If the deceased had expressed a wish to be cremated, you must respect his willin any manner indicated (orally or in writing).

The decision rests with the close ones of the deceased.

You can freely choose a funeral operator.

The list of local licensed funeral companies is available at (or on their website):

• Town Hall
• Health care facilities
• Welcome room of the mortuary or funeral rooms.

The funeral company must obligatory present the following 3 documents:

• General documentation listing tariffs and services (whether mandatory or optional)
• Free, detailed and costed individual quotation (conforming to an official model)
• Purchase order in case of acceptance of the quote.

Companies are required to submit standard specifications in town halls of municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants.

They can also submit these estimates to any other municipality.

You can freely choose a funeral operator.

The list of local licensed funeral companies is available at (or on their website):

• Town Hall
• Health care facilities
• Welcome room of the mortuary or funeral rooms.

The funeral company must obligatory present the following 3 documents:

• General documentation listing tariffs and services (whether mandatory or optional)
• Free, detailed and costed individual quotation (conforming to an official model)
• Purchase order in case of acceptance of the quote.

Companies must submit standard estimates to the municipalities of the department where they have their registered office or a secondary school.

They can also submit these estimates to any other municipality.

If the deceased person was carrying a prosthesis operating by means of a battery (pacemaker, defibrillator, physiological pump, for example), the doctor or the thanatopractor removes it and proof of recovery prior to beer production (with exceptions).

The cremation is authorized by the Mayor of the place of death (or of the place of beer setting in case of transport of the body).

Authorization shall be granted on presentation of the following documents:

• Written expression of the deceased's last wishes or request from the person in charge of organizing the funeral
• Certificate of the physician who pronounced the death indicating the absence of a forensic problem
• Doctor or thanatopractor certifying removal of the prosthesis

The mayor may not permit cremation when the death poses a forensic problem (accident, suicide, signs or clues of violent death, unknown or suspicious cause of death).

He must immediately seize the public prosecutor.

The cremation is then authorized by the prosecutor's office, after police investigation and determination of the causes of death.

A prior autopsy may be required, at the expense of the family.

The use of a hermetic coffin is mandatory in certain situations, in particular in the case of body transport from the foreigner or by air.

A hermetic coffin (or galvanized) cannot be cremation.

The opening of a coffin shall be prohibited for a period of at least five years from its closing.

So you have to choosing a burial.

However, it is possible to request a permission to transfer the body to a suitable coffin to the cremation.

You have to go through some formalities.

In practice, the company of funeral directors takes care of them, in whole or in part.

The request must be addressed to the mayor of the municipality of the place of change of coffin.

You must attach supporting documents (including a medical certificate issued at the place of death).

The mayor has 6 days to make his decision.

If the mayor refuses, you must choosing a burial.

In a cemetery or cinerary site, you can choose to scatter the ashes in the space provided for this purpose (garden of memories, well of memories).

Within a cemetery or a burial site, ashes may also have the following destinations:

• Burial of the urn in an existing burial or to be created (in open ground or in cavurn)
• Sealing the urn on a funeral monument
• Deposit of the ballot box in a columbarium
• Burial of urn in the communal grounds in an unlicensed location (free) for at least 5 years

You must make a declaration to the town hall of the place of birth of the deceased.

A register shall indicate the identity of the deceased, the date and the place where the ash was dispersed.

In order to be in the wilderness, the dispersal site must be owned by no one and must not be enclosed.

Dispersal is forbidden on public roads or in public places (stadium, square, public garden, etc.).

Dispersal of ash or immersion of the urn (in biodegradable material) is allowed in the open sea.

Dispersal may be prohibited on watercourses (inquire at the municipality concerned).

Dispersal is forbidden in a private garden.

However, dispersal over a large area (field, meadow, forest, etc.) accessible to the public but belonging to a private person is possible. You have to have the prior consent of the landowner.

The urn containing the ashes can be placed in a burial located in a private property.

You must to apply for a prefectural authorization.

Burying the urn creates a grave and a bondage perpetual.

Access to the burial must be guaranteed for the heirs of the deceased.

The urn can be buried for free in the communal grounds of the cemetery.

This is the solution if you need time to make your choice.

The ballot box can be kept for up to 1 year (the service can be paid for) in one of the following places:

• Crematorium
• Place of worship (after agreement of the association responsible for the practice of worship)

During this time, you have to decide what happens to the ashes.

After 1 yearHowever, if you have not made a decision, the ashes are scattered in one of the following locations:

• Dedicated area of the cemetery of the commune of the place of death
• Nearest cinerary site