In zone A, which includes the academies of Dijon, Grenoble, Lyon, Besançon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges and Poitiers, certain periods of school holidays alternate between those of zone B and those of zone C.

The holidays of zone A in details

• Back to school students Monday, September 3
• All Saints Holidays: from Saturday 20 October after classes until Sunday 4 November
• Christmas break: from Saturday 22 December after classes until Sunday 6 January 2019
• Winter holidays: Saturday, February 16 after classes on Sunday, March 3.
• Spring break: from Saturday 13 April after classes until Sunday 28 April
• Summer vacation: from Saturday 6 July after the lessons

Bridges and vacations

If you are already in the mood for long family weekends, you must first request a day off in November. Because All Saints falls on Thursday November 1stSo ask on Friday 2 and you are on your way for a four-day weekend, from 1 to 4 November.

December 25 and January 1 fall on a Tuesday. It is sufficient to leave the previous Monday to enjoy an extended weekend, from 22 to December or from 29 December to 1 January.

Easter Monday, April 22, you can chain a weekend of three days.

1 and 8 May fall on a Wednesday, there will be no lesson that day. You can ask on Monday April 29 and Tuesday April 30 or Monday May 6 and Tuesday May 7 to enjoy five days of rest. You can also extend this by putting on 2, 3, 9 or 10 May.

Ascension falls on Thursday, May 30, there are no lessons on Friday 31 May and Saturday 1 Juneso it's good to be chasing four days.

Finally, Whit Monday, June 10 will blow four days from 8 to 10 June.

The school holiday calendar for 2018-2019

Source: Ministry of National Education

And next year for Zone A, in 2019-20?

• Back to school students Monday, September 2, 2019
• All Saints Holidays: from Saturday 19 October after classes until Sunday 3 November
• Christmas break: from Saturday 21 December after classes until Sunday 5 January 2020
• Winter holidays: from Saturday 22 February after classes until Sunday 8 March
• Spring break: from Saturday, April 18 after classes until Sunday, May 3
• Summer vacation: from Saturday 4 July after the lessons