How are funerals conducted in France?

What happens at a burial ?

1. Having the death certified

   The first step in a funeral is to have the death confirmed by a doctor. Any doctor can confirm the death, but it is usually an emergency physician, a specialist, or a hospital doctor.

   From this point on, several cases differ depending on the location of the deceased.

   • If the deceased is in the hospital, all you need to do is contact a funeral service company like Advitam to handle the necessary steps. Call us, we are here to help.

   • If the deceased is at home, you have the choice of staying at home or using a funeral home. The funeral home comes at a cost, but it is recommended to perform embalming if you wish to keep the body at home.

   • In the case of a nursing home or another location, you will need to use a funeral home, as the nursing home does not want to keep the deceased on their premises.

   For more information, you can refer to the article on the steps to take and the documents to provide for organizing a funeral.

2. Funeral ceremony
   

   On the day of the funeral ceremony, close family members are invited to pay their last respects to the deceased. All friends and participants are not invited to the final tribute but are welcome later at the place of worship or during the civil ceremony at the cemetery or crematorium. A chaplain or a representative of the faith can be requested to accompany you.

   The sealing of the coffin has usually been done beforehand by hospital staff, funeral home staff, or funeral personnel, depending on the case.

   Once the final tribute is over, the funeral staff proceeds to close the coffin and then to depart with the funeral procession.

3. Burial or cremation?

   All participants are invited to follow the procession to the cemetery or crematorium. The floral arrangements are carried by the funeral staff in the hearse.

   A final farewell gesture can be made to the deceased at the cemetery or crematorium. It can be carried out directly by the family, the ceremony master, or possibly by a representative of the faith. Then, the funeral staff proceeds with the burial.

   In the case of a cremation, music or videos can be used, depending on the equipment available at the crematorium. The urn is usually given to the family the following day or in the days after.