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The administrative divisions of France (3/3)
France is managed by the ministries and by the local authorities (collectivités territoriales). Each one manages the country and the territories according to its powers.
Key points of the sheet
- The ministries carry out the government's decisions. The central administration defines and oversees policies at national level.
- The local authorities are the municipalities (communes) (34,875), the départements (101, including 5 overseas) and the regions (18, including 5 overseas).
- Education is affected by decentralisation (décentralisation). The State has transferred some powers to the local authorities.
- The State defines the school curriculum and approves textbooks. It recruits, trains and manages teachers, and supervises universities.
- The regions manage upper secondary schools (lycées). The départements manage lower secondary schools (collèges), and the municipalities manage nursery and primary schools.
- Managing a school establishment brings together several powers. They are building and maintaining the buildings, equipment and materials, and the canteen.
Words to know
- local authorities (collectivités territoriales)
- They are the municipalities, the départements and the regions.
- decentralisation (décentralisation)
- With decentralisation, the State transfers some powers to the local authorities.
- ministries (ministères)
- The ministries carry out the government's decisions.
- central administration (administration centrale)
- It defines and oversees national policies, for example the school curriculum.
- upper secondary schools (lycées)
- Upper secondary schools are managed by the regions.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who manages upper secondary schools (lycées)?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui gère les lycées ?
The sheet says that the regions manage upper secondary schools.
Who defines the school curriculum?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui définit les programmes scolaires ?
The State, through the central administration, defines the school curriculum.
How many municipalities (communes) are there?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien y a-t-il de communes ?
The sheet lists 34,875 municipalities among the local authorities.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- How many departments are there in France?
- How many regions are there in France?
- Which schools do the communes manage?
- Which schools does the department manage?
- Who manages public collèges (middle schools)?
More in this topic (Organisation of the French Republic)
- The administrative division of France (1/3)
- The administrative divisions of France (2/3): the prefect (préfet) and the prefecture (préfecture)
Source
Sheet “Le découpage administratif de la France (3/3)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.