Genealogy Chat

Thank you.

A quick Google search comes up with this:

Accessing a French will and managing probate requires searching the Fichier Central des Dispositions de Dernières Volontés (FCDDV) (Central Registry of Wills) to identify the notary holding the document. Anyone can search this database online with a death certificate to locate the notary, after which beneficiaries can request the will.

How to Find a French Will

Search the FCDDV: The primary method is to search the Central Will Registry via adsn.notaires.fr.
Required Documentation: A death certificate is necessary to initiate a search.
What You Obtain: The registry provides the name and contact details of the notary holding the will. It does not provide the will's contents, only its existence and location.
Contact the Notary: Once located, contact the notary to obtain a copy of the will (if you are a beneficiary) and to begin the probate process.

French Probate (Succession) Process

Role of the Notaire: In France, a Notaire is mandatory to manage the estate, which takes roughly 6 months on average.
Acte de Notoriété: The notary prepares this document to officially establish the beneficiaries (heirs).
Attestation Immobilière: Necessary if the deceased owned property in France, this transfers ownership of the property to the beneficiaries.
Déclaration de Succession: The formal tax declaration of the estate, which must be filed even if no tax is due.
Important Deadlines: Inheritance tax must generally be paid within six months of death, or up to one year if the deceased died outside France.

Key Considerations

Holographic Wills: Handwritten, unregistered wills can be valid, but they must be submitted to a notary within five years of the death.
Forced Heirship: French law often dictates a mandatory share of assets (reserve héréditaire) for children or spouses.
International Estates: If the deceased was not a resident of France, you may need a local specialist to liaise with the French notary.

Does anybody know how I can access a will and probate in France
dad died in France in 2006
I would like to access his will as it stood

any ideas where I can find it please