France is rightly admired for its childcare system. The combination of heavily subsidised crèches, affordable assistantes maternelles, and generous parental leave creates one of the highest rates of maternal employment in Europe. The system is good — and navigating it requires learning its specific vocabulary quickly, because the waiting lists for the best places are long.

Here is what the options are called, how the system works, and the vocabulary for each step of the process.

The Options

Crèche collective — a nursery / daycare centre. Group childcare for children from 2.5 months to 3 years, run by a team of professional educators (éducatrices de jeunes enfants). The most sought-after and subsidised option; fees are income-based via the barème CAF (Family Allowances Fund).

Micro-crèche — a smaller nursery with a maximum of 12 children, as opposed to the up to 60 of a standard crèche. Often more flexible but sometimes slightly higher cost. Growing rapidly.

Crèche parentale — a parent-run cooperative nursery. Parents are involved in managing and sometimes staffing the crèche. Lower cost; higher parental commitment required.

Crèche d'entreprise — a company-run nursery, set up by large employers for their employees' children.

Assistante maternelle — a childminder registered with and approved by the local council (conseil départemental). Cares for up to 4 children in her own home. One of the most common forms of childcare in France. Fees are partially subsidised via the CMG (Complément de Mode de Garde) from CAF. Quality varies widely; finding a good assistante maternelle is often word-of-mouth.

Halte-garderie — occasional / drop-in childcare, available without a fixed schedule. Useful for parents who need childcare ad hoc but not full-time.

Jardin d'éveil — a care setting for children aged 2–3 bridging the gap between crèche and maternelle.

École maternelle — state nursery school for children aged 3–6. Compulsory from age 3 in France (since 2019). Free, full-day (though hours vary), and universal. The maternelle is where most French children enter the education system.

Garderie périscolaire — before- and after-school childcare at the school itself, available from around 7:30am and until 6pm.

Centre de loisirs / ALSH — Accueil de Loisirs Sans Hébergement; an after-school or holiday activity club.

The Booking Process

Liste d'attente — waiting list. Crèche places are scarce; in major cities, parents often register before birth.

Mairie — the town hall. In many French communes, the mairie manages or coordinates access to crèche places. Contact your mairie as soon as you arrive.

RAM / RIAM — Relais Assistantes Maternelles / Relais Intercommunal d'Accueil du Jeune Enfant. A local resource centre where you can find and meet registered assistantes maternelles, get advice on childcare contracts, and access family support. Renamed RPE (Relais Petite Enfance) in some areas.

Agrément — the approval certificate issued to an assistante maternelle by the conseil départemental. A prerequisite for legal, subsidised childcare work. Always verify that your assistante maternelle holds a valid agrément.

Contrat d'accueil — the care agreement between parents and the assistante maternelle or crèche.

Pajemploi — the simplified social declaration system that employs assistantes maternelles. As a parent using a registered assistante maternelle, you become their employer; Pajemploi handles the payroll and social contributions automatically. You pay your assistante maternelle directly and declare via the Pajemploi website.

URSSAF — the body that manages Pajemploi declarations for household employers.

CMG — Complément de Mode de Garde. The CAF subsidy for parents using a registered assistante maternelle or crèche place. Means-tested; significantly reduces the net cost of childcare.

CAF — Caisse d'Allocations Familiales. France's family benefits authority, which administers child benefit (allocations familiales), childcare subsidies, and many other family-related payments. Register with your local CAF as soon as you arrive in France.

Key Vocabulary

Nourrisson — infant (under 1 year).

Bébé — baby.

Tout-petit — toddler.

Accueil — welcome / intake / care.

Adaptation — the settling-in period for a new child starting at a crèche or with an assistante maternelle, usually gradual over 1–2 weeks.

Projet d'établissement — the educational and care philosophy document of a crèche.

Congé maternité — maternity leave. 16 weeks for a first child (6 prenatal + 10 postnatal); longer for subsequent children. Paid via Sécurité Sociale at 100% of salary up to the plafond de la Sécurité Sociale.

Congé paternité — paternity / second-parent leave. Currently 28 calendar days (since 2021), of which 4 days are mandatory.

CLCA / PreParE — a parental leave benefit paid to parents who stop or reduce work to care for a child under 3.

"Ma fille commence lundi chez l'assistante maternelle." — My daughter starts on Monday with the childminder.

"Nous sommes sur liste d'attente à la crèche municipale." — We are on the waiting list at the municipal nursery.

France's childcare system rewards expat parents who understand it early. Register with CAF, contact the mairie, and start the liste d'attente process immediately upon arrival — not after you've settled in.

French childcare vocabulary is the vocabulary of your child's early years in France. Vokabulo helps you build it so you can navigate the system from day one. Available on iPhone and iPad.