Ermitage International School of Paris

"Ermitage International School of France is a distinguished bilingual and boarding institution nestled in Maisons-Laffitte, a leafy residential commune in the western suburbs of Paris."

Set amid the elegant, tree-lined streets of this sought-after community along the Seine, the school offers families the rare combination of a genuine Parisian experience and a rigorous, internationally recognized education — all within comfortable reach of the French capital. The school's roots run remarkably deep. Founded in 1941 by Anne-Marie Thommeret during the German occupation of France, Ermitage was established with a quiet but profound commitment to learning and continuity at one of history's most turbulent moments. That founding spirit — a belief in education as something worth protecting and preserving — continues to animate the school's culture today. Over the decades, Ermitage has grown into a fully international institution while maintaining its distinctly Franco-European character and its original campus presence in Maisons-Laffitte, operating across several sites within the town. Academically, Ermitage offers families two complementary pathways to upper secondary qualification. Students may pursue the French Baccalaureate with an international option, a rigorous program that provides deep grounding in the French national curriculum while incorporating an international dimension, or the International Baccalaureate, through both the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. This dual-track structure is genuinely distinctive and makes Ermitage an appealing choice for families who want to preserve options — whether their children may eventually integrate into the French university system, pursue higher education internationally, or both. At the heart of the school's identity is its commitment to bilingual French–English education, offered from the early childhood years through upper secondary. This is not a school where one language merely supplements the other; both French and English are treated as full languages of learning and intellectual life. For expat families arriving from English-speaking countries, this immersive bilingual environment offers a meaningful pathway into French language and culture. For French families with international ambitions, it provides world-class English language development alongside a familiar academic framework. Children who grow up within this model tend to leave as genuinely confident speakers and thinkers in both languages. The school welcomes students from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12, creating a community that spans the full arc of childhood and adolescence. For secondary-level students, Ermitage also offers boarding facilities, making it an option not only for local and expatriate day students but also for families based further afield who are looking for a structured, supportive residential environment in the Paris region. Maisons-Laffitte itself adds considerably to the school's appeal. Known for its grand château, its racecourse, and its unusually generous green spaces, the town has long attracted international families who want proximity to Paris without sacrificing a calm, residential quality of life. The RER A line connects Maisons-Laffitte to central Paris in under thirty minutes, making the school genuinely accessible for families living across a broad swath of the greater metropolitan area. For relocating professionals and expat families evaluating their options in and around Paris, Ermitage represents a school with authentic history, serious academics, and a bilingual environment that is difficult to find replicated elsewhere.