What are les universités d'été and who can attend?

September is synonymous with la rentrée in France, with schools starting back across the country. However, politicians and parties are also gearing up for their own rentrée with the return of les universités d'été.

While this term can refer to a summer school or university course held during the holidays, it also has a slightly different use that you may spot in French news headlines over the coming days and weeks. 

What does les universités d'été mean?

It literally translates as ‘the universities of summer’ or ‘the summer universities’ - however it actually refers to political gatherings, often lasting several days.

The gatherings are organised by a variety of parties every year as a way of launching politicians back into the media spotlight after the holiday months of July and August, and before the start of the next parliamentary session on October 1.

They are sometimes seen as a way of gauging a party’s strength, and are often an opportunity for supporters to reunite and discuss ideas over conferences.

It is important not to confuse les universités d'été with a congrès, which is closer to a formal party conference.  

Attendance is set to be high at this year’s université d'été ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Are there alternative names for les universités d'été?

Some political parties use different names for their individual universités d'été, and sometimes media outlets refer to the gatherings as la rentrée politique or la grande rentrée.

La France Insoumise (LFI) uses the term AMFIS - combining the term amphis d'été (summer lectures) with the letters FI from their party acronym. LFI also organises a separate youth event called AMFIS jeunes.

Les Verts prefer: les journées d'été (the summer days). 

The Parti socialiste has called this year’s event: Campus 2026.

When and where are les universités d'été held?

The gatherings typically take place at any time from the end of August into the beginning of September.

Locations often change each year, with some events being held in outdoor ‘festival’ settings.

Les universités d'été 2026:

• Les Verts: August 20-22, Grenoble (Isère)

• La France Insoumise: August 20-23, Châteauneuf-sur-Isère (Drôme)

• Parti communiste français: August 21-23, Toulouse (Haute-Garonne)

• Parti socialiste: August 28-29, Blois (Loir-et-Cher)

• L'Après: August 22-24, Tours (Indre-et-Loire)

• Reconquête: September 12-13, Port-Marly (Yvelines)

• Renaissance: September 20-21, Arras (Pas-de-Calais)

You may also see individual politicians organising smaller events, visits or press conferences:

• Bally Bagayoko, LFI, mayor of Saint-Denis: August 20, Mirabel-et-Blacons (Drôme)

• Gérald Darmanin, justice minister: August 30 in Tourcoing (Nord) 

Some cross-party events also exist:

• Laboratoire de la République: August 27-29, Sens (Yonne). Politicians such as Sébastien Lecornu, François Hollande and Édouard Philippe will be attending.

Right-leaning parties Rassemblement National and Les Républicains have not advertised any universités d'été for 2026.

Who can attend les universités d'été?

The events grew in popularity after May 1968 - a period of civil unrest in France with widespread protests and strikes - in an attempt to encourage peaceful political discussion. 

Several sources trace the first université d'été to August 1975 in Montpellier, organised by young supporters of then President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, also known as Giscardians.

Moving forward, it became crucial that these types of meetings and conferences remained open and accessible to all supporters and activists. 

This is still the case today although some larger events are ticketed, with some critics suggesting les universités d'été have become less about learning and sharing ideas, and more about acting as a media platform. 

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