Qui Garde Bébé ?How childcare works in France
Crèche, childminder or home nanny: the options, where to find a place, and when to start.
In shortIn France you have three main options: a crèche (nursery), an assistante maternelle (registered childminder, at her home) or a garde à domicile (nanny at your home). With a childminder or a nanny, you become the employer, and the CAF pays part of the cost.
The three options
| Where | Price | Good to know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crèche (nursery) | In a nursery, with a team of professionals | Hourly price based on your income (national CAF scale) | Places are scarce and allocated by a committee: apply early, often from the 6th month of pregnancy, at your town hall (mairie). |
| Micro-crèche (private) | Small private nursery, up to 12 children | Free pricing, often €9 to €12 per hour | The CAF aid (CMG “structure”) reduces the bill; the remaining cost is usually higher than a public crèche. |
| Assistante maternelle (childminder) | At her home, 1 to 4 children | You agree on an hourly rate, plus a daily maintenance allowance | She is approved by the département (PMI). You are her employer and declare her salary on Pajemploi. |
| Garde à domicile (home nanny) | At your home | At least the minimum wage, plus social contributions | The most expensive option alone; often shared between two families (garde partagée) to halve the cost. |
Where to find a place or a nanny
- Your town hall (mairie): applications for public crèches, and dates of the allocation committees.
- The relais petite enfance (RPE): a free local service with the list of childminders and help with contracts.
- monenfant.fr: the official site listing nurseries and childminders (in French).
When to start
- From the 4th month of pregnancy: look at the options and the costs with the simulator.
- From the 6th month: apply for a crèche place, and keep a back-up plan.
- About 5 months before going back to work: meet childminders or nannies.
- 2 months before: sign the contract, register on Pajemploi and apply for the CAF aid.
French words you will meet
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CAF | The family benefits office: it pays the childcare aid |
| CMG | Complément de libre choix du mode de garde: the CAF childcare aid for a childminder or a nanny |
| Pajemploi | The official service where you declare and pay your childminder or nanny |
| Mensualisation | Spreading the yearly salary into equal monthly payments |
| Indemnité d'entretien | Daily allowance paid to the childminder for food, toys, heating… |
| PMI | The département's mother-and-child service, which approves childminders |
| Relais petite enfance (RPE) | Free local childcare advice service |
| Crédit d'impôt | Tax credit: refunded even if you pay no income tax |
Frequently asked questions
Chou answersTap a questionCan I get help in English?
Chou
Official services work mainly in French. Your relais petite enfance can help with contracts, and some CAF offices can answer simple questions in English. This site explains the main rules and calculations in English.
Is a crèche always cheaper?
Chou
Not always: it depends on your income and hours. Compare the three options with the simulator, using your own figures.
Official sources
- CAF: the 2025 reform of the childcare aid (CMG) (in French)
- Pajemploi (Urssaf): declaring and paying your childminder or nanny (in French)
- French collective agreement for household employers (IDCC 3239) — Légifrance (in French)
- Childminder pay and allowances, June 2026 — DREETS (in French)
- monenfant.fr: nurseries and childminders near you (CAF, in French)