Your legacy,
carefully protected.
The transmission of assets and legacy demands both technical precision and genuine sensitivity. We plan successions, draft testamentary instruments, and resolve inheritance disputes with the care the subject deserves.
Succession law in France is both technical and deeply personal. The rules governing reserves héréditaires, the taxation of inheritances, and the legal requirements for valid testamentary instruments create a landscape where specialist advice is essential — both during your lifetime and when managing a succession after a death.
We advise clients across France and internationally on succession planning and estate administration, and represent heirs and beneficiaries in contentious probate matters before the Tribunal judiciaire.
Areas We Handle
Succession Planning & Wills
Drafting of testaments authentiques and olographes; advice on reserves héréditaires; strategic use of donations entre vifs; and life insurance planning in a succession context.
Estate Administration
Guidance through the full succession process — from declaration of succession to final distribution — including coordination with the notaire and tax authorities.
International Successions
Cross-border estates involving French and foreign assets; application of EU Succession Regulation No. 650/2012; and recognition of foreign wills and judgments.
Inheritance Disputes
Challenge of wills on grounds of incapacity or undue influence; action en réduction for breach of réserve héréditaire; and disputes between co-heirs over estate assets.
Donation & Gift Strategies
Structuring lifetime gifts to optimise succession tax treatment; donation-partage; pacte successoral; and SCI structures for real estate transmission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not entirely. French law reserves a portion of the estate (réserve héréditaire) for children that cannot be freely disposed of. The freely disposable portion (quotité disponible) can be left to whomever you choose. We advise on the optimal structure within these constraints.
If someone dies intestate, French succession law applies a fixed order of inheritance based on family relationships. The result may not reflect the deceased's wishes. We strongly advise establishing a valid will and reviewing it regularly.
EU Regulation 650/2012 allows EU citizens to choose the law of their nationality to govern their entire estate. This can significantly affect the distribution of assets across borders. We advise on the appropriate election and its consequences in both jurisdictions.
Ready to speak with counsel?
Every mandate begins with a confidential consultation. Tell us your situation — we will tell you, plainly, what the law can achieve for you.