France has announced a new plan to subsidize summer camp time for low and middle income families, after a report that found that 10% of French children under 16 are unable to go on at least a week’s vacation each year due to finances.
The program, whose details are still being worked out, would provide €200 to €350 per child toward the cost of a colonie vacances, or summer holiday camp. The camps provide group trips for children and teenagers in France or to another country. The cost is usually several hundred Euros.
Aurore Bergé, French Minister of Solidarity, explained that summer holidays are the first topic of conversation when children go back to school at the start of the year. “The first question children ask is: what did you do during your holidays? And when you have nothing to say, it’s very difficult.”
