If there are relatively few teachers leaving their jobs in France, the transformations of the secondary school teaching profession have led to variable forms of defection. What are the modalities for leaving the profession, their frequency and their paths? A qualitative survey based on 47 interviews with schoolteachers who have resigned or intend to, demonstrates the close links between teacher weariness and increasing workload, in particular, bureaucratic, the new missions –pedagogical differentiation, integrating disabled students– in a context of financial restrictions. Three configurations for leaving the profession, coming from distinct social logics, can be identified underlining the importance of the resources which are necessary to effectively leave the teaching profession.