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A response to the health crisis that began in France in March 2020, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign led to over 50,000,000 people being vaccinated in less than a year. Developed in just a few months, this campaign was unprecedented in terms of the stakes involved (scientific, industrial, technical, human, and financial), the resources mobilized, and the objectives pursued. It mobilized 130,000 vaccinators in nearly 2,000 centers, a veritable last-mile emergency public service. In a climate of acute crisis, where administrations, procedures, decisions, and so on were constantly evolving, the center managers ensured the effective deployment of an exceptional public policy. This article examines their experience of the campaign to identify the strengths and areas for improvement in general, and in crisis management in particular, in terms of the French government’s anticipation, management, and preparation. Drawing on various fields of the social sciences (including political science, sociology of organizations, and public policy), as well as a rich and unprecedented set of qualitative and quantitative data, the results demonstrate that a crisis is a “breaking point” highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of stakeholders. The operational conclusions reached underscore the importance of giving more responsibility to middle managers. Note to readers: This article is based on an assignment (“rapport individuel d’expertise”) carried out in 2023 as part of a course of study at the Institut national du service public (INSP) (National Institute of Public Service); formerly the ENA). The methodology adopted is based on both a qualitative approach (semi-structured interviews, personal accounts, feedback from local actors, ministerial documentation, and personal experiences within the Vaccination Task Force) and a quantitative approach (open data, responses to a questionnaire sent to 2,000 center managers, and data from job search platforms).