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IN BRIEF
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Discover the school holiday calendar 2025-2026
As we begin the 2025-2026 school year, it is essential to know which zones in France will benefit from the most advantageous holiday dates. The officially known school calendar has been unveiled, displaying significant variations depending on the academic zones. In this article, we will explore in detail these differences and try to determine which of the three zones – A, B, and C – fare the best in terms of rest days.
An overview of the school zones in France
The French education system is divided into three distinct zones, each with its specific calendar for holidays and school periods:
- Zone A: Academies of Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers.
- Zone B: Academies of Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandy, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Strasbourg.
- Zone C: Academies of Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles.
Commonly aligned dates: school start and end-of-year holidays
To begin with, it is important to note that certain school periods are harmonized. Thus, the start of the school year will be on Monday September 1, 2025 for all zones, while the teachers’ pre-start will take place on August 29, 2025. The All Saints’ vacation, like the Christmas vacation, will allow students to benefit from the same dates, running from October 18 to November 3, 2025 for the first and from December 20 to January 5, 2026 for the second.
This will therefore represent a perfect balance for these three zones, where no one will be favored or disadvantaged during these key school life events.
Marked divergences: winter and spring vacations
However, differences become more pronounced as we approach the winter and spring vacations. Indeed, the periods of inactivity vary considerably across the zones. For the winter vacations, we have:
- Zone A: from February 7 to February 23, 2026
- Zone B: from February 14 to March 2, 2026
- Zone C: from February 21 to March 9, 2026
At this stage, it is clear that students in Zone C seem to enjoy a more extended vacation period, allowing them to rest more.
Calendar of spring vacations
Regarding the spring vacations, the situation remains similar and is as follows:
- Zone A: from April 4 to April 20, 2026
- Zone B: from April 11 to April 27, 2026
- Zone C: from April 18 to May 4, 2026
Once again, Zone C stands out with a later return date, offering students an extension of their vacations.
Public holidays and their implications
Public holidays in 2026 also play a crucial role in planning vacations. Students will enjoy several public holidays, including May 1 and May 8. It is significant to note that summer vacations will begin on July 4, 2026, for all zones, allowing everyone to enjoy the same opportunity for summer relaxation.
A comparative analysis of school zones
Analyzing the different aspects of the vacations, it appears that Zone C seems to take the overall advantage, especially through its well-positioned winter and spring vacations, giving it more rest days. Zone B is slightly better off than Zone A, enjoying better dates without sacrificing public holidays. As for Zone A, while it has the opportunity to chain a significant number of school weeks, it is at a disadvantage for vacations, which diminishes its quality of rest.
For more detailed information about the school calendar 2025-2026, consult reliable sources such as this.
