Territorial fractures, and in particular the feeling of relegation of the countryside, are a diagnosis that is now widely shared, well beyond the inhabitants of rural communes alone. Conducted online in September 2025 among a representative sample of 1,000 French adults and an oversample of 1,034 rural residents living in communes with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, the survey shows that almost 9 out of 10 respondents, whether or not they live in the countryside, consider rural areas to be “neglected by public policies” (87% of French people, 89% of rural residents). This perception cuts across generations and political sensibilities: while it peaks among older people, it remains ultra-majoritarian in all categories, regardless of partisan proximity. In other words, “rural France” appears, in the collective imagination, as a blind spot for public action.nnnnIn this context, schools have a strategic role to play in rebuilding the link between these areas and the Republic. More than eight out of ten people believe that it can play an important role in reducing the isolation of rural areas (84% of French people, 86% among rural dwellers), with an even greater intensity among senior citizens and supporters of the presidential camp. But behind this consensus on the principle, expectations focus first and foremost on the heart of the classroom: reducing class sizes and rethinking curricula and school hours are the two priority reforms for strengthening pedagogical support in rural areas, far ahead of integrating digital technology or simply revising the school map.nnnnThis focus on schools is accompanied by a direct challenge to the French Ministry of Education, which is seen as the main player responsible for changes in the education system in rural areas. More than seven out of ten respondents (72% of the French, 75% of those living in rural areas) point to the Ministry as primarily responsible, far ahead of local elected representatives (16% and 14% respectively) and citizens’ initiatives (6% and 5%). This questioning is particularly strong among the over-65s and the well-off, who appear more critical of the institution’s ability to take account of the specific nature of rural areas. Conversely, parents with several children are more likely to share responsibility with other players.nnnnFinally, the feeling of territorial inequality crystallizes strongly around the question of resources devoted to pupils in difficulty. Six out of ten respondents feel that these resources are “more important in big cities” (59% of French people, 62% of rural people), while barely one in ten thinks they are more important in rural areas and small towns. This perception is particularly pronounced among the affluent and senior citizens, while it is slightly less pronounced among young people, the working classes and parents, although it does not disappear.
Investigating the link between education and the territorial divide
Together with
