​Twenty years after they occupied Algeria, French colonial authorities established three madrassas (Islamic religious schools) in each of the country’s three main cities: Algiers, Constantine and Tlemcen. These schools were placed under the direct supervision and control of the colonial authorities, and their purpose was to prepare candidates for jobs related to worship, justice, education and the “Arab offices”. This move was partly motivated by the fact that after occupying Algeria and attempting to transform its cultural and social structures, France found itself unable to control and manage society. The colonial government therefore wanted to form an elite that would be a link between itself and the Algerian Muslim community. This paper examines whether these madrassas, which existed for over a century (1850-1951), fulfilled their intended role as a bridge between France and Algerian society. Contradictions in colonial policy, particularly the tension pitting advocates of integration against officials, both military and civilian, who promoted the idea of an “Arab Kingdom”, had a decisive impact on the fate of these institutions. The schools also faced competition from public education as it gradually became available to Algerians, up to university level.