Every year, the competition is tough to be among the best high schools in France. With a pass rate for the baccalaureate reaching impressive heights – 96.1% in the general track and 90.3% in the technological track – it becomes challenging to distinguish schools based on this criterion alone. That’s why other factors are taken into account: the ability of a high school to help its students progress, the rate of honors, and the support provided to students from sophomore to senior year.
Lyon high schools are the best in the Rhône
Based on figures from the Ministry of National Education, Le Parisien has revealed its ranking of the best high schools in 2025. Once again, Lyon institutions shine brightly this year!occupying the top 3 in the Rhône department. At the top, the General High School of the International School City (Lyon 7th, public sector) takes first place with a general score of 15.54. It is closely followed by the Private General High School Deborde (Lyon 6th, private sector) which scores 15.26, and the General High School of the Parc (Lyon 6th, public sector) with a score of 14.69.
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The General High School International School in Lyon 7e © Jourda Architects
In the rest of the top 10 in the department, several establishments stand out, starting with the Private General and Technological High School Champagnat in Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise (14.62), followed by Saint Thomas d'Aquin Vėritas High School in Oullins-Pierre-Bénite (14.48) and Assomption Bellevue High School in La Mulatière (14.47). The Private High School Al Kindi in Décines-Charpieu (14.42), the Externat de La Trinité in Lyon 6e (14.38), the ...Lycée Sainte Marie in Lyon 5th (14.33) and Lycée polyvalent Louis Armand in Villefranche-sur-Saône (14.19) close out the top 10 in the Rhône region.
A ranking dominated by Parisian institutions
But how does the national ranking look? The first Lyon institution, the Cité scolaire internationale, secures an honorable 26th place. At the top of the French podium, the Lycée polyvalent International de l’Est Parisien (Noisy-le-Grand, public sector) takes the prize with an impressive score of 16.59. It is followed by Lycée général Condorcet (Paris 9th, 16.32) and the prestigious Lycée Henri IV (Paris 5th, 16.31). Notably, the top 10 high schools in the national ranking are all public, showcasing that these institutions of excellence are in competition with the major private schools.
To establish this ranking of the best high schools, Le Parisien implemented a rigorous methodology, assigning each school...e; establishments receive a score out of 20 based on several key criteria. The excellence of results is at the heart of the evaluation: the teams have analyzed the success rate at the baccalaureate, the percentage of honors, and the indicators of added value, which measure a high school’s ability to help its students progress, regardless of their entry level.
But a good high school isn't just about the numbers. Le Parisien also took into account, to a lesser extent, the social diversity of students, valuing institutions that embrace diversity, as well as the number of specialties offered, to provide a wide range of choices for high schoolers.
