Lycee Jean Renoir, Munich

In Brief

The only serious option if you need French curriculum continuity in Munich - established, affordable and large enough to feel like a real school community. Non-French families should think carefully; the school day is in French.

LJR has been running French national education in Munich since 1953, now with over 1,200 pupils across two campuses: primary at Ungsteinerstrasse in Giesing, secondary at Berlepschstrasse in Sendling. It is an AEFE school - meaning it follows the French Ministry of Education curriculum and its teachers are accredited through the French state system. Fees run from EUR 5,040 (primary) to EUR 7,150 (lycee) per year, a fraction of what IB schools in the city charge. For French families on assignment, this is typically the default choice.

The school offers more than the standard French Baccalaureat. German is taught seriously here - the DSD II qualification (Deutsche Sprachzeugnis der Kultusministerkonferenz) is available, and the school is a Cambridge English Preparation Centre. Family discounts are generous: 20% off for a third child, 25% for a fourth, 35% from a fifth. Erasmus+ affiliation gives older students access to European mobility programmes.

The honest consideration for non-French families is language. Instruction is in French, and while English and German are taught, a child who arrives without French will face a steep adjustment - especially in secondary. The two-campus arrangement also means your primary-age child and secondary-age child are at different sites, which affects logistics. This is a strong school for the right family; for families without a French connection, it requires real thought.