Quick answer: French schools went back on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The autumn break runs from 17 October to 2 November 2026 and Christmas from 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 for everyone. February half term 2027 is staggered: Zone C from 6 February, Zone A from 13 February and Zone B from 20 February. Summer holidays start on Saturday 3 July 2027.
French School Holidays 2026-2027 at a Glance
| Holiday | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back to school | Tuesday 1 September 2026 | ||
| Autumn (Toussaint) | Saturday 17 October to Monday 2 November 2026 | ||
| Christmas | Saturday 19 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027 | ||
| Winter (February) | 13 February to 1 March 2027 | 20 February to 8 March 2027 | 6 February to 22 February 2027 |
| Spring (Easter) | 10 April to 26 April 2027 | 17 April to 3 May 2027 | 3 April to 19 April 2027 |
| Ascension long weekend | Wednesday 5 May (after class) to Monday 10 May 2027 | ||
| Summer | From Saturday 3 July 2027 | ||
Zone A: Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, Poitiers. Zone B: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Normandy, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Strasbourg. Zone C: Créteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, Versailles.
French Autumn Half Term 2026 (Toussaint)
Common to all three zones: two weeks from Saturday 17 October to Monday 2 November 2026. This is also when winter bookings speed up, especially for February weeks.
Planning your ski season already? Browse all our ski apartments and chalets
French Christmas Holidays 2026
From Saturday 19 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027 for all zones. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on a Friday, giving two full weeks that sell out early in ski resorts.
Christmas on the slopes? Méribel, La Plagne or Megève, three resorts with a festive village atmosphere.
French February Half Term 2027 (Winter Holidays by Zone)
- Zone C (Paris, Montpellier, Toulouse): Saturday 6 February to Monday 22 February 2027
- Zone A (Lyon, Grenoble, Bordeaux): Saturday 13 February to Monday 1 March 2027
- Zone B (Lille, Marseille, Nantes, Strasbourg): Saturday 20 February to Monday 8 March 2027
Zone C goes first in 2027. Between 13 and 27 February, two French zones overlap every week, on top of the UK half term: this is the most in-demand fortnight of the ski season.
Skiing with the kids in February? Family-friendly resorts such as Les Saisies, Valmorel and Le Grand-Bornand book up first. See all February availability
French Easter Holidays 2027 (Spring Holidays)
- Zone C: Saturday 3 April to Monday 19 April 2027
- Zone A: Saturday 10 April to Monday 26 April 2027
- Zone B: Saturday 17 April to Monday 3 May 2027
Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027, so French spring holidays start after Easter in every zone. UK families on their Easter break (26 March to 9 April) will find quieter resorts in late March, with sunny spring skiing at high altitude.
Spring skiing over Easter? Large ski areas such as Les Arcs, Alpe d’Huez and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville (3 Valleys) are open until the end of the season.
French Summer Holidays 2027
Summer starts on Saturday 3 July 2027 for all zones. The Alps offer hiking, mountain biking, alpine lakes and cool air, often at better prices than the coast.
A summer in the mountains? Les Saisies or Valmorel, two family resorts with mountain views.
School Holidays in the UK and Europe 2026-2027
United Kingdom (England)
| Holiday | Dates |
|---|---|
| October half term | 26 to 30 October 2026 |
| Christmas | 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 |
| February half term | 15 to 19 February 2027 (8 to 12 February in some areas) |
| Easter | 26 March to 9 April 2027 |
| May half term | 31 May to 4 June 2027 |
| Summer | From around 22 July 2027 |
Belgium
| Holiday | French-speaking (FWB) | Flanders |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | 19 October to 1 November 2026 | Own Flemish dates |
| Christmas | 21 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 | 21 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Carnival / winter break | 22 February to 7 March 2027 | 8 to 14 February 2027 |
| Spring / Easter | 26 April to 9 May 2027 | 29 March to 11 April 2027 |
| Summer | From 3 July 2027 | 1 July to 31 August 2027 |
Spain
Each autonomous community sets its own calendar. In Madrid: back to school on 7 September 2026, Christmas from 23 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, Holy Week from 19 to 29 March 2027, last day of school 18 June 2027. In other regions, Easter holidays fall roughly between 22 March and 2 April 2027.
