Extracurricular & recreational activities
You may need childcare outside of normal school hours, or you might wish to enrol your child in extracurricular activities. There is a wide variety of options available to suit your child’s interests.
Recreation centre
Recreation centres provide out-of-hours childcare during school holidays, non-school weekdays, before school, and after school. Trained staff organise a range of activities, such as arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games, sports, and cultural outings. To reserve a spot for your child at one of these centres, get in touch with your town or city hall.
If you are an INRAE employee, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help cover the costs of childcare at recreation centres. To find out more, reach out to the Social Activities Association (Association pour le Développement des Activités Sociales, or ADAS) at your INRAE research centre.
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Activities for people of all ages
You can sign your child up for a variety of artistic, cultural, and/or sports activities organised by your local city council and/or non-profit organisations. For example, different groups may offer music, language, sports, theatre, or pottery-making lessons. These activities often take place outside of school hours, be it after school, on Wednesdays, or on the weekend. For more information about local activities (e.g., cost, schedule, sign-up procedures), please contact your town or city hall.
There are activities for adults too. See if there are any that you might be interested in.
Holiday and language camps
Holiday and language camps take place during the school holidays and provide structured activities for children under 18. These camps are organised mainly by non-profit organisations, town/city halls, private companies, and works councils. They are an opportunity to participate in sports, educational, cultural, linguistic, and leisure activities.
You must sign up for a spot well in advance of school holidays. The cost depends on the organiser. Generally, the most affordable camps are those organised by town or city halls.
INRAE camps
If you are employed by INRAE, you can join the ADAS. This group offers a wide range of reasonably priced holiday camps for children from 4 to 17 years of age, as well as for adults. To learn more, please contact the head of human resources at your INRAE research centre.
School trips
During the academic year, your child’s school may organise trips such as a field trip, a ski trip, a hike, or a language exchange. Generally, school trips do not last more than five school days. However, field trips and international trips (i.e., to other European countries or beyond) can last longer. Parents may be asked to contribute towards expenses. If your child does not take part, they will be placed in another class at the school while their classmates are gone.
If you are an INRAE employee, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help cover the cost of holiday camps and school trips. To find out more, reach out to the ADAS for your INRAE research centre.
