France's living wills make your end-of-life wishes clear

French law allows any adult to make a ‘living will’ setting out their end-of-life wishes should they become seriously ill or injured and unable to express their wishes.

In the absence of such a document, doctors must consult the person's designated personne de confiance, if they have appointed one, or otherwise, where possible, their family or close friends.

The document may cover matters such as limiting or stopping life-sustaining treatment if you are in a permanent state of unconsciousness; whether you would want to be transferred to intensive care and receive treatment to prolong your life; whether you would want artificial respiration or surgery; or whether you would prefer palliative care to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Doctors are legally required to take your directives anticipées into account, except in certain circumstances. These include an immediate life-threatening emergency, when there may not be time to consult them, or where doctors consider them manifestly inappropriate or inconsistent with the medical situation, following the required collective medical procedure.

Anyone can make a living will, known in France as directives anticipées. However, a person under tutelle must obtain authorisation from the judge or the conseil de famille, where one has been appointed.

Creating a living will is straightforward, but it must meet certain requirements. It needs to include your full name, date and place of birth, and be dated and signed.

If you are unable to write or sign the document yourself, it can be drawn up with the help of two witnesses, who must attest that it expresses your wishes.

An official template is available here, which also provides information and guidance on completing it.

There are two versions of the template: one for people who are in good health and another for those already living with a serious illness.

Although the law does not specifically require the document to be written in French, this is strongly recommended. French healthcare professionals might not be able to understand a version written in English, particularly in an emergency.

Your GP can help you draw it up, and it is advisable to follow the official template where possible.

Your directives anticipées can be kept by your GP, your personne de confiance or another family member, or by a retirement home or hospital if you are resident or being treated there. Tell close family members where the document is kept and consider uploading it to Mon espace santé, your online medical record.

You can change or revoke it at any time.

If you become seriously ill, doctors must check whether you have made directives anticipées.

This article is an edited extract from our updated help guide to Inheritance Law in France