Deeds, public archives and cadastral plans can all help you piece together the history of your home and see who lived there before you, how the building evolved, and even the price paid decades ago.
The process of researching a home’s history can be straightforward for recent homes, but older houses often require careful research through multiple sources.
Here is where to start.
The title deed
If you are the owner, the acte authentique de vente (or attestation immobilière in the case of inheritance) is your first reference.
It lists the property’s cadastral references, a description, previous owners, the notaire, the price, and any servitudes (rights of way or restrictions).
This information is enough to begin mapping your property’s ownership history.
From the cadastral reference, you can trace any changes to the boundaries, for example if land was subdivided or added.
If you are a tenant without the title deed, you will need to consult official records such as those held by the Service de la publicité foncière (SPF) or the Archives départementales.
The Land Registry
The SPF, or French Land Registry, records every transaction involving property since 1956.
This includes changes of ownership, sale prices, mortgages, and notary details.
You can request information without giving a reason.
Complete form Cerfa n°3233 with the cadastral data, and submit it to the SPF for the commune where the property is located.
Basic details cost €6; a copy of a deed costs €15; a copropriété regulation €30.
In Alsace-Moselle, the Livre foncier replaces the SPF.
Enquiries must be made to one of its dedicated offices.
For transactions before 1956, you must turn to departmental archives or the SPF’s paper registers, if they survive.
Departmental archives
Each department has an archive service preserving notarial deeds, cadastral plans, building permits, judicial and tax archives, and private papers.
They can be invaluable for properties more than 50 years old.
Most archives are open to the public, often free of charge, though a reader’s card and proof of identity are usually required.
Staff will provide guidance but you will be expected to carry out the research yourself.
Before visiting, consult francearchives.gouv.fr to understand how holdings are classified. This will save time, as the system is not always intuitive.
Cadastre records
The cadastre, held at local property tax centres and online at cadastre.gouv.fr, provides a “snapshot” of the property and surrounding parcels.
In some cases you can find owners’ names and land use over different periods, though how far back you can go depends on the local office’s retention practices.
Listed building
Properties classified as Monuments historiques are documented in files held by the Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (DRAC).
These may include architectural plans, photographs, cadastral documents, newspaper articles, and detailed histories. You have the right to consult these if you are the property owner.
Notaire archives
Notaires must keep the original title deeds for 100 years. After this, they transfer them to the departmental archives.
If you have lost your deed, contact the notary who handled your purchase for a copy; fees may be charged for retrieval and copying.
Physical and oral clues
The building itself can hold dating clues. For example, mud mortar in the walls often indicates pre-World War Two construction.
Plumbing fixtures, bricks, and roof timbers can sometimes be dated, either through makers’ marks or scientific tests such as carbon-14 dating.
Local knowledge is also valuable. In many cases, by simply asking your neighbours you may learn unexpected anecdotes about your home and its previous inhabitants
Online and published guides
Many archives publish research guides, some specific to real estate genealogy (généalogie foncière).
These may highlight parish registers, pre-Revolution tax records, or documents relating to local works.
Some departments, such as Haute-Garonne and Aisne, have dedicated portals.
Others offer digitised cadastral plans and notarial records for free download.
