Robert-Badinter School Complex

The Robert-Badinter school complex, which includes the Robert-Badinter International High School and the Augustin-Thierry Middle School, is a located in Blois, within the . Bringing together a middle school, an international ( general and technological) high school, a vocational section, and the Centre-Val de Loire departmental agency, the school complex welcomed 1,863 students and pupils (including 163 boarders) and 287 staff members (including 180 teachers) at the start of the 2024 school year.

As the heir to the founded by Henry III in 1587, the Robert-Badinter school complex was established on its , a vast 14-hectare park, shortly after World War II. Today, it offers a broad range of educational programs (, binational, and , film and audiovisual studies, engineering sciences, creative technological innovation, etc.). It prepares students for the National Diploma (DNB), the general and technological baccalaureates (STI2D), the Spanish ''bachillerato'', the vocational baccalaureate (, MEEC, TCI, and TU), and BTS qualifications (, , , and technical solutions consulting and sales).

Location

The Robert-Badinter school complex is located at 13 Avenue de Châteaudun, in the northern part of the Bourg-Neuf district, in the Provinces sector, in Blois.

Covering 14 hectares, it is divided into two parcels of land, situated on either side of Honoré-de-Balzac Street. The larger parcel (accessible from both Avenue de Châteaudun and Honoré-de-Balzac Street) houses the majority of the school buildings, as well as administrative offices and student services (cafeteria and student common room). The second, smaller parcel, accessible only via Honoré-de-Balzac Street, contains the Vinci workshops, the new gymnasium, and sports fields. An underground passage beneath Honoré-de-Balzac Street allows users to move between the two areas without exiting the premises.

The school complex consists of around twenty buildings, distributed across both parcels in a layout designed for functional organization. Buildings used by all students occupy a central position. The older buildings are clearly distinct in architecture and materials from those built starting in the 1960s.

History

The begins with the creation of a Royal College in Blois by royal charter from Henry III in 1581. Opened on April 1, 1587, the first establishment was initially housed in a house in the Bourg-Neuf district, located outside the city walls. The college was then relocated in 1601 to Bretonnerie Street, on the site of what is now the central post office. Managed by secular clergy until 1622, the Royal College was then entrusted to the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), who lost control when they were expelled from France in 1764.

Closed in 1793 by the revolutionaries, the college was re-established only in 1804 as a municipal secondary school, which was promoted to the rank of municipal college in 1808. By then located in the former , the institution served much of the Blois bourgeoisie. It was renamed on September 30, 1872, to honor one of its most famous students, the Blois-born historian Augustin Thierry (1795–1856). Destroyed in a fire caused by German bombings at the beginning of World War II (June 1940), the college operated in temporary locations for several years under the occupying forces.

Eventually relocated in 1945–1946 to premises formerly used by the , the institution was elevated to the rank of high school at the same time. It grew rapidly. Becoming a school complex with the creation of a general education middle school (1963) and a technical section (1964), Augustin-Thierry played a key role in Blois’s international outreach, establishing exchange partnerships with the ''Grammar School'' of Lewes in the UK (1946) and the ''Hochrhein Gymnasium'' of Waldshut in Germany (1958).

Open to students since 1963, the institution transformed with the in France in the 1960s–1970s. It reached its peak at the end of the 1980s, hosting nearly 2,500 students and pupils. In January 2025, the high school was elevated to the status of an international high school and was renamed Robert-Badinter High School, while the middle school retained the name Augustin-Thierry.

Architecture and park

Listed buildings

Rich in ancient history, the site of the Robert-Badinter school complex housed a leprosarium (the ) at the beginning of the 12th century, before becoming a priory of the Canons of Saint Genevieve until the French Revolution. Sold as national property in 1791, the estate and buildings of the religious institution were acquired by Nicolas Chambon de Monteaux, then mayor of Paris. After being sold several times (notably to General Hugo), they were finally purchased in 1834 by a banker named Jean-Simon Chambert-Péan. The latter had a large villa built there, the "Château Saint-Lazare" (now the Hugo building), incorporating remnants of the old priory, such as the rib vaulted hall that is now the chapter room.

