Why back-to-school costs are lower in France this year
The cost of la rentrée is falling but the state grant meant to help lower-income families is not keeping pace with inflation
Shorter school supply lists, more reuse of equipment, bulk buying and discounts, and support from local councils are all helping to bring down the cost of la rentrée for families in France this year, say family associations.
However, the state grant aimed to help lower-income households cope with the expense of the new school year has not risen to keep pace with inflation.
How much will la rentrée cost this year?
Families can expect to spend around €198 for a child at primary school (école primaire or élémentaire), €316 for a collège pupil, and €426 for a lycée student, states the Confédération Syndicale des Familles (CSF). The organisation says these figures are broadly down on previous years.
A separate barometer from the Familles de France federation – now in its 42nd edition – found an even sharper drop for pupils starting sixième, the first year of collège (equivalent to Year 7 in the UK or Grade 6 in the US). The average basket of supplies comes to €180.80 in 2026, down 14.35% (€30.30) on the €211.10 recorded in 2025. This marks the second year in a row that costs have fallen, after peaking at €226.33 in 2023.
Speaking to FranceInfo, Chantal Huet, president of Familles de France, said the figures were "good news for families' purchasing power".
Sports equipment saw the sharpest fall, down 24.2% on last year to an average of €45.87. Non-paper items such as pens, compasses and calculators – the largest single expense, making up around half the total basket fell 15% to €92.23. Paper-based supplies such as notebooks stayed broadly stable, edging up slightly to €42.70.
Prices vary significantly depending on where families shop. The same study found average costs fell 29% in supermarkets, to €150, and 6% in hypermarkets, to €181, while specialist shops saw a 5% rise, to €255.
Why are costs coming down?
The CSF points to several factors for the drop: schools increasingly issuing shorter, less demanding supply lists; a growing number of local councils distributing basic supplies directly; families reusing more equipment from the previous year; and more purchases made in bulk, on promotion, or opting for lower-cost items, particularly for clothing and trainers.
However, Familles de France has warned that this year's falls may not continue, saying disruption linked to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz may push up the cost of raw materials such as wood and paper pulp, which could feed through into higher supply prices later this year and into 2027.
Family associations also caution that a lower national average does not mean an equal experience for everyone. The CSF says notable regional disparities remain, citing issues such as school transport that is not always free, and ongoing difficulties for children with disabilities.
The Connexion also publishes 12 points to help you understand schools in France.
What is the ‘back to school’ allowance - and who is eligible?
To help lower-income households, France's family allowance funds (Caf) began paying out the allocation de rentrée scolaire (ARS) on Tuesday, August 18. The payment goes to close to three million families, covering around five million children aged six to 18.
The allowance is means-tested, based on 2024 household income, with thresholds of €28,956 for one child, €35,638 for two children, and €42,320 for three children. For the 2026 school year, payments are:
€426.87 for children aged 6 to 10
€450.41 for those aged 11 to 14
€466.02 for those aged 15 to 18
These amounts are only marginally up on 2025, an increase of less than 1%. The CSF notes that this rise falls well short of the estimated general annual inflation rate of 1.8% recorded in June. It argues that the allowance does not come close to covering school-related costs across the full year, and points out that only around 30% of families overall receive it.
For comparison, the Caisse nationale des allocations familiales (Cnaf) estimates that French families spend an average of €1,315 per child per year on schooling, of which almost €400 is spent specifically at the start of the school year.
You can read a more detailed outline of France’s ‘back to school’ grant for 2026 in The Connexion’s article here.
