About a decade ago, the limited resources allocated to health education were attributed to a lack of legitimacy stemming from a lack of professional recognition, underdeveloped research, and methodological chaos. Against this backdrop, a national health education plan was launched in 2001. This plan was implemented only partially. Since then, the reforms undertaken have primarily strengthened the national structure and benefited health communication activities. More recently, patient therapeutic education has been recognized by law. In contrast, health education in community settings, despite the efforts made by its stakeholders in training, quality improvement, and streamlining, has seen a steady erosion of the resources allocated to it in recent years. As for the health promotion approach—without which health education activities can no longer be conceived—it struggles even more to gain recognition. Experience in several countries shows that the quantitative and qualitative development of health education and health promotion results from strategic investments; these investments have indeed enabled the development of research, professionalization, and the demonstration of the efficiency and quality of the services provided by this sector. In France, it seems we are waiting for those involved in health education and health promotion to demonstrate this progress in order to legitimize them and provide them with the resources to work. However, we know that, in the long term, these investments can effectively contribute to reducing preventable causes of disability and premature death and to limiting the social inequalities in health that continue to characterize the health system in France.[author’s summary]