French judicial suspensions of municipal youth curfews

In August 2026, French courts issued rulings suspending municipal nighttime curfews targeting minors in different regions.

Initially, an administrative court in Lyon suspended curfew and anti-gathering orders in four Loire department communes, including Saint-Chamond and Saint-Priest-en-Jarez. The court found a “serious doubt about their legality,” stating the measures lacked specific local context and were disproportionate to public safety goals. Local officials defended the orders by citing high numbers of police interventions involving youth gatherings.

Later in the month, the Council of State ordered the immediate suspension of a curfew for minors under 18 in Oradour-sur-Glane. Although a lower court in Limoges had previously upheld the mayor’s decision to prohibit unaccompanied minors from public roads between 23:00 and 06:00, the high court ruled the restriction was a “disproportionate infringement on individual liberties.” The Council of State noted a lack of material evidence, such as police reports, to justify the generalized measure.