Acquired in 1861 by the Loir-et-Cher department, Chambert-Péan’s residence was integrated into the departmental , then managed by Doctor (1822–1884). Shortly after, the size of the Saint-Lazare villa was doubled with the addition of the (now the Lunier building), which today houses the administration of the school complex. Various annex buildings were later built in the park, including the Tilleuls Pavilion (currently known by the same name). Decommissioned during World War II, these buildings began housing the Augustin-Thierry High School following the Liberation.

In the early 1990s, the planned to demolish the remains of the former priory and the Lunier hospice to replace them with more modern buildings. However, this project was met with opposition from part of the teaching staff and local heritage advocates, who founded an “Association for the Preservation of the Old Buildings and Park of the Augustin-Thierry High School.” Ultimately, the historical elements were listed in the General Inventory in 1992, and a study was carried out by art historian Annie Cosperec.
File:Batiment Hugo - cité scolaire Augustin-Thierry.JPG, The Hugo Building, formerly the Villa Saint-Lazare.
File:Cul-de-lampe (2) salle capitulaire, batiment Hugo.JPG, Cul-de-lampe of the chapter house in the Hugo Building.
File:Détail du plafond de la salle Chabert-Péan.JPG, Detail of the ceiling of the Chambert-Péan room in the Hugo Building.
File:Moulures du batiment Hugo.JPG, Mouldings inside the Hugo Building.
File:Villa Lunier - ancien prieuré Saint-Lazare (Blois).png, Engraving of the Villa Lunier, c. 1900.
File:Batiment Lunier.JPG, The Lunier Building, formerly the Lunier Hospice.
File:Batiment Tilleul.JPG, The former “Les Tilleuls” pavilion, extended in 1947.

Other buildings

In 1946–1947, the former was converted into a school. The Tilleuls Pavilion was expanded to accommodate the premises of the winter agricultural school. A new building was also added to the old ones: Building O, now known as the Lavoisier Building. Designed by architect Henri Jannin, this structure is an east-west-oriented block with two stories and a raised basement. Built with dressed stone on the main façade and masonry coated with plaster on the rear, the Lavoisier Building features a double-pitched hip roof covered with slate. It now houses general and science education for the professional section (SEP).

Between 1960 and 1963, Building N (now the Michelet Building) was added to the original ensemble, based on plans by architect André Aubert (1905–1987). Oriented north-south, this building has concrete foundations and a reinforced concrete frame and floors. Initially intended to house the dormitory, the Michelet Building also contained, in the former common room, two carved wooden bas-reliefs measuring approximately 1.5 m by 5.5 m each. Created in 1963 by artist Jean Touret as part of the “ 1% for art” initiative, this large carved decoration depicting horsemen is now displayed inside the Balzac Building.

Between 1963 and 1966, new buildings designed by André Aubert and Pierre Large were added. These included the workshop facilities of Building A (at the current site of the Vinci workshops), Building M (now the Papin Building), which housed a second dormitory, Building I (now the Balzac Building) which became the new dining hall, and Building G which contains the central heating plant.

Between 1968 and 1973, a fourth construction phase was carried out by André Aubert and Pierre Large. Two parallelepiped-shaped buildings for general education (Building D, now Descartes) and science education (Building E, now Curie) were added to the complex. In addition, Building K, which housed a gymnasium and swimming pool, was inaugurated. In 1975–1976, a new dormitory—initially called Building J and later named Joséphine-Baker—was built behind the old Lunier hospice, which led to the demolition of part of the older structures. Very different from the previous buildings, this one is square-shaped and features a central patio. It also has only two floors.

In 1999, Building I (now Balzac) was expanded to accommodate administrative offices, meeting rooms, and a second gymnasium. In 2001, a student center (“maison des lycéens” or MDL) was added near the dining hall. Covering 400 m², this MDL was named “Jean-Germanaud Student Center” in 2005, in honor of a former Spanish teacher at the school.

In 2008, the technical section workshops (Vinci Building) underwent major renovations and were significantly expanded, to house a large technical training platform of 7,000 m². Artist Nicolas Royer (b. 1973) designed an original façade called ''On-Off'' as part of the “1% for art” initiative. That same year, the swimming pool, a unique feature of Augustin-Thierry, was permanently closed. It was eventually replaced with a new gymnasium in 2013.
File:Bâtiment Lavoisier.JPG, The Lavoisier building.
File:Bâtiment Papin - GRETA de Loir-et-Cher.JPG, The Papin building.
File:Bâtiments Curie et Descartes.JPG, The Curie (left) and Descartes (right) buildings.
File:Bâtiment on-off (bâtiment Vinci).JPG, The Vinci building and its “On-Off” facade.

