French inheritance law limits full freedom in selecting heirs to protect close family members like parents and children. However, you can direct the disposable portion of your estate—beyond mandatory reserves—to chosen beneficiaries through proven legal tools.
Without a will, strict rules determine heirs, reserving minimum shares (the héritière réserve) for spouses and children as forced heirs.
For a married deceased with children, assets go to the surviving spouse and descendants. If children are shared, the spouse chooses full usufruct (use and income from all assets) or outright ownership of one-quarter, with descendants sharing the rest. Children from prior unions mean the spouse gets one-quarter ownership, children three-quarters.
All children share equally. Grandchildren inherit only if their parent predeceased, renounced, was deemed unworthy (e.g., convicted of crimes against the deceased), or excluded by court for grave reasons.
Unmarried partners (PACS or cohabitation) get nothing; children take everything.
Married, no kids, both parents alive: parents get half, spouse half. One parent alive: parent one-quarter, spouse three-quarters. No parents: spouse inherits all.
Unmarried with siblings: equal shares among full and half-siblings. No siblings: ascendants (parents, grandparents) split by parental line. Absent ascendants: uncles, aunts, cousins.
While you can't fully disinherit forced heirs, legal mechanisms allow favoring one heir or third parties without violating reserves.
Anyone with sound mind can draft a will—holographic (handwritten) or notarial—specifying the disposable portion's distribution. Options include:
Lifetime gifts to children, grandchildren, spouse, partner, family, or outsiders, respecting reserves. Forms include customary gifts (small event presents), manual gifts (cash/movables), or notarized deeds for real estate/spousal gifts.
Designate beneficiaries for annuity or lump-sum payouts post-death. Change anytime. Forced heirs can't challenge these designations.
