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Fuel prices and shortages in France: Latest updates
Summer diesel available early as risk of shortage looms
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Financial aid increases for communal EV charging points in France
The scheme will support at-home charging in communal car parks, which is cheaper than using public service stations
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Updates summary
This is where we will give a summary of updates made to this guide during 2026 with links to the relevant sections to help you keep track
Do residents have right to be buried in their village?
If I live in France do I have automatic right to be buried in my village? J.H.
You do, and your nationality makes no difference, assuming that there is a public cemetery with available plots.
As a rule, residents of France have the right to be buried in the cemetery of the commune where they lived, where they died or where they have a family tomb.
It may be possible in other communes (especially if you lived there at some point or you have family there) but the mayor can refuse, giving reasons, for example because you have no demonstrable link with the area.
It is not generally possible to be buried on private property, though it is sometimes allowed, on permission of the regional prefect. Practical reasons also usually make it inappropriate – for example, if the property is sold a right remains for relatives to visit the grave.
It is possible to reserve a burial plot in your lifetime, and this may simplify matters for relatives. You, or your relatives if you did not do this, would talk to the mairie or, in some larger towns, the bureau des cimetières. Costs vary on the timespan, from around five years to perpetuity.
