CHAVANNES-SUR-REYSSOUZE, May 31, 2026 – The Montessori 12-18 college-lycée in Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze, Ain, near Lyon, is set to host an open day on Saturday, June 6, 2026. This event comes just one month after the institution secured authorization to reopen its doors following an administrative closure that lasted nearly two months. The school, a unique non-contract establishment in France due to its operational model, was shut down by an administrative order.
A Unique Educational Model Challenged by Administration
Upon entering the former country estate, which has been transformed into an educational boarding school, chickens peck in the garden while students prepare homemade bread. Here, there are no jarring bells or rigid rows of students facing a blackboard. Since 2022, the Montessori 12-18 school in Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze has cultivated an alternative vision of education, far removed from the traditional codes of the French National Education system.
The school was founded by parents seeking continuity after Montessori primary education. It currently hosts about a dozen students from across France and even abroad. “For us, the dunce does not exist. Children simply learn differently,” explains Isabelle Curé, president of the MONTESSORI study and work center association.
In this rural setting, teenagers alternate between classes, gardening, animal care, woodworking workshops, cooking, and permaculture. “Maria Montessori’s goal was to train responsible citizens with a taste for effort,” recalls Isabelle Curé. Here, students participate in daily life, including bread making, garden maintenance, and selling honey or kefir at the local market.
The teaching method is primarily hands-on. “We learn the Pythagorean theorem with a knotted rope before giving the formula,” she smiles. This pedagogy aligns with the continuity of Montessori elementary education, which is based on work autonomy.
Two Months of Closure and an Administrative Battle
Despite the idyllic atmosphere, the past few months have left their mark. On April 1, a significant delegation, including representatives from the rectorate, the prefecture, the gendarmerie, emergency services, and the Mayor of Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze, visited the school. A few days later, a closure order was issued due to safety concerns.
“We completed all the requested work in just fifteen days,” assures Isabelle Curé. However, the establishment remained closed for nearly two months before finally receiving a favorable opinion and reopening on May 21.
“One has to wonder if the rectorate was not against us. The government no longer wants non-contract schools,” states the association’s president. This tension arises in an already sensitive climate surrounding the place and funding of independent schools, as several establishments in the region have been reporting increasing financial and institutional pressure for several months.
Open Day Under Close Scrutiny
In this tense context, the open day on June 6 will take on a special dimension. Families will be able to discover this unconventional place from 10 AM to 5 PM, meet the teachers, and learn about the school’s operations.
“Everyone who comes here tells us the same thing: this school breathes happiness,” confides Isabelle Curé. After two months of administrative struggle, the establishment aims to prove that it remains faithful to its philosophy: to transmit knowledge differently, no matter the cost, and to defend the freedom of families to choose the education they want for their children.
Event Details:
- Open Day: Centre d’études et travaux Montessori
- College-lycée 12-18 ans
- Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
- Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Location: 1273, route Mollard-Gaillard, 01190 Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze
