What is equal to a gcse in France?

There isn't a direct equivalent to a GCSE in France. The French education system is structured differently. The closest comparison would be the Brevet des collèges, which is taken at the end of *collège* (middle school), at around age 15. However, even this isn't a perfect equivalent, as the Brevet is less demanding and its results don't have the same weight in determining future educational pathways as GCSEs do in England.