Child care

If your child is under 3 (and therefore can’t go to school yet) or if you are looking for an after-school child-care solution, several possibilities exist, whether you are working or not.

Unlike school, child care is not free (the cost generally depends on your income).

Collective day care

• “Crèches” take care of children under 3 years old during the day, on a regular basis, either for the full day or for a part of the day. Kindergartens can take care of a limited number of children, it is therefore recommended to go to the mairie (city hall) at the beginning of the pregnancy.
• “Halte-garderies” take care of children under 6 years old on an occasional basis (between a few hours a day and several half-days in the week) to give the parents some free time.

Individual day care

• An “assistant.e maternel.le” (“mother assistant”) can also take care of your child. He/she is certified by the Conseil Départemental. Usually, assistants maternels work at their home. Their certificate gives them the right to take care of 1 to 4 children.

You can look for a day-care solution close to where you live on mon-enfant.fr (website in French).