As part of its surveillance and investigation mandate, the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) is frequently asked to provide guidance on how to respond to outbreaks of hepatitis A in communities, and the question of whether to use the vaccine to prevent new cases has often been raised in the absence of established vaccination recommendations. To better identify the challenges encountered in managing these outbreaks and to provide a basis for discussion regarding potential vaccination in this context, a description of the outbreaks reported to the InVS was compiled. This study clarifies the nature and characteristics of investigations into outbreaks of hepatitis A in communities and proposes recommendations for rapid and effective investigation to enable better management in the field. (adapted from the text)