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France's School Phone Ban: From Écoles in 2018 to Lycées in 2026
France banned phones in primary schools and collèges in 2018, required collèges to collect phones on arrival through the pause numérique from 2025-26, and extended the ban to lycées from 1 September 2026. It now covers almost every child in school.
France was one of the first countries to legislate. A 2018 law banned phones in écoles and collèges, covering children aged roughly 3 to 15. The rule left a loophole: phones could stay switched off in a bag, and in practice many were not off. In September 2024 the government piloted the pause numérique in about 200 collèges, where pupils hand their phone in on arrival and collect it when they leave, and from the 2025-26 school year it was extended to all collèges.
The next step came in summer 2026. A law signed on 24 August 2026 banned phones in lycées from the rentrée on 1 September 2026, with head teachers deciding how phones are stored and whether there are any designated zones. The government's reasoning was about calm and concentration in learning. Critics noted that the collège pilot had not published a formal evaluation, but political support across parties was strong.
Collecting phones at the gate has a cost. Somebody has to run the collection, the school becomes responsible for devices worth hundreds of euros each, and storage has to be secure. Lockable pouches are an alternative that meets the same goal: pupils lock their own phone in their own pouch, keep it with them, and cannot use it until they tap it on a magnetic base on the way out. Nothing is collected and nothing is lost.
We ship to France from Toronto, and can print the school's name on the pouches. Before The Internet sells lockable phone pouches to schools outright. You pay once, the pouches and unlocking bases belong to the school, and there is no subscription, lease or per-student annual licence. Send us your student numbers and any written quote you already have, and we will beat it.
Frequently asked questions
Are phones banned in French schools?
Yes. Phones have been banned in écoles and collèges since 2018, collèges collect them on arrival under the pause numérique from 2025-26, and lycées have been covered by a ban since 1 September 2026.
What is the pause numérique?
It is France's rule that collège pupils hand in their phones when they arrive and get them back when they leave. It was piloted in about 200 collèges in 2024 and extended to all collèges for 2025-26.
Can lockable pouches replace phone collection?
Yes. Pupils keep their own phone in a locked pouch all day, so the school does not collect or store devices, and it opens on a magnetic base at the end of the day.
Related reading
School phone bans by country · England's school phone ban · Why schools ban phones
Written by the team at Before The Internet, a Toronto-based phone-free company that rents lockable phone pouches for events across North America and sells them to schools and venues worldwide, shipping purchases to any country.
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