, 2024 - January 6, 2025 | December 21, 2024 - January 6, 2025 | December 21, 2024 - January 6, 2025 |
| Winter Break | February 22 - March 10, 2025 | February 8 - February 24, 2025 | February 15 - March 3, 2025 |
| Spring vacations | April 19 - May 5, 2025 | April 5 - April 22, 2025 | April 12 - April 28, 2025 |
| Ascension Day Long Weekend | May 29 - June 1, 2025 | May 29 - June 1, 2025 | May 29 - June 1, 2025 |
| Summer Vacation | July 5, 2025 | July 5, 2025 | July 5, 2025 |
Academic zones in France
Metropolitan France is divided into three academic zones:
- Zone A Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers.
- Zone B Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg.
- Zone C Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles.
Winter Break 2025
Visit 2025 winter break are programmed as follows:
- Zone A Saturday, February 22 to Monday, March 10, 2025.
- Zone B Saturday, February 8 to Monday, February 24, 2025.
- Zone C Saturday, February 15 to Monday, March 3, 2025.
These dates allow families to plan winter activities, such as winter sports, based on their school district.
Spring break 2025
Visit spring break 2025 are distributed as follows:
- Zone A From Saturday April 19 to Monday May 5, 2025.
- Zone B From Saturday April 5 to Tuesday April 22, 2025.
- Zone C From Saturday April 12 to Monday April 28, 2025.
These holidays often coincide with Easter, providing an opportunity to enjoy the first beautiful days of spring.
Ascension Day Long Weekend 2025
For the 2024–2025 school year, students in Zones A, B, and C will not have classes on Friday, May 30, 2025, and Saturday, May 31, 2025, thereby extending the weekend Ascension Day.
Summer Vacation 2025
Visit Summer Vacation 2025 will begin for all districts on Saturday, July 5, 2025. This is the most eagerly anticipated time of the school year, marking the end of classes and the start of summer vacation.
All Saints' Day vacation 2025
Visit All Saints' Day vacation 2025 will take place from Saturday, October 18, through Monday, November 3, 2025, for all school districts. These breaks allow students to take a break after the start of the school year.
Christmas Holidays 2025
Visit Christmas break 2025 are scheduled for Saturday, December 20, 2025, through Monday, January 5, 2026. This festive season is a time for families to get together and celebrate the end-of-year holidays.
Distinctive Features of the Overseas Departments and Territories
The overseas departments and territories have school calendars tailored to their specific local circumstances. For example, in Réunion, the school year generally begins in August because the seasons are reversed compared to mainland France. It is therefore essential to consult the specific calendar for each territory to find out the exact dates of school breaks.
School vacations in mainland France for the 2025-2026 school year
Here's the calendar official school vacations in mainland France for the 2025-2026 school yearzone by zone, in accordance with the order of December 8, 2022 :
Dates by zone
Zone A
(Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers)
Back to school Monday, September 1, 2025
All Saints' Day vacations From saturday, october 18 to monday, november 3, 2025
Christmas vacations From Saturday, December 20, 2025 to Monday, January 5, 2026
Winter vacations From saturday february 7 to monday february 23, 2026
Spring vacations (Easter) From saturday april 4 to monday april 20, 2026
Ascension Day Bridge vacation between Wednesday May 13 and Monday May 18, 2026 (no classes on Friday May 15 and Saturday May 16)
Summer vacations from Saturday, July 4, 2026
Zone B
(Aix‑Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans–Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg)
Start date: Monday, September 1, 2025
All Saints' Day: Sat Oct 18 - Mon Nov 3, 2025
Christmas: Sat Dec 20, 2025 - Mon Jan 5, 2026
Winter: Sat Feb 14 - Mon Mar 2, 2026
Spring: Sat April 11 - Mon April 27, 2026
Ascension Day: also vacation Fri May 15 & Sat May 16, 2026
High vacations: from Sat 4 July 2026
Zone C
(Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles)
Start date: Monday, September 1, 2025
All Saints' Day: Sat Oct 18 - Mon Nov 3, 2025
Christmas: Sat Dec 20, 2025 - Mon Jan 5, 2026
Winter: Sat Feb 21 - Mon Mar 9, 2026
Spring: Sat April 18 - Mon May 4, 2026
Ascension Day: same as vacations May 15 and 16, 2026
High vacation: Sat July 4, 2026
Corsica zone
The calendar is adapted locally by academic decree, but the major holidays of All Saints' Day, Christmas, winter and spring are generally aligned with the metropolitan areas, and the long vacations begin around July 4, 2026.
A simulator is available on Service-Public.fr to find out the exact dates for your local education authority.
Please note
- All vacations start after class Saturday (or Friday evening if school is not in session on Saturday). Pick-up takes place Monday morning indicated.
- The Ascension Bridge (vacations on May 15 and 16, 2026) applies to all zones A, B and C .
Synthetic summary
| Zone | Toussaint | Noël | Winter | Spring | High vacations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Oct 18 - Nov 3 | Dec 20 - Jan 5 | Feb 7 - Feb 23 | Apr 4 - Apr 20 | from July 4 |
| B | Oct 18 - Nov 3 | Dec 20 - Jan 5 | Feb 14 - March 2 | Apr 11 - Apr 27 | from July 4 |
| C | Oct 18 - Nov 3 | Dec 20 - Jan 5 | Feb 21 - March 9 | Apr 18 - May 4 | from July 4 |
Further information
- Back to school Monday, September 1, 2025 for all zones.
- All Saints' Day and Christmas vacations are common to all three zones. winter and spring are staggered according to zone to distribute travel flows.
FAQ school vacations 2025
What are the school vacations in 2025 for zone B?
For zone B, the school vacations in 2025 are :
- Winter Break: from Saturday, February 8 to Monday, February 24, 2025
- Spring vacations : from Saturday April 5 to Tuesday April 22, 2025
- Summer vacation: from Saturday, July 5, 2025
What are the school vacations in 2025 for zone A?
For zone A, the school vacations in 2025 are :
- Winter Break: from Saturday 22 February to Monday 10 March 2025
- Spring vacations : from Saturday April 19 to Monday May 5, 2025
- Summer vacation: from Saturday, July 5, 2025
What are the school vacations in 2025 for zone C?
For zone C, the school vacations in 2025 are :
- Winter Break: from Saturday 15 February to Monday 3 March 2025
- Spring vacations : from Saturday April 12 to Monday April 28, 2025
- Summer vacation: from Saturday, July 5, 2025
Conclusion
The calendar of school vacations 2025 is designed to balance periods of learning and rest throughout the year. It is important for families, teachers, and tourism professionals to refer to the official dates in order to plan activities and vacations effectively.
For more details and to view the official calendar, please visit the Ministry of Education’s website.
For information specific to the overseas departments and territories, we recommend visiting the websites of the relevant school districts.
Finally, for detailed information on the country's regions and tourist attractions, you can consult the dedicated guide.
To find out more about the school calendar in France, please consult the corresponding page on Wikipedia.
