The New French International School of Beijing, opening in 2016

The International French School of Beijing will move to a new location in 2016. The school, the Agency for French Teaching Abroad (or AEFE for Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger)and a number of French companies having operations in Beijing have been working together on this project.

Currently, the International French School of Beijing (or LFIP forLycée français international de Pékin)is operating in three different locations, all located around Sanlitun area. The new buildingwill gather all grades and administrative departments on the same location. With aboutthousand students, the school isdirectly managed by the headquarters of the AEFE and it is one of the largest French School in the Asia-Pacific. The move from the current site to the new site should happen in April 2016, as announced last September 23rd.

The foundation stone of the LYCÉE FRANÇAIS INTERNATIONAL CHARLES DE GAULLE DE PÉKINwas laid in the presence of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius inOctober 2014.2014 was also the year of thecommemoration of 50 years of Franco-Chinese friendship. The school founded in 1965 following the recognition of France in China, was first intended for children of diplomats.

Why the name “Charles de Gaulle”? In France, public schools would usually take the name of a personwho had significant contribution to the French history: politicians who remained in history for their interventions in the education field, presidents of the Fifth Republicwho already died,selected emblematic Republicans,writers, scientists, painters, musicians, and in a less extend names of saints (more popular for private schools).
The choice of Charles de Gaulle for the name of the new high school French of Beijingis not trivial:On January 27th 1964, General de Gaulle decided to establish diplomatic relations withChina. At that time, the message of the French President was clear: he was recognisingthe independence of people,refusing thedomination of France by the Western countrieswhereas the domination of Beijing by the Soviet countries.

The project

The whole project is designated according to the concept of “green school“: centralised air purification system fromclassrooms tothe gym. The School should no longer disrupt / cancel classes in case of high pollution levels.

Hosting capacity: 1,500 students
Surface: four hectares of land, 21,000 square meters of buildings, 60% of green areas
Budget:overall budget €23.9 million (including€16.5 million construction costs)
School type: International school with French curriculum
Grades offered: K-12
Age range: 3-18 years
Accreditations: Accredited by the French Ministry of Education
Location:on the East Laiguangying street (北京市来广营东路), outside the Northeast 5th ring road, at 1.5 km from the airport highway junction(exit Beigao Qiao) and at 13.5 km from the current main site in Sanlitun (still in Chaoyang district).

Neighbourhood: many other international schools are already settled in the area, such asthe Western Academy of Beijing, the Dulwich College Beijing or the British School. The site offers an easy access to number of residential compounds with villas, company buildings, but also international hospitals and hotels.

Transportation: Students will be able to access the new site of the French School of Beijing by public bus, subway, and shuttle bus.

Bus: Public buses stopping near the site is served by 7 lines (405-918 – 942-538 – 915-988 – 415).
Subway:
- Line 15: Cuigezhuang and Maquanying stations are 3.5 km from the site.
- Line 14 (opened in January 2015): Laiguangying station.
Shuttle bus: asystem of shuttles between the schooland the nearest metro stations will be organised.

Which residential compounds will be of first choice for families sending their children to the new French School?

Basically, you should be looking at residential compounds located in Shunyi district (as the new French School is located at the extremity of Chaoyang district, very close from Shunyi), such as, but not exhaustively:

Orchid Garden卓锦万代
Lane Bridge 长岛澜桥
Beijing Riviera香江花园
Cathay View 观唐别墅
Quanfa Villa泉发花园
Grand Hills大湖山庄
… to understand better about the pro and the cons of each residence, we invite you to contact our Relocation department who will assign you an agent to guide your property search and find the ideal home in Beijing for you and your family.

3D designand first pictures.

Project managed byBeijing Eastland Properties and designed by the French architect Jacques Ferrier who also designed the French Pavillon during Shanghai World Expo2010.

The Association of Parents (APE for Association des Parents d’Eleves) is sharing the plans for future building as well as regular updates regarding thestatus of work on their website.