Burial and cremation

Permis d’inhumer

The mairie of the place of death will provide authorisation for the coffin to be sealed (fermeture du cercueil) and the mairie of the place where the person is to be buried will provide a permis d’inhumer (burial permit).

A certain time is usually allowed for relatives to pay their respects before the coffin is sealed. Authorisation to take the body out of the commune where the coffin was sealed must be obtained from the mairie if appropriate.

Burial

Burial in a cemetery requires the “person responsible for the funeral being carried out” (personne qui à qualité pour pourvoir aux funérailles) to ask permission from the mairie.

This is usually, in this order – the surviving spouse, or parents or children of the deceased, or the nearest relative, or the state (eg. the mairie) or a private body paying for the funeral.

The deceased can be buried in the commune where they lived, where they died or where they have a family tomb. 

Families may request to have them buried in other communes, especially if the person lived there at some point or other family members are buried there. The mairie has the right to decline the request.

If the deceased had not already reserved a burial plot you need to buy one. This is done at the mairie or, in some large towns, at the bureau des cimetières. 

Costs for a burial plot (une concession) vary depending on timespan which ranges from five to 15 years, to perpetuity. If the family lacks means to pay, there are free concessions for about five years.

Enquiries about burial must be made as soon as possible, especially if no plot has been reserved, so as to reserve a time and date. If a plot was reserved, look for the associated document (titre de concession).

Burial without a coffin is not allowed – and a lightweight cardboard or plywood coffin is the minimum permitted.

Normally cemeteries require a semelle (flat paving) to be placed over the grave before the family can install a headstone or other such monument.

The burial must take place no later than six days (not including Sundays and bank holidays) unless the person died abroad, in which case it is six days from their body arriving back in France.

Fees for burial plots can usually be paid by instalments and renewal fees when a concession is not perpetual apply. In order to renew a concession, a request must be made within 24 months after the initial period runs out.

If the concession is not renewed or has not been visited and given adequate care and maintenance in a number of years, the mairie is entitled to exhume the body and cremate it and then proceed to the sale of the concession without informing relatives. 

In such circumstances, a register must, however, be kept by the relevant mairie and an appeal process also exists in order to prevent the concession from being, in effect, repossessed.

Cremation

Cremation is authorised (by the commune where the death took place or, if the body was transported, where the coffin was sealed) on written proof of the deceased’s will, or by request from the personne qui a qualité pour pourvoir aux funérailles.

The medical certificate showing there are no medical or legal reasons preventing cremation is required. In the case of any problems, authorisation may be given by the parquet (public prosecutor’s office), which may require an autopsy.

If the person had a pacemaker, it must be removed by a doctor or embalmer before cremation is possible.

Cremation normally takes place in the crematorium nearest the place of death.

Note that if you are booking a cremation, the time given may be for the actual committal of the body.

Check when people need to arrive and how long you will be given. In simple crematorium funerals, family and friends will be left with the coffin, to pay respects in their own way, with readings or music etc.

After the permitted time – often 30 minutes – a curtain will close over the coffin or the people attending will simply be asked to leave with the coffin still in place.

While many people have an image of cremation with the coffin going along a conveyor belt, this is no longer usually the case. 

Following cremation, the ashes are usually handed over to the family member responsible for the funeral in a special room set aside for that purpose.

A room is reserved in the crematorium for temporary storage, usually a few months, and to allow the family to reflect on what they wish to do with the ashes.

The manager of the establishment and the family agree beforehand the length of time for this.

Upon expiration, the family is asked to collect the urn. If the family does not do so, the ashes may be scattered in the remembrance garden at the crematorium.

Options for an urn and ashes

There are several options for what to do with the urn or the ashes after a cremation.

The urn may be:

• Stored in a columbarium or vault.
• Sealed onto a stone
• Immersed in the sea: No authorisation needed but it is not allowed in rivers or streams. A biodegradable urn must be used eg. one made of salt or cardboard.
• Taken abroad: the prefect of the department where the coffin was closed grants authorisation for transport of the ashes outside France. Interment on a private property is rare and needs permission.

Ashes may be dispersed:

• In a remembrance garden. If you want to use a remembrance garden somewhere other than the crematorium (eg. in a cemetery) you need permission from the mairie. They will often require a family link with the commune.

• At sea: no authorisation required: however, if the person was born in France you are asked to declare your intention to the mairie where they were born, so a note can be added to their birth certificate. If the person had taken French nationality you may inform the Service Central de l’Etat Civil de Nantes (11, rue de la Maison Blanche, 44941 Nantes Cedex 09). Some French lifeboat stations will make a special journey to take ashes to be scattered out at sea. You can make a request directly to one of the SNSM branches. There is no charge but in most cases a donation is given in return.

• In the wild but the ashes must not go into a public garden or square or onto a public highway. The remarks above apply. Mairies also prefer you to inform them if you plan to scatter ashes in their commune so as to advise if your chosen place is not permitted. This is not a strict obligation.

• Abroad (as stated with an urn). An urn may be transported by any person or sent by registered post. The funeral directors usually discuss your wishes and carry out the necessary formalities.