Park, flora, and fauna

In the time of Jean-Simon Chambert-Péan, the park surrounding the “Château Saint-Lazare” was planted with more or less rare species ( Lebanon cedars, cherry plum trees, linden trees, etc.) that provided shelter for many birds and red squirrels. After the school complex was established, however, many of the trees in the park were cut down to make room for new buildings (especially Descartes and Curie). Only part of the 19th-century arboreal collection remains today, but it continues to be a defining feature of the school complex.

Some of the plant species present in the park of the school complex:
File:Parc de la cité scolaire Augustin-Thierry.JPG, Lebanon cedar
File:Wild cyclamens.jpg, Sowbread
File:Common Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) (25742401103).jpg, Snowdrop
File:Cowslip flower.jpg, Cowslip
File:Ophrys abeille - lycée Augustin-Thierry.jpg, Bee orchid
File:Orchis bouc - lycée Augustin-Thierry.jpg, Lizard orchid
Some animal species present in the park:
File:Farley Foxtrot (92449895).jpeg, Red fox
File:Eichhörnchen Düsseldorf Hofgarten edit.jpg, Red squirrel
File:Igel.jpg, Hedgehog
File:03 vgue-10-11 - crop.jpg, Green woodpecker
File:ABUBILLA (Upupa epops).jpg, Eurasian hoopoe
File:Garrulus glandarius 1 Luc Viatour.jpg, Eurasian jay
File:Pic epeiche Jacques Julien.jpg, Great spotted woodpecker
File:Blackbird (male) in my garden (8407766585).jpg, Common blackbird
File:Rotkehlchen (10562490213).jpg, European robin
File:Pica pica -Daventry Country Park, Daventry, Northamptonshire, England-8.jpg, Eurasian magpie

Commemorative plaques

Five commemorative plaques located in front of the entrance to the school cafeteria commemorate the involvement of former students and teachers of the Robert-Badinter school complex in the various conflicts France has faced since the end of the 19th century:
File:Plaque commémorative - guerre de 1870.JPG, Former students who died during the Franco-German War of 1870.
File:Plaque commémorative de la Première Guerre mondiale.JPG, Former students and teachers who died during the First World War.
File:Plaque commémorative - élèves morts en 39-45.JPG, Former students who died during the Second World War.
File:Plaque commémorative - fonctionnaires morts en 39-45.JPG, Former staff who died during the Second World War.
File:Plaque commémorative - guerres coloniales (XIXè s.).JPG, Former students who died during the colonial wars.
Outside the school complex, at No. 8 Bourg-Moyen Street, another plaque commemorates the former , which was bombed in 1940:
File:Plaque commémorative du collège Augustin-Thierry, Blois 2011.JPG, Former Bourg-Moyen secondary school.

Administration and services

Governing bodies and assemblies

The operation of the Robert-Badinter school complex is similar to that of all French middle and high schools.

The middle school is governed by a (CA) composed of 24 members: 8 staff representatives, 8 representatives of parents and students, and 8 representatives of local authorities, the school , and qualified individuals. This board manages the school’s affairs and votes on, among other things, the , organizational rules, and the budget. Alongside the board are other bodies, including the (CESC), responsible for citizenship education, violence prevention, support for parents in difficulty, and education on health, sexuality, and risk prevention.

The general and vocational high school (LGT and SEP), for its part, is headed by a school board (CA) composed of 30 members: 10 staff representatives, 10 representatives of parents and students, and 10 representatives of local authorities, the school administration, and qualified individuals. The functions of this board are the same as those of the middle school board. Alongside the board, there are various bodies: the Health and Citizenship Education Committee (CESC), whose role is the same as in the middle school;In 2016, the CESC (Health and Citizenship Education Committee) organized a prevention week on addictions for all second-year lycée students. See the (CVL), which gives its opinion on the organization of school time, individual work, information on guidance and health; and the (CHS), which contributes to the protection of health and safety and the improvement of working conditions.

