Hélène Mandroux-Yvette Roudy school opened in Montpellier on Tuesday welcoming 400 pupils into a new facility built from stone and wood in the La Paillade district, ici.fr reported.
The establishment is situated in the Mosson district, within the Halles Nord educational hub, which also includes a nursery with 60 cots and an early childhood space. Hélène Mandroux previously worked as a general practitioner in the same neighborhood.
The facility brings together pupils from older structures, including the Boulloche, Woolf, and Roosevelt/Van Gogh schools, toutmontpellier.fr noted. These children previously attended four schools built during the 1960s and 1970s that functioned as energy sieves and are slated for demolition.
Class configurations remained unchanged from September 2026, according to toutmontpellier.fr. The facility operates within the Halles Nord educational hub, featuring 22 classes, including split classes, a ULIS classroom, and a program for children under three years old, alongside two differentiated green ground-floor courtyards, pedagogical gardens, and bicycle parking.
Building Design and Cost
The project cost more than 25 M€, which included 2,5 M€ in state subsidies through the Anru program, midilibre.fr reported. The development also incorporates the reuse of materials, utilizing stones from Castries sourced from the demolition of existing buildings on the site.
Architect Antoine Lassus designed the courtyard to be nearly 100 percent permeable to address Montpellier’s flood risks, utilizing wood chips and natural elements, ici.fr reported. Lassus said that wood chips can enter buildings and pack down, requiring regular replenishment, but maintained that ecological choices demand proper maintenance and offer pedagogical value when children participate.
Massive stones from the Pont du Gard form the base of the structure, while the wood framework is insulated with straw to protect children from heatwaves, midilibre.fr noted. Mayor Michaël Delafosse said that outdoor temperatures reaching 40 °C translate to 28 °C inside the school, mirroring conditions at Hypatie school.
Officials attend the school opening ceremony
Mayor Michaël Delafosse attended the ceremony alongside Hélène Mandroux and academy rector Carole Drucker-Godard, midilibre.fr reported. Other attendees included Tasnime Akbaraly, deputy mayor delegated to the educational city, school success, and early childhood; Nelly Lacince, deputy mayor delegated to the Mosson district; and school director Vincent Genna.
“L’école, c’est la liberté, c’est la fraternité et c’est l’égalité. Et ces mots sont absolument essentiels dans la vie qui vous attend,” Drucker-Godard told midilibre.fr.
Mandroux emphasized gender equality during the ceremony, invoking the legacy of former women’s rights minister Yvette Roudy, ici.fr reported. Mandroux said that having a building named after her feels surreal to her son, but emphasized the importance of adults transmitting values to children.
À travail égal, salaire égal, retenez-le,” Mandroux stated.
Neighborhood Transformation
Delafosse said that the school project marks a step in the ongoing transformation of the La Paillade district, midilibre.fr reported. Parents visiting the site praised the clean environment and the addition of a self-service cafeteria for elementary pupils, which avoids the previous arrangement of traveling to another school.
Plans for the area include thermal renovation of housing, public service expansions, and a new public hospital antenna to reduce territorial inequalities, midilibre.fr noted. Additional neighborhood updates involve a third swimming pool basin at Neptune pool, new tennis and padel courts, and incoming public services such as tax offices, the Regional Health Agency, the water authority, and Altémed, bringing nearly 1,000 public jobs to the sector.
“C’est tellement beau, on dirait un bâtiment officiel,” a parent told midilibre.fr regarding the new timber and stone architecture.
Questions about the new school facility
When did pupils start attending classes at the new school?
Pupils began attending classes at the facility on November 2, 2026, toutmontpellier.fr reported.
Which previous institutions were merged into the new establishment?
The establishment brings together pupils from the former Boulloche, Woolf, and Roosevelt/Van Gogh schools, toutmontpellier.fr noted.
What amenities are included in the educational hub?
The site houses 22 classes, a 60-cot nursery, an early childhood space, a rooftop sports plateau, and a self-service elementary cafeteria, toutmontpellier.fr reported.
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