17,000 students at free meals

Starting in September 2026, school lunches will become free for nearly 17,000 Parisian children. Announced by the City of Paris, this measure will apply to families in the two lowest income brackets, who were previously charged between €0,13 and €0,85 per meal. In total, nearly 2,5 million meals per year will thus be fully covered.

Every day, approximately 100,000 students eat lunch in the capital's school cafeterias. The City has also announced a freeze on prices for other families, even though the cost of meals could have been reassessed in light of inflation. This decision still needs to be approved by the Paris City Council.

School meals in Paris already operate on a highly progressive system: the price of a meal varies according to income, from €0,13 to €7 per child. More than 70% of families now pay less than €5 per meal, while the local authority covers a significant portion of the actual cost of school meals.

Beyond its financial impact, this free service aims to guarantee equal access to quality food. In Paris, school cafeterias serve more than 21 million meals each year and constitute an essential link in the capital's educational and social policy.