Notary family law: union, separation, adoption

Updated on Thursday 13 November 2025

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Alliance

Updated on Wednesday 20 March 2019

Marriage, Pacs, cohabitation: benefits and drawbacks

Today, couples have the choice between several unions: marriage , cohabitation and the Pacs. Each status has its own characteristics, to study carefully before embarking on a life of two.

Updated on Thursday 10 February 2022

Marriage contract : choose their matrimonial regime

A system of separation of property, a universal community, a system of joint ownership reduced to the property acquired after the marriage: the marriage contract makes it possible to prepare, together, one's matrimonial regime.

Updated on Thursday 5 May 2022

It’s easy to change a matrimonial regime!

The matrimonial regime is the set of legal rules applied to the heritage of the spouses. Are you already married? It’s possible to change your matrimonial regime, at any given time!

Updated on Monday 3 October 2022

Civil Union (Solidarity civil pact - PACS)

French civil partnership (PACS) is a contract, which provides unmarried couples the opportunity to organize their life together, with some social and tax advantages to boot.

Updated on Wednesday 8 March 2023

Cohabitation or Common law marriage

Cohabitation does not give any obligation to cohabiting partners, does not provide automatic protection of one another, or any solidarity for the expenses of everyday living.

Divorce

Updated on Thursday 10 March 2022

What procedure in case of a divorce in France?

In France, several divorce procedures exist divorce through mutual consent, accepted divorce, definitive alteration of conjugal relationship, divorce for cause…

Updated on Monday 10 October 2022

Divorce and distribution of property in France

Amicable or legal divorce leads to the settling of the matrimonial regime and sharing the property of the couple who is going to separate. The notary helps you settle the pecuniary and property interests of the spouses.

Updated on Wednesday 28 May 2025

Sell or buy a property during a divorce procedure

Often, upon separation, without waiting for the final divorce to be pronounced, you have to resettle. Renting or an accommodation through family or friends is one solution. But in some cases, a sale and/or a purchase is considered.

Updated on Friday 25 April 2025

Divorce: what happens to the debts and the loans undertaken during the marriage ?

Although divorced, each ex-spouse is required to settle all or part of the debts of the couple or their ex-spouse. Concretely, what is the fate of debts and credits contracted during the marriage?

Updated on Friday 7 February 2025

Taxes: how to declare income during the divorce year?

The marital status of each taxpayer is assessed on December 31 of the taxation year. During the year of a divorce, each person must complete a single declaration which includes their personal income for the entire year and the proportion of common income, accruing to the latter.

Updated on Friday 21 February 2020

What are the consequences of divorce for the children?

Divorce does not impact the rights and duties of parents with their children. Father and mother continue to exercise parental authority mutually.

Updated on Friday 25 April 2025

Divorce: fate of donations and other advantages from spouses

Donations between spouses (donation to the last living), manual gifts of money or changes to the matrimonial regime: what becomes of the advantages that the spouses have agreed to?

Protect a vulnerable loved one

Updated on Tuesday 9 July 2024

Future protection mandates

The lasting power of attorney allows any person to organize his future dependency through a tailor-made legal protection, without losing his rights and his legal capacity.

Updated on Monday 9 September 2024

Guardianship : definition

Guardianship is one of the three protection measures for adults , with curatorship and court protection. It is more restrictive than curatorship.

Updated on Friday 13 September 2024

Curatorship: definition

Curatorship is one of the legal protection systems for vulnerable people, through the supervision and protection of the court. Curatorship is a legal measure which intends to protect an adult who needs to be assisted during certain actions in life.

Updated on Tuesday 28 May 2024

Guardianship, curatorship or protection of the court: the differences

The biggest difference between the protection of the court, curatorship and guardianship these measures is the degree of hardship applied to the actions of the protected person.

Adoption

Updated on Tuesday 28 October 2025

Conditions for adoption in France

Adoption creates a genuine parent-child relationship between the adopter and the adoptee. However, this relationship will only exist if the adopter expressly asks for it and if it is made official by an order from the regional court.

Updated on Wednesday 29 October 2025

Simple adoption

Simple adoption creates a new kinship bond between the adopter and the adoptee but however doesn’t remove the kinship ties which exist between the adoptee and his biological family.

Updated on Monday 10 November 2025

Full adoption conditions and procedures

Full adoption creates a new bond of kinship between the adopter and the adoptee and cuts off all ties with the adoptee's original family (unlike simple adoption).

A question ? Need help ?

Yes. Under French law, the principle is that ownership of the land includes ownership of everything on and beneath it (Article 552 of the Civil Code). This means that even if you financed the construction of the house, your sister remains the owner. For the house to become your property…

... Will the amount collected fall under the community? No. If the community consists of all the property acquired during the marriage by the couple, the indemnities which are exclusively attached to the person of the husband or wife following an action for compensation for bodily injury or moral, constitute…

Partially. By will, you can bequeath this house to your daughter with the condition that she keeps and transfers it to her son (Article 1051 of the Civil Code). However, the law does not allow you to impose this condition on your grandson (Article 1053 paragraph 1 of the Civil…

Yes. Article 368-1 of the French Civil Code provides that the estate of a person who was adopted under a simple adoption is divided into two parts: one half goes to the biological family, and the other half to the adoptive family (Article 738-1 of the Civil Code).

View our FAQ

Notary family law: union, separation, adoption

Alliance

Divorce

Protect a vulnerable loved one

Adoption

A question ? Need help ?

Several years ago, I built my house on a piece of land owned by my sister. When I decided to sell the property, I discovered that my name was not on the title deed. Is this normal ?

I am married under the regime of legal community. I must receive compensation in accordance with a decision of the industrial tribunal, in compensation for my moral damage following the harassment to which I was subjected by my employer (...)

I own a house inherited from my parents. Upon my death, I wish to bequeath it to one of my daughters, then have it passed on to my grandson upon her death, with the condition that he transfers it to his future child. Is this possible ?

My friend passed away. She was unmarried, had no children, and no siblings. Her biological parents are still alive, and she had been adopted (simple adoption). Do the adoptive parents inherit?

I own a house inherited from my parents. Upon my death, I wish to bequeath it to one of my daughters, then have it passed on to my grandson upon her death, with the condition that he transfers it to his future child. Is this possible ?