A dispute over appointing a new director has sparked a crisis at the prestigious École alsacienne private school in Paris. The board selected external candidate Nicolas L’Hotellier over internal favorite Brice Parent, prompting opposition from current leadership and splitting parents into opposing camps.
The École alsacienne, a renowned private school in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, has long educated French elites, including former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Its current director, Pierre de Panafieu, is stepping down after twenty-four years at the helm of the institution, nicknamed “l’Alsa.”
To find his replacement, the board of administration issued a public call for applications and enlisted the recruitment firm Michael Page. Among the applicants, Brice Parent, the deputy director and head of the Grand collège—a unique section encompassing middle and high school at the École alsacienne—was seen as the leading internal candidate.
On November 16, an unexpected twist occurred: after interviewing three finalists, including Parent, the board rejected him and chose Nicolas L’Hotellier, an external applicant. Teachers and staff were notified of the decision the following Sunday.
The appointment has drawn strong opposition from the outgoing leadership, which resists L’Hotellier’s arrival. Parents are split into two factions, with some backing the board’s choice and others supporting Parent. “We don’t know what will become of the School,” one parent remarked, capturing the uncertainty pervading the historic halls.
This succession battle has turned the recruitment process into a nightmare, jeopardizing the stability of this iconic institution.