Let’s be honest: the thing we miss the most once we step into the business world is school vacations. We fondly remember the joy we felt every June, knowing that the next two months would be dedicated to relaxation. But this could soon change. In an interview with the media Brut, President Emmanuel Macron spoke about the school rhythm. It seems that he is in favor of a whole new dynamic.
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Shorter days, shorter vacations
His main goal? To offer shorter days for students. These would start « a little later in the morning ». This way, he hopes to reduce the « significant stress » caused by « days that are extremely packed ».
@brutofficiel Vers des vacances scolaires moins longues ? La réponse d’Emmanuel Macron. #emmanuelmacron #macron #lycee #college ♬ son original - Brut.
But every new decision has its trade-offs. In the case of this proposal from the president, it would be "to have shorter vacations". Instead of returning to school at the beginning of September, students would head to middle schools and high schools earlier, in August: "I think a long month of vacation would be feasible", he clarifies.
A shift in the school calendar at the expense of tourism?
Lightening the schedule, allowing more time for extracurricular activities… On paper, the idea isn't bad, but one question lingers: what about tourism, since school holidays have a significant impact on it?
Between 2024 and 2025, international tourism revenues saw a 13.7% increase, reaching 37.3 billion euros, as stated in a press release from the Ministry of Tourism. 290 million overnight stays were recorded in France between the end of June and mid-August, and when it comes to the French, more than 85% of their trips took place in France or overseas. Changing the school holiday dates could therefore upset the tourism balance. But as the president affirmed: “Now it's the government that will have to take action.”