Finally, within each class of the institution, two student presidents represent their classmates during class councils or .

Principal's office, student life offices, and management services

The Lunier building houses the principal’s office of the school complex. It contains the offices of the principal, Jérôme Lauxire (head of the institution since January 2020), and his deputies: Rémi Artige (head of the general high school since the 2024 school year), Christelle Moulin (head of the vocational section since 2021), and Karine Harribey (head of the middle school since 2021). The various school secretariats are also located in the Lunier building.

The high school student life office is centralized in the Glaïeuls building. However, annexes are located in different parts of the school complex: the Descartes building for the general high school and the Lavoisier and Vinci buildings for the vocational section. The middle school student life office is located in the Curie building. Four (CPE), supported by education assistants, ensure supervision and student support.

The management office is located in the Balzac building. Led by a team of nine people headed by deputy manager William Feldle, the management office oversees around sixty , including a concierge, gardeners, an electrician, a plumber, secretaries, etc.

Boarding school, infirmary, and food services

Located in the Joséphine-Baker building, the boarding school is open to students (both boys and girls) of the institution and to students from the Camille-Claudel High School. Composed of around sixty rooms accommodating an average of four students each, the boarding school has 216 places: 148 for boys and 68 for girls. Each floor has four bathrooms, each equipped with eight showers and sixteen sinks.

The Joséphine-Baker building also houses the infirmary, open to students every weekday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. (except Fridays when it closes at 6:00 p.m.). From Monday to Thursday, the infirmary is also accessible overnight for boarders.

Located in the Balzac building, the school cafeteria employs a head chef (David Juranville, four cooks, four kitchen assistants, and a storekeeper, in addition to seven service staff. The cafeteria serves an average of 1,200 lunches daily (between 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.), as well as 200 breakfasts and dinners. The products served are sourced from local or regional suppliers (Tours fish market for fish, local producers and wholesalers for vegetables, etc.). To ensure hygiene, the school cafeteria uses a control system upon product reception and maintains product traceability.

Middle School CDI and High School 4C

Managed by two teacher-librarians, the middle school’s documentation and information center (CDI) is open to students every day from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except Wednesday (closes at noon) and Friday (closes at 2:00 p.m.). The middle school CDI has several missions: to encourage students to read, , learn about research methods, do their homework, and participate in various contests.

Run by two teacher-librarians, the connected knowledge and culture center (4C, formerly CDI) of the high school is divided into four areas: a 46-seat workroom, a 12-seat reading corner, a 15-seat group workroom, and two computer rooms with 20 computers. The 4C is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except Wednesday (closes at 1:00 p.m.) and Friday (closes at 5:00 p.m.). Its mission is to gather and manage a collection of documents that meet the informational needs of students and the educational staff. It also aims to help students master information literacy and contribute to their cultural enrichment.

MDL and gymnasiums

The Jean-Germanaud High School Student House (, MDL) serves as a cafeteria, a space for various school clubs (music, dance, photography, robotics, school newspaper), and a game room. It houses a pool table, a foosball table, and various board games for students. The MDL also functions as the school's social-educational center, succeeding the FSE (Social-Educational Fund) created after May 1968. For several years, the high school’s MDL was the only one of its kind in Blois. It even served as a source of inspiration for students at the Sonia-Delaunay High School when they decided to create their own in 2009.

The school complex has two gymnasiums, the largest and most recent of which dates back to 2013. Additionally, it has a sports hall and multipurpose outdoor courts suitable for basketball, tennis, handball, and running.

Educational and cultural offerings

Middle School

School curriculum at the Middle School

In addition to the ten (French, mathematics, history-geography, moral and civic education, life and Earth sciences, physics-chemistry, technology, music, visual arts, and physical education and sports), and , students at Augustin-Thierry Middle School are required to study English as their first foreign language (LV1). Despite the “” (which led to the closure of the English-Spanish dual-language section at the school), they can still enroll in the English-German bilingual class.

In seventh grade, students’ schedules become more extensive. If they did not choose the bilingual section in sixth grade, they must study a second foreign language (LV2), either German or Spanish. They must also take two (EPI). If they wish, they can also begin studying Latin through the “” option. In eighth grade, the curriculum continues directly from the seventh-grade program. In ninth grade, students face a heavier workload in preparation for the national diploma (brevet). In addition to the subjects already studied, students may choose to start studying Ancient Greek. They also complete a work in a company.

