The academic year resumed across the 130 high schools in the Bordeaux academy, with authorities reporting a largely calm transition despite localized disruptions and ongoing student skepticism, Sud Ouest reported.
A Symbol of Return at Lycée François-Mauriac
Jean-Marc Huart, the rector of the Bordeaux academy, visited the Lycée François-Mauriac in Bordeaux alongside regional representatives to mark the reopening. The establishment had been closed to students following an arson attack on October 1 that heavily damaged its facade and main entrance. "Today, the courses resume in this high school among the most bruised, it is a satisfaction. Symbolically, I wanted to be here," Huart stated.
Principal Alain Bono led the delegation through the phased reopening process, which includes a newly secured rear entrance equipped with a security portico to welcome the school's 1,280 students. Regional estimates place immediate safety securing costs at €35,000, while complete reconstruction of the hall and forecourt will require roughly €1 million and several months of labor.
Student Skepticism Meets Official Assurance
During the visit, academy officials and regional delegates met with Maëlle Alvernhe and Adrien Morisse, student representatives from the Council for High School Life (CVL). Many institutions across the academy scheduled dedicated discussion periods prior to resuming standard coursework.
Alvernhe voiced deep skepticism regarding ongoing government consultations, pointing to past public policy initiatives like the yellow vest grievances and the Climate Convention. "We are glad to see that measures are being taken, but there is still a great distrust," she said, questioning whether policies will survive upcoming government transitions. Huart countered by emphasizing the continuity of the state and urging student representatives to maintain an active dialogue.
Isolated Incidents and Minor Disruptions
While the rector confirmed that 123 of the academy's 130 high schools experienced an unhindered reopening, seven facilities recorded disturbances involving minor groups attempting blockades or launching projectiles.
Outside the Lycée Condorcet in Bordeaux, individuals burned trash bins and targeted a police officer with mortar fire. At the Lycée Victor-Louis, intruders breached the campus and fired mortars, resulting in a teacher being struck and one arrest. In Mérignac, fireworks detonated across the road from the Lycée Daguin and Lycée Dassault, lightly injuring two administrative staff members who have since filed complaints. Three masked individuals were detained following those events, and additional clashes prompted four arrests outside the Lycée Les Iris in Lormont.
Huart condemned the violence unequivocally, warning that administrative sanctions will follow if enrolled students are identified among the instigators.
