At the Saint-Joseph Institute in Montluçon, fourteen final year bac pro hotel and catering graduates move from the stove to novels: they become jurors of the Goncourt high school students.
Among the 56 establishments selected in 2026-2027, including only six vocational high schools, Saint-Joseph launched the adventure on September 7 around a gourmet coffee prepared by the students. For Pascale Varenne, head of the establishment, this selection is one which opens up culture to young people sometimes marked by a , she explains to France 3.
A vocational high school in Montluçon immersed in the Goncourt of high school students
The students in the section must read the sixteen novels and elect the one who will succeed Natacha Apanah and . For Fabienne Spitz, librarian teacher, .
She sees it as a way to help professional students. The craze for classics like or shows that many are already devouring them.
Sixteen books, two months: a reading marathon for professional baccalaureate
The timetable is tight: less than two months to prepare the regional deliberations. Rémy, 17, knows this well: he smiles. He does not say, but adds: .
At his side, Shaennes, 19, sums up: . According to her, if young people are sometimes described as , it is also because they read novels there. The teachers have planned , and times dedicated to the CDI.
Excellence from the professional route to the Goncourt jury of high school students
For the Saint-Joseph Institute, which displays 100% success in the 2026 baccalaureate, this prize continues demanding work. Pascale Varenne insists: .
The manager highlights a and. , she explains. By becoming jurors for a prestigious literary prize, these future chefs and waiters affirm their place in the world of culture.
How does the Goncourt des lycéens take place for the students?
The classes read sixteen novels, debate, then choose a winner during collective deliberations.
How many books do the Montluçon bac pro terminals read?
They share the sixteen novels in the official selection.
Who won the 2025 high school Goncourt?
In 2025, Natacha Apanah was rewarded for her novel.