The Augustin-Thierry Middle School has a (ULIS), designed to support students with disabilities that prevent them from following a standard class curriculum.

Extracurricular and cultural activities at the Middle School

Augustin-Thierry Middle School offers various extracurricular activities for interested students.

As part of the (UNSS), the school’s sports association offers activities such as table tennis, badminton, swimming, gymnastics, athletics, handball, dance, and French boxing. Some of these activities take place within the school complex, while others occur at different sites in Blois.

During lunchtime, students can also join different clubs: the school newspaper, chess, aeromodelling, circus arts or beekeeping introduction. Participation in a club may lead to public performances, such as those given by amateur circus students who performed at a hospital and a retirement home in 2012. Through the aeromodelling workshop, ninth-grade students can also prepare for the , in collaboration with the .

Lastly, students can take part in a propeller-driven aircraft competition called “Hélitec 41,” organized by the school since 2013 thanks to the initiative of teachers Laurence Fameau and Pascal Duménil.

International, general, and technological High School

School curriculum at the international High School

In tenth grade, students at Robert-Badinter High School follow, like all students nationwide, nine core subjects: French; mathematics; history-geography; moral and civic education (EMC); economic and social sciences (SES); life and Earth sciences (SVT); physics-chemistry; digital sciences and technology (SNT); and physical education and sports (EPS). They also continue studying the two foreign languages they began in middle school: LVA (first foreign language) — English, German, or Spanish; and LVB (second foreign language) — German, Spanish, English, or Arabic. Additionally, they receive personalized academic support, particularly for career guidance, academic help, and deepening their knowledge. As an optional course, they may choose a general subject (EPS; — Latin or Greek; LVC Arabic or audiovisual cinema) and/or a technological subject (technological creation and innovation; engineering sciences; or science and laboratory).

From tenth grade through twelfth grade, if students choose the general pathway starting in eleventh grade, they can join a (in English, German, or Spanish). This includes one additional hour of foreign language instruction and one hour of history-geography or mathematics taught in the foreign language by a certified teacher. Students may also join the Franco-Spanish “Bachibac” section, which strengthens their Spanish (Castilian) proficiency so they can sit for both the French baccalaureate and the Spanish ''bachillerato'' at the end of twelfth grade.

Since the high school reform and the abolition of the former L, ES, and S academic tracks, students in eleventh and twelfth grade now all follow the same core curriculum: French (in eleventh grade) then philosophy (in twelfth grade), history-geography, EMC, scientific education (2 hours per week, shared between physics-chemistry and SVT), EPS, LVA, and LVB. They also choose three specialty subjects in eleventh grade, reduced to two in twelfth grade. At Robert-Badinter High School, the available specialties are: History-Geography, Geopolitics and Political Science; Economic and Social Sciences; Humanities, Literature and Philosophy; Mathematics; Physics-Chemistry; Life and Earth Sciences; Engineering Sciences; Digital and Computer Sciences; Foreign Languages, Literature and Cultures (English); Foreign Languages, Literature and Cultures (German); Ancient Languages and Cultures (Latin and Greek). In addition to these, students may choose optional subjects: LVC Arabic, Ancient Languages and Cultures (LCA), or EPS (in eleventh and twelfth grade), as well as complementary or advanced mathematics in twelfth grade.

For students who prefer the technological pathway, Robert-Badinter High School offers classes starting in eleventh grade. Students in these classes follow common courses in eleventh and twelfth grade: French (in eleventh grade), then philosophy (in twelfth grade), history-geography, EMC, mathematics, EPS, LVA and LVB, and physics-chemistry. In twelfth grade, they also choose a specific focus area (among "Architecture and Construction", "Energy and Environment", "Technological Innovation and Ecodesign", or "Information and Digital Systems"), which replaces the previous “Technological Innovation” and “Engineering and Sustainable Development” subjects.

Educational unit for newly arrived non-French-speaking students

Robert-Badinter High School has a (UPE2A), designed to teach French to young newcomers.

Extracurricular and cultural activities at the High School

Like the students at the middle school, the high school students of the Robert-Badinter school complex have access to various sports activities within the framework of the (National Union of School Sports), held on Wednesday afternoons.

