PARIS: Clemence Remy moved to the French city of Nantes in 2020 and enrolled her two girls in the local state school. The teachers were good, but she grew so exasperated by rolling staff strikes that she eventually put them in a private school. Her case is part of a wider trend in which better-off parents are leaving public education, as pension costs and austerity squeeze budgets. The shift is raising new questions about whether France’s school system still delivers its promise of equality.
Background: A System Built on Equality Under Strain
France’s public schools have long been described as the heart of the republican ideal, a place where children from rich and poor families alike receive the same quality of education. That idea is linked to the national motto of “liberty, equality and fraternity.” In recent years, however, parents, teachers and students have complained about falling standards, staff shortages and old buildings.
The concerns have led to street protests. On October 8, high school and university students joined a nationwide day of protests and blockades to demand better school conditions, and clashes with police were seen in Nantes. Reports say the anger over schools has helped fuel some of France’s most violent demonstrations in decades.
Details: What the Numbers Show
Remy told Reuters that strikes at her daughters’ school in Nantes, a left-leaning city in western France, were often announced at the last minute, which forced her to take repeated time off work. “School is an institution we should be able to rely on,” she said. She now pays 191 euros ($214) a month for each child at a private school, and she accepts that such schools are not affordable for everyone.
The data point to wider problems. French state secondary schools were unable to staff nearly 10% of teaching hours in the 2024/25 school year, which is almost half a day of teaching each week, and three-quarters of that was due to the failure to replace absent teachers. The OECD’s 2025 PISA results also show that the maths and reading levels of French 15-year-olds have fallen sharply since 2003 and reached a record low, well below the average.
Between 10% and 20% of school buildings are in a “significantly deteriorated condition,” according to a 2025 report by Banque des Territoires, the investment arm of a state-owned lender. Experts say the government’s difficulty in turning things around is partly explained by the growing pensions bill, which takes resources from other priorities. Teachers’ pensions add another 28% to their cost, and the education budget for 2027 is about 64 billion euros, according to reporting that cites Le Monde.
Meanwhile, private schools are growing. More than 2 million children, or 17.6% of all pupils, attended one of France’s more than 7,500 “under-contract” schools, according to a 2023 report by the national audit office. These schools are almost entirely run by the Catholic Church. Their teachers are paid by the state, while fees cover non-teaching costs, and they have more control over staffing and admissions. A larger pool of substitute teachers means they are less affected by strikes and absences. In Nantes, 38% of pupils go to private schools.
Quotes: What Parents and Experts Said
Virginie Durin, the president of Apel, the main association for parents of pupils in Catholic private schools, said that not all of these parents are wealthy, and that many make great sacrifices to afford the fees. The national audit office also said that some families had moved their children to avoid local state schools, or because of concerns about safety and teacher absences.
Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman wrote on his Substack on Thursday that France is effectively giving large subsidies to older people at the expense of everyone else, and said that mass student demonstrations should not come as a surprise.
Note for the writer: if you can find a verified comment from the education ministry or a teachers’ union, add it here. Do not publish invented quotes.
Impact: Inequality, Politics and the Richest French Families
The biggest concern is social mixing. Reports show that the share of pupils from “very advantaged” families rose to 40.2% in 2021, compared with 26.4% in 2000, and that more than half of the pupils in under-contract schools now come from advantaged or very advantaged backgrounds, compared with less than a third in state schools. Critics fear that this could widen the gap between rich and poor, while Remy herself said that private schools risk being “colonised” by the wealthy.
The story is about wealthy parents in general, not about France’s billionaire dynasties, but the topic of wealth is also in the news. According to the magazine Challenges, the Arnault family, which controls LVMH, is the richest French family, with an estimated fortune of 121.2 billion euros, followed by the heirs of Hermès (114 billion euros), the Wertheimer brothers who own Chanel (95 billion euros) and Françoise Bettencourt Meyers of L’Oréal (69.7 billion euros). Challenges listed 153 billionaire families in France in 2026, eight more than in 2025. Forbes uses a different method, and it puts Bernard Arnault and family at about $128 billion in September.
Readers who search for the top 10 or top 20 wealthy French families, the list of French billionaires, or the wealthy French families in the world will find that rankings vary with the source, the date and the share price of luxury stocks. This is important background when the debate turns to fairness, taxes and public spending.
Conclusion: What to Watch Next
The pressure on the government is likely to continue. Student protests, strikes and the debate about pensions and austerity are all expected to remain on the political agenda, especially as the 2027 budget is discussed.
For parents like Remy, the choice has already been made, but for the wider system, the key question is whether the state can rebuild trust in public schools. Further updates will follow as the government responds.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which family is richer than the Rothschild family?
The Rothschild family’s wealth is hard to measure, because it is spread across many branches and different private investments, so no reliable single figure exists. Several families are widely reported to have larger known fortunes. According to Challenges magazine, France’s Arnault family (LVMH) has an estimated 121.2 billion euros, the Hermès heirs 114 billion euros and the Wertheimer brothers (Chanel) 95 billion euros. Internationally, the Walton family, which owns most of Walmart, is often ranked the richest family in the world, and Gulf royal families and the Mars family are also frequently placed ahead. Because estimates are based on company shares and change with markets, readers should check the latest Forbes or Bloomberg lists.
Who are the 12 most powerful families?
There is no official or scientific list of the “12 most powerful families.” Claims about a secret group of 12 or 13 bloodlines that control the world circulate online, but they are not supported by reliable evidence, so they should not be treated as fact. What can be verified are rankings of the richest families by fortune, which are published by Forbes, Bloomberg and national magazines. These often include the Walton, Al Saud, Mars, Koch, Arnault, Hermès, Wertheimer and Bettencourt Meyers families. Wealth is not the same as political power, and the lists change every year, so any “most powerful families” claim should be checked against reliable sources.
Who are the top 10 richest people in France?
The ranking depends on the source and the date, because fortunes move with stock markets. Based on Forbes data reported by WealthRank in September 2026, Bernard Arnault and family are first with about $128 billion, followed by Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and family with about $94 billion, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer with about $39 billion each, and François Pinault and family with about $26 billion. Other names often listed in the top ten include the Besnier family of Lactalis, Xavier Niel, the founder of Free, and the Perrodo family, but their positions and figures vary between lists. Challenges magazine uses a different method, and it places Arnault first, followed by the Hermès heirs. Please check the current Forbes or Challenges list.
