Hundreds of students took part in protests in Rennes and Paris, blocking school entrances and demanding more resources for education.
In Rennes, students barricaded the entrance to Lycée Bréquigny, where bins were set alight and police faced protesters.
In Paris, students at Lycée Simone Weil used bins and crates to block an entrance and called for more staff and funding, citing overcrowded classrooms and poor conditions in some schools.
Students in several other parts of France also joined the national day of action.