Parental leave by country / France
Maternity, paternity and parental leave in France
How long each parent can be away, who pays and how much, the notice rules and the job protection — in plain English, whether you run a team in France or work on one.
In France maternity leave is 16 weeks — six before and ten after the birth — rising to 26 weeks from the third child and 34 for twins, paid by CPAM at the daily salary up to the social security ceiling; eight weeks are compulsory. Fathers and partners get three days of employer-paid birth leave plus 25 days of paternity leave (32 for multiples), the first four days of which must follow the birth leave immediately. Either parent may then take congé parental d'éducation until the child is three, unpaid by the employer but with a flat PreParE allowance from the family fund.
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How it works
Congé de maternité is 16 weeks for a first or second child, 26 weeks from the third, 34 for twins and 46 for triplets, of which at least eight weeks (six after the birth) must be taken. CPAM pays indemnités journalières equal to the average daily salary of the previous three months net of contributions, capped at the plafond de la sécurité sociale; most collective agreements require the employer to maintain full salary. Since July 2021 paternity and partner leave is 25 calendar days (32 for multiples) on top of the three-day congé de naissance paid by the employer; the first four days are compulsory and must follow the birth leave, and the remaining 21 (or 28) can be taken in up to two periods within six months, paid by CPAM. The congé parental d'éducation is open to either parent after a year's service, for one year renewable up to the child's third birthday, full-time or part-time; the employer does not pay, but the CAF's PreParE allowance is available for six months per parent (longer for a third child).
Worth knowing: Since 2023 the congé parental counts in full for seniority, and the 2024 leave-accrual reform confirms paid leave accrues during it — check your convention collective, which often improves on all of these.
If you run a team in France
Maintain salary where your convention collective requires it and otherwise pay through subrogation or let CPAM pay directly; issue the attestation de salaire. Pay the three-day congé de naissance yourself. A mother returning from leave is entitled to the same job and to the pay rises granted in her absence; dismissal is prohibited during the leave and for ten weeks after, with narrow exceptions. Annual leave accrues in full during maternity, paternity and parental leave.
If you work in France
Declare the pregnancy to CPAM and your employer with a certificate before the end of the 14th week; the employer needs the expected dates. For paternity leave, tell your employer at least a month in advance. Parental leave needs a year's service and one to two months' notice; apply to the CAF separately for PreParE.
Parental leave and annual leave
Maternity, paternity and parental leave count as effective work for the accrual of paid leave. Leave that could not be taken before maternity or parental leave is carried over.
The annual leave entitlement itself is covered on our France annual leave page — 25 working days minimum.
Keeping the record straight
Long leaves are where leave records go wrong quietly: holiday that kept accruing for months and was never credited, a return date nobody diarised, a reduced entitlement applied where the law forbids it. In France the rules above decide what is owed on return, and the record has to show it. A tracker like Leavo keeps the leave, the accrual and the approvals in one place so the return is a date, not a dispute. We compare the options in our leave management software guide, and the policy side — carryover, payout, accrual — in our guides.
Parental leave in France: common questions
How much does CPAM pay during maternity leave?
Daily allowances equal to the average daily salary of the previous three months, net of contributions, up to the social security ceiling — roughly full pay for average earners. Most collective agreements require the employer to make up any difference.
Can paternity leave be split?
Yes. The first four days must follow the three-day birth leave immediately; the remaining 21 days (28 for multiples) can be taken in one or two periods within six months of the birth.
Is congé parental paid?
Not by the employer. The CAF pays the PreParE allowance — a flat monthly amount, for up to six months per parent (24 months shared for a first child, up to the third birthday for a third child).
Does annual leave accrue during maternity or parental leave in France?
Maternity, paternity and parental leave count as effective work for the accrual of paid leave. Leave that could not be taken before maternity or parental leave is carried over.
Source
Primary source: Code du travail L1225-17 et seq. (congé de maternité), L1225-35 (congé de paternité), L1225-47 (congé parental d'éducation). Benefit rates and ceilings change every year and collective agreements frequently improve on the statutory scheme — confirm against the current text before acting. See our methodology.