École Freinet, Progressive education school in Vence, France
École Freinet is an educational complex of eleven white and blue buildings spread across a hillside, incorporating gardens and outdoor learning spaces. The property also includes an open-air theater built in 1960 and continues to function as an active school today.
Célestin Freinet founded the school in 1934 after leaving the national education system and acquiring land on Pioulier hill. During the Spanish Civil War from 1937 to 1940, it provided refuge for displaced children who recorded their experiences using printing techniques.
The school grounds display artworks and sculptures created by students under Élise Freinet's direction, scattered throughout the open spaces. These creations reflect a teaching approach that places artistic expression and hands-on learning at the center of education.
The school is accessible via 1133 Chemin Célestin-Freinet in Vence and operates as an active educational institution. Since it remains a working school, visitors should contact ahead to arrange a suitable time for exploration of the grounds.
The school grounds hold a rare collection of student works created during the refugee crisis of the late 1930s using alternative printing methods. These objects reveal how teaching practices became a form of documentation, preserving stories that might otherwise have disappeared.
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