Burial and Cremation in France as a Foreigner: Rules, Plots, and Costs

Can a Foreigner Be Buried in France?

Yes. Any person who dies within a French commune has the legal right to be buried in that commune's municipal cemetery, regardless of nationality or residency status. French residents — including foreign nationals who lived in the commune — have additional options, including purchasing longer-term concessions.

There are two types of burial arrangements in French cemeteries:

Terrain communal (common ground): A free individual plot allocated by the commune for a minimum of five years. Available to anyone who dies in the commune or who was a registered resident. After five years, the commune can reclaim the plot if the concession isn't renewed.

Concession funéraire (cemetery concession): A paid arrangement granting exclusive use of a specific plot for a fixed period. Standard options are 10, 15, 30, 50, or 99-year concessions — known as concession perpétuelle in the case of the longest terms. Prices vary dramatically by commune: a 30-year concession in a rural village might cost €200-500, while the same in Paris (Père-Lachaise, Montmartre, Montparnasse) can exceed €15,000.

The Cremation Option

Cremation is legal and increasingly common in France, with roughly 40% of dispositions now choosing it over burial. The process requires:

• Written authorization from the mairie (issued alongside the burial permit)
• If the deceased left no written instructions, the family decides collectively
• A coffin is legally required even for cremation

Municipal crematorium fees typically run €400-800. The total cost of a cremation funeral (including the ceremony, coffin, and crematorium) is usually €4,000-8,000.

After cremation, the family has several options for the ashes:

• Placement in a columbarium niche at the cemetery
• Burial of the urn in a family concession
• Scattering in an authorized natural area (jardin du souvenir at the cemetery, or in nature excluding public roads and private property without permission)
• Taking the urn home is no longer permitted under French law — ashes must be placed in a designated location

How to Buy a Cemetery Concession

The conservation des cimetières (cemetery office) at the relevant mairie handles all concession sales. You'll need:

• The acte de décès
• Proof that the deceased was a resident of the commune or died within its boundaries
• Payment (cash, cheque, or bank transfer depending on the commune)

Non-residents who did not die in the commune can sometimes purchase a concession if the cemetery has available space, but the commune is under no obligation to sell.

If the deceased's family already holds a concession (from a previously buried relative), the right to be interred in that concession passes to the concession holder's heirs. You'll need to prove the family relationship and obtain the concession holder's agreement if they're still alive.

Practical Considerations for Foreign Families

For long-term expat residents, local burial is often the most practical choice. The deceased's community, friends, and daily life were in France — and local burial costs a fraction of international repatriation (€3,000-6,000 versus €5,000-15,000).

For tourists or short-term visitors, repatriation is more common. But if the family prefers a French burial, they have the full legal right to arrange one.

The Someone Died in France: English Speaker's Emergency Guide includes a burial-versus-repatriation cost comparison and bilingual templates for requesting cemetery concessions.

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