Various clubs are also open to high school students, often through the MDL (Maison des Lycéens). The robotics group, which was very active in the school from 2002 to 2008 stood out several times in the E=M6 robotics competition organized by the association ''Planète Sciences''. This interest in mechanics and electronics remains strong in the school today, as shown by the enthusiasm of the "Sustainable Mobility Technology Challenge" (CTMD) club, which won first prize from the Ministry of Education at the 2013 and third prize in the bicycle category at the Chartres Solar Cup in 2016.

Each year, students and teachers from the high school form one of the reading committees for the Emmanuel-Roblès literary prize. In 2014, one student from the school, Clémentine Bourget, was even named president of the jury.

Vocational section (SEP)

Educational pathway in the SEP

Starting in ninth grade (troisième), the vocational section (SEP) of the school complex offers students the opportunity to join the professional discovery option. This section allows students to explore vocational education while also providing them with a pathway toward a (CAP), a Vocational Studies Certificate (BEP), a vocational baccalaureate, or even a general or technological baccalaureate.

From tenth grade (seconde) through to twelfth grade (terminale), the SEP prepares interested students for one of the following four vocational baccalaureates: (MEI), Electrical and Connected Environments Trades (MEEC), Industrial Boilermaking Technician (TCI), and Machining Technician (TU). At the post-secondary level, the SEP offers three Higher Technician Certificate (BTS) programs: (MI), (CRSA), and (TC).

Whenever possible, the teaching provided within the SEP is carried out in partnership with companies from the local or regional business networks. When opportunities arise, students are also invited to participate in competitions organized by companies. In 2009, for example, BTS students won first prize in a competition organized by the ''Christian Dior'' company.

Extracurricular and cultural activities in the SEP

Like other students of the school complex, vocational section students can take part in the sports activities offered by the .

Each year, ninth-grade students in the professional discovery option participate in an interdisciplinary cultural project, such as producing a DVD on surrealism (2012) or on slam poetry (2015 and 2016).

School complex

Few events bring together all members of the school complex. One such event is the "Musical Recess," which takes place before the Christmas holidays and brings together all students and teachers who wish to share their passion for singing and music. Created in 1996 by a philosophy teacher named Jacques Ziberlin, these "Musical Recess" events saw artists Pierre Simon and Sabine Quinet (founders of the pop-rock duo ''Minou'') give one of their first public performances in 2005, while they were still twelfth-grade students at Augustin-Thierry.

GRETA

The Robert-Badinter school complex is home to the of Loir-et-Cher, which offers a wide range of training programs (industry, foreign languages, French, construction and public works, etc.). It also houses the local office of the Academic Scheme for the Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) and can receive individuals seeking information about this program.

International outlook

Bilangual, European, and binational sections

Since 2008, the Augustin-Thierry Middle School has offered a bilingual English-German section, which was not eliminated by the "."

Several exist at the general and technological high school: a German section (non-language subject in history-geography) since 1997, an English section (non-language subject in history-geography or mathematics) since 1998, and a Spanish section (non-language subject in history-geography) since 2005.

A French-Spanish (" bachibac") has also been available in the general high school since the 2013 school year.

In the 2017 school year, the school complex became the ninth French educational institution to join the “Pasch” program (“''Schulen: Partner der Zukunft''”), initiated by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote the learning of German language and culture.

Exchanges and trips

As early as 1946, the lycée established an exchange with the ''Grammar School'' (later renamed ''Priory School'') in Lewes, United Kingdom, thanks to the efforts of an English teacher named Robert Piolé. In 1957, another partnership was formed with the ''Hochrhein Gymnasium'' in Waldshut, thanks to a former German assistant named Manfred Kirchgässner. After many years, these partnerships came to an end, though not without having previously enabled the town of Blois to establish twinning relationships with the two partner cities of the school complex.

Today, other partnerships exist between the school complex and foreign institutions. The lycée organizes annual exchanges with the Heerenlanden College in Leerdam (Netherlands), the Corvey Gymnasium in Hamburg (Germany), the IES ''Manuel de Cabanyes'' in Vilanova i la Geltrú (Spain), and the ''Suwon Academy of World Languages'' in Suwon (South Korea). The collège, for its part, mainly organizes school trips abroad (to Munich and Barcelona, in particular).

