In short
Co-organized by Fnac and the French Ministry of National Education, under the high patronage of the Académie Goncourt, the 2026 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens brings together nearly 2,000 students from 55 schools in France and abroad to promote a love of reading. 16 novels have been selected for the 2026 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens. Regional deliberations will take place on November 23, 2026, and the winner will be announced on November 26.
Created and organized by Fnac and the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research, under the high patronage of the Académie Goncourt, the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens has always worked to foster a love of reading among young people. Every year, nearly 2,000 students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade become literary jurors to read, debate, and select their winner.
16 novels have been selected for the 2026 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens
- Boris Bergmann, Minotaure (Albin Michel)
- Louise Chennevière, Faire la peau (P.O.L)
- Ananda Devi, Chronique d’un royaume perdu (Grasset)
- Sonia Devillers, Le fabuleux piano (Robert Laffont)
- Anne Godard, Nous aussi (Actes Sud)
- Olivier Grondeau, Joseph dans la nuit (L’Iconoclaste)
- Yannick Haenel, La solitude des professeurs est infinie (Gallimard)
- Lilia Hassaine, Je (Gallimard)
- Philippe Jaenada, L’inconnue du Quai de Javel (Flammarion)
- Jean-Yves Jouannais, Une forêt (Albin Michel)
- Emma Marsantes, N’efface pas mes cercles (Verdier)
- Clémentine Mélois, Choses que je croyais perdues (L’Arbalète/Gallimard)
- Thélyson Orélien, C’était ça ou mourir (Grasset)
- Sylvain Prudhomme, De l’autre côté du lac (Minuit)
- Olivier Rolin, La Guerre éternelle (Gallimard)
- Patrice Trigano, Bataille au procès (Maurice Nadeau)
How the 2026 Prix Goncourt des Lycéens Works and Schedule
The Prix Goncourt des Lycéens is structured around three key stages:
- Reading and author encounters (September – November 2026): Students from 10th to 12th grade across 55 French and international high schools (general, technological, and vocational tracks) study the shortlisted books. Fnac organizes regional meetings between high school students and authors in seven French cities.
- Regional deliberations (November 23, 2026): High school delegates meet behind closed doors in six cities to select the national finalists.
- National jury and announcement (November 26, 2026): Following national deliberations in Rennes, the 2026 winner will be announced that same day.
The 2026 winner will succeed Nathacha Appanah, awarded in 2025 for her book La nuit au cœur (Gallimard).
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