Netherlands
| Holiday | North | Centre | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas | 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 | ||
| Spring (February) | 20 to 28 February 2027 | 20 to 28 February 2027 | 13 to 21 February 2027 |
| May | 24 April to 2 May 2027 | ||
| Summer | 10 July to 22 August 2027 | 17 July to 29 August 2027 | 24 July to 5 September 2027 |
Germany
| State | Christmas | Winter 2027 | Easter 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bavaria | 24 Dec to 8 Jan | 8 to 12 Feb | 22 Mar to 2 Apr |
| Baden-Württemberg | 23 Dec to 9 Jan | None | 30 Mar to 3 Apr |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 23 Dec to 6 Jan | None | 22 Mar to 3 Apr |
| Hesse | 23 Dec to 12 Jan | None | 22 Mar to 2 Apr |
| Berlin | 23 Dec to 2 Jan | 1 to 6 Feb | 22 Mar to 2 Apr |
| Saxony | 23 Dec to 2 Jan | 8 to 19 Feb | 26 Mar to 2 Apr |
Switzerland
| Holiday | Geneva | Vaud |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas | 24 Dec to 8 Jan | 24 Dec to 10 Jan |
| February | 15 to 19 Feb 2027 | 6 to 14 Feb 2027 |
| Easter | 26 Mar to 9 Apr 2027 | 26 Mar to 11 Apr 2027 |
In the city of Zurich, the February sports holidays (Sportferien) run from 15 to 26 February 2027.
Italy
| Holiday | Dates |
|---|---|
| Christmas | 23 or 24 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, depending on the region |
| Carnival | 8 and 9 February 2027 (Lombardy, Trentino), 8 to 10 February 2027 (Piedmont, Aosta Valley, Veneto) |
| Easter | 25 to 30 March 2027 in most regions |
Italian Christmas holidays run until Epiphany on 6 January, so Italian families stay in the resorts after French schools go back on 4 January.
Best Weeks to Ski in the French Alps in 2027
We cross-checked the French, UK, Belgian, Dutch, German, Swiss, Italian and Spanish calendars to estimate resort crowds week by week.
| Week (Saturday to Saturday) | Who is on holiday | Crowds |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec to 2 Jan | All of France, Belgium, UK | Very busy |
| 2 Jan to 6 Feb | No French zone | Quiet |
| 6 to 13 Feb | Zone C, Flanders, Vaud, Bavaria, some UK areas | Busy |
| 13 to 20 Feb | Zones A and C, UK half term, Geneva, Zurich, southern Netherlands | Very busy |
| 20 to 27 Feb | Zones A and B, French-speaking Belgium, northern and central Netherlands | Very busy |
| 27 Feb to 6 Mar | Zone B, French-speaking Belgium | Busy |
| 6 to 20 Mar | No French zone (Zone B back on 8 March) | Quiet |
| 20 Mar to 3 Apr | No French zone, but Easter breaks in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Italy | Moderate |
| 3 to 24 Apr | French spring holidays (Zones C, A then B) | Moderate |
Quieter slopes and better prices? Aim for January or early March. See availability in all our resorts
Frequently Asked Questions
When is French February half term 2027?
French winter holidays 2027 are staggered by zone: Zone C from Saturday 6 to Monday 22 February, Zone A from Saturday 13 February to Monday 1 March, and Zone B from Saturday 20 February to Monday 8 March 2027.
When are the French Easter holidays in 2027?
French spring holidays do not include Easter in 2027. Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, while spring holidays run from 3 to 19 April (Zone C), 10 to 26 April (Zone A) and 17 April to 3 May 2027 (Zone B).
Which school zone are the French Alps in?
Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Isère belong to the Grenoble academy, in Zone A. Local families are on winter holiday from 13 February to 1 March 2027.
When do French summer holidays 2027 start?
French summer holidays start on Saturday 3 July 2027 for all zones. The 2026-2027 school year started on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
What is the busiest ski week in February 2027?
13 to 27 February 2027. Two French zones are on holiday at the same time each week, overlapping with the main UK February half term (15 to 19 February) and then French-speaking Belgium’s winter break from 22 February.
When is UK February half term 2027?
Most schools in England break from 15 to 19 February 2027. Some local authorities use 8 to 12 February 2027. Easter holidays generally run from 26 March to 9 April 2027.
When are the school holidays in Italy in 2027?
Italian regions set their own calendars. Christmas runs from 23 or 24 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, carnival is 8 to 10 February 2027 in the northern regions, and Easter runs from 25 to 30 March 2027 in most regions.
When is the quietest time to ski in the French Alps in 2027?
There are no French school holidays from 4 January to 6 February 2027 and from 8 to 19 March 2027. These weeks usually offer quieter slopes and lower rental prices.
Your dates are set? Book your ski holiday in the French Alps
Apartments and chalets in our resorts across Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Isère, with local agencies to help you choose the right resort and week.
Sources: French Ministry of Education (Service-Public.fr), Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Vlaanderen.be, UK local authorities (GOV.UK), Government.nl, KMK (Germany), cantons of Geneva and Vaud, City of Zurich, Italian regional calendars, Comunidad de Madrid. Dates checked on 28 October 2026 and subject to change: always confirm with the school.