Finally, thanks to a donation from a wealthy New Zealand benefactor, Mr. Raymond Nutter, an exchange has linked the lycée to Thames High School since 1988. Each year, two students from the first year of the general track are selected to spend the months of July and August at their exchange partner’s school. In return, they host a New Zealand student in December–January.

Foreign language assistants

Since 1945, many assistants from around the world (Germany and Austria; the ''Commonwealth'' and the United States; Spain and Latin America; the Arab world) have spent a year at the school complex. For a long time, these young people were provided with room and board on-site (first in the Tilleul building, then in building J), but this practice declined during 1990. Over the years, several of these assistants left a lasting impression on the school. This is particularly true of the German Manfred Kirchgässner, who initiated the twinning between Blois and Waldshut-Tiengen (1963), but also of Mr. Blackmore, whose research led to the listing of the in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage.

Enrollment figures

Student population

After peaking at nearly 2,500 students in the late 1980s, the school complex’s enrollment has steadily declined, as shown in the following table:

As of the 2024 school year, there are 720 students in the collège and 996 in the lycée (739 in the general and technological lycée, and 257 in the vocational section), for a total of 1,716 adolescents. Additionally, there are 147 BTS students.Figures kindly provided by the school complex's secretariat.

Teaching and non-teaching staff

As of the 2010 school year, the school complex employs 325.5 staff members. In addition to 216 teachers and 3 teacher-librarians, the educational team includes 4 , 4 , 3 (PsyEN), 16.5 education assistants, and 4 foreign assistants. They are supported by 3 nurses, 1 social worker, 14 administrative staff members, and 58 .

Exam results

Based on statistics from the Ministry of National Education, magazine reported in 2016 a success rate of 84% on the 2015 Diplôme National du Brevet (with 53% earning honors) for students at Collège Augustin-Thierry. This is slightly below the national average, which stood at 87% success and 58.4% with honors. As a result, the magazine gave the school a score of 13.7/20, ranking it sixth out of nine public and private collèges in Blois.

In 2017, the newspaper '' La Nouvelle République'' ranked the general and technological lycée sixth out of nine public and private institutions in the Loir-et-Cher department, and second out of four public schools in Blois. That same year, L'Étudiant gave the school a score of 14.2/20, classifying it as an “average lycée,” according to the magazine.

At the same time, La Nouvelle République ranked the vocational lycée eighth out of eight public and private institutions in Loir-et-Cher in 2017. That same year, ''L'Étudiant'' gave it a score of 12.2/20, which also classified it as an “average lycée” (whereas it had been considered a “good lycée” in 2015).

Finally, in 2015, L'Étudiant reported a success rate of 91% in the program, 78% in the program, and 92% in the program.

Notable figures associated with the school complex

Former students

The Friendly Association of Former Students of the Collège and Lycée Augustin-Thierry is one of the oldest in France: it has existed since 1872, preceding by a few months the renaming of the Blois college to Collège Augustin-Thierry. The first general assembly of the Association took place on August 10, 1872: it adopted its statutes and appointed Senator Amédée Thierry and General as honorary presidents. Two days later, the Association met again and elected as president.

Since then, the Association’s mission has been to promote the influence of the school complex and to demonstrate its moral, and even financial, support for the school’s students. Its current president is Mr. Christian Prieur.

Many have left their mark on the region and France. Among them are:

* Some students of the :

File:Guillaume Ribier Gallica.jpg, (1578-1663), member of the States General.
File:Michel Bégon intendant de marine a Rochefort.jpg, Michel Bégon (1638-1710), naval and colonial administrator.
File:Denis-Papin.jpg, Denis Papin (1647-1712), physicist and mathematician.
File:Rochambeau Versailles.jpg, Marshal de Rochambeau (1725-1807), a combatant in the American War of Independence.
File:Ange-François Fariau de Saint-Ange.jpg, Ange-François Fariau de Saint-Ange (1747-1810), poet and translator.

