This comprehensive volume traces the development of physical education and sport instruction in French primary schools from the revolutionary era through the close of the twentieth century. Drawing on archival sources, policy documents, and pedagogical debates, the author examines how curricula, teaching methods, and institutional structures evolved in response to social, political, and scientific changes. The work situates French practices within broader European trends while highlighting distinctive national reforms. Richly illustrated and supported by extensive footnotes, the book offers scholars, educators, and policy makers a detailed reference on the historical foundations of contemporary physical education programs.