How to go about organising a funeral

Published on : 29 November 20213 min reading time

However, a death involves specific administrative and legal procedures. In addition, the family has to organise itself in order to carry out all the steps related to this tragedy. So, in order to ease the steps to be taken by your loved ones at the time of this painful moment, think about organising your funeral while you are still alive.

Keep funeral planning in writing

Despite the belief that planning a funeral while you are still alive is bad luck, it is known that more than 40% of French people have already planned the event, starting with the smallest details. By law, heirs are obliged to carry out all the wishes of the deceased. To be sure of this, make sure you write down your decisions and pass them on to your relatives. As a matter of prudence, think of inserting a copy in a document that will be needed when the time comes (like the family record book or the bank file). You are free to decide what information to include in this document, from the general to the specific.

The funeral home: a burial chamber

In most cases, death is caused by an illness. You should be aware that at the time of the funeral, the body may be taken to a funeral home instead of being brought home. This choice depends on the wishes of the deceased or, failing that, on the decision of his or her relatives or heirs. The funeral home is a place where the body is received during the time following the death and before the funeral. In the absence of religious ceremonies, families may well go to this place for a last tribute. For civil ceremonies, it is also possible to book a crematorium.

The choice of cemetery

At the time of the funeral, two options are possible, either the family opts for burial or cremation. In any case, the wishes of the deceased take precedence. For burial, the body can be placed either in the cemetery of the commune where the deceased lived, or in the commune where he or she died, or in the family vault, or in another town, but for this last option, authorisation from the mayor concerned is required.
The deceased may be buried in the cemetery of the town where he or she lived or where he or she died. But the deceased may also be buried in the family vault, or buy a plot (individual, collective or family) in another town (subject to the mayor’s approval).

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