* Some students of the Collège du Bourg-Moyen:

File:Gerôme - Amédée Thierry.jpg, Amédée Thierry (1797-1973), historian and senator.
File:Louis de La Saussaye.jpg, (1801-1878), scholar and rector of the academy.
File:Baschet, Armand.jpg, (1829-1886), journalist and polemicist.
File:Bazille, Frédéric - Portrait of Edouard Blau.jpeg, Édouard Blau (1836-1906), librettist.
File:Pascal Forthuny.jpg, Pascal Forthuny (1872-1962), medium.
File:Schützenberger.jpeg, Marcel-Paul Schützenberger (1920-1996), mathematician and computer scientist.

* Some students of the current school complex:

File:Eric Tabarly en 1975.jpg, Éric Tabarly (1931), sailor.
File:Nouvelles de l'estampe - Colloque des 50 ans - ouverture 2.JPG, (1943), curator and historian.
File:Pierre Rosanvallon.jpg, Pierre Rosanvallon (1948), historian and sociologist.
File:Philippe Barbeau (avril 2013).jpg, (1952), children's writer.
File:Florence Noiville.png, Florence Noiville (1961), journalist and writer.
File:Roxana Maracineanu - 2018 (cropped).jpg, Roxana Maracineanu (1975), swimmer and minister.

Former teachers and administrative staff

Several staff members from the former Royal College, the Collège du Bourg-Moyen, and the current school complex have also left their imprint on history. Among them are:
File:Cavelier de la salle.jpg, The explorer René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle (1643-1687), teacher of fifth year.
File:Nicolas Gédoyn - Versailles MV 2966.jpg, The academician Nicolas Gédoyn (1677-1744), teacher of rhetoric.
File:Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset.jpeg, The poet Jean-Baptiste Gresset (1709-1777), teacher of rhetoric.
File:Armand trousseau photo.jpg, The doctor Armand Trousseau (1801-1867), tutor.
File:Colomer andre.jpg, The anarchist activist André Colomer (1886-1931), teacher.
File:Rene-guenon-1925.jpg, The esotericist René Guénon (1886-1951), former student and professor of philosophy.

The school complex in culture

Several authors have mentioned the collège and lycée in their works.

This is the case for historian Augustin Thierry himself, who recounts in the ''Récits des temps mérovingiens'' (1840) how, in 1810, he devoured by Chateaubriand in the . The reading of this work affected him so deeply that he could not refrain from declaiming lines from it (“Pharamond! Pharamond! We fought with the sword!”) in the school's chapter room. This work by Chateaubriand went on to inspire him constantly and profoundly influenced him through the Romantic movement.

The former college also appears in the works of regionalist writer . He nostalgically describes his teenage years at the collège in ''Jeunesse !… Souvenirs blésois'' (1934). The author also recounts, in ''La Grand'pitié de la ville de Blois'' (1940), the destruction of the institution and the ruins that followed.

briefly mentions life at the Blois collège during World War II in his novel ''Véra'' (1989).

Children’s literature author frequently features the lycée on Avenue de Châteaudun and the teachers (such as Mr. , Mr. Dimanche, or Mr. Carbonel) who left a lasting impression on him during his teenage years in the 1960s. This is especially true in his autobiographical novel ''Je lui ai promis'' (''The Promise'') from 2013, and in the memoir “De voix en aiguille” included in the collection ''A Childhood Love'' in 2007. More anecdotally, the writer also refers, in 2009, to the old collège on Rue du Bourg-Moyen and its last principal (Mr. Chardon) in the novel ''June 1940: Fear on the Road''.

On Television, the premises of the school complex served as a set for the educational sitcom , directed by and Stéphane Moszkowicz in 1997–1998.See the credits of the series, which notably thank “Mr. MONSELLIER (principal), Ms. PICORNELL (assistant principal), as well as all the staff and students of Lycée AUGUSTIN-THIERRY.”

Notes

References

Bibliography

History of the school complex and its heritage

*
*
*

General works on the institution and its heritage

*
*
*

Literary evocations of the Bourg-Moyen secondary school and the current school complex

*
*
*
*
*
*

External links

Official websites of the school complex and the alumni association

*
*
*
*

Official sites linked to the Ministry of Culture

*
*
*

Pupils' work

Newspapers and radio of the establishment

*
*
*
*
*
*

Short films made as part of the audiovisual cinema option

*
*
*

Other websites

*
*
*
{{Portal, Schools

Blois
Education in France