Donation: everything you need to know to make a donation

Updated on Friday 3 October 2025

Inquire

Understand the donation

Updated on

How is a donation taxed?

A donation is an act by which a person, the donor, voluntarily and irrevocably transfers ownership of something, free of charge, to another person, the donee (Civil Code, Art. 894).

Read more

Make a donation

International donations

A question ? Need help ?

I want to give bare ownership of assets to my minor grandchildren and keep the usufruct. If I die before they reach majority, I do not want these assets to be managed by their parents. Is this possible ?

Yes. It is entirely possible to make a donation to your minor grandchildren. This donation must be accepted by their legal administrators (their parents), in accordance with Article 935 of the Civil Code. However, you can specify in the donation act that the donated assets be managed by a third…
See more
I gave an apartment to my daughter, who has three children. If she dies before me, the notary tells me it's possible to get it back. Is this true?

Yes. Everything depends on how you draft your deed of gift. If nothing has been stipulated, as the gift is irrevocable, the law does not allow you to recover your property. On the other hand, if a "conventional return clause" has been provided for in the event of the predecease…
See more
I wish to bequeath a sum of money to my grandson. Will he benefit from the €31,865 tax allowance?

No. The €31,865 allowance applies only to gifts made during the donor’s lifetime by grandparents to their grandchildren, as provided under Article 790 B, paragraph 1 of the French General Tax Code. In the context of inheritance, your grandson will only benefit from a €1,594 allowance, which is the standard…
See more
I would like to make a donation to the child I adopted as part of a simple adoption. Can he benefit from the reduction of 100,000 euros?

No. The reduction of 100,000 euros is applicable in relations between ascendants and their children (art. 779 CGI). Article 786 of the General Tax Code specifies that, except in special cases, the relationship resulting from a simple adoption is not taken into account for the collection of transfer du-ties free…
See more