Burials.

[Alwah]

Ok, I know it's not exactly 'health' but there doesn't seem to be a 'death' forum section.

Can anyone advise re the possibility of burial at home, in the garden.  Having a few hectares, with a view of the Pyrenees and neither my wife nor myself being religious, we would like (when the time comes of course, not right now) to be buried on our own land in an ecologically friendly coffin and have a tree planted above us.

Any (sensible) advice would be gratefully received.

ALWAH

 

 

[Iceni]

I look forward to someone (Clair ?) posting chapter and verse on this as both Di and I would like to be buried in our own field. We don't have a good view of the Pyrenees but that is hardly important. Being truly eco friendly would involve just being tipped in , no box, bag or anything else so hope that would be permitted.

John

 

[Tony F Dordogne]

We're being cremated, 50% into the Thames off the South Bank (where we used to meet when we were courting) and 50% of the ahes into our compost bins so we can't be dug up and moved after the kids inherit.

[Clair]

"The burial of a body in a private property is possible and must be

authorised by the prefet of the department where the property is

located. This authorisation is subject to conditions. These include

requirements concerning the location of the property (distances from

other dwellings.), health conditions and the composition of the soil.

In France, burial without a coffin is prohibited."

L'inhumation d'un corps dans une propriété

particulière est possible et doit être autorisée par le préfet du

département où se situe cette propriété. Cette autorisation est soumise

à conditions. Il s'agit notamment de conditions relatives à la

situation géographique de la propriété (éloignement des autres

habitations etc.), aux conditions sanitaires et à la composition du

sol.

En France, l'inhumation sans cercueil est interdite.

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F14935.xhtml?&n=Famille&l=N10&n=D%C3%A9c%C3%A8s&l=N165

[Meg]

I also want to be put in a hole in the field (no box), and have already picked a spot! So am also interested how it'd work. No being flown back to UK, or being cremated, or going in a French cemetery (they are horrible). In the ground, in the country, and a tree on top if anyone feels like it. Simple and natural.

Himself thinks the same but also wants a stake though the heart, but that might be more difficult to arrange!?

What a jolly topic!

[Clair]

Cardboard coffins,made in France: http://www.ca-cartonne.fr/modulosite2/fiche.php?id_bouton=5&id=749&fr=1

[Meg]

Good info Clair. Thanks! Cardboard box would be ok.

Whilst on the subject i don't even know how organ donation works over here?

[Clair]

More details about burials outside a cemetery:

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F1114.xhtml?&n=Famille&l=N10&n=D%C3%A9c%C3%A8s&l=N165

I have been told off today for posting links to complicated and obscure French sites, so here is Google to translate...[:)]

[Clair]

[quote user="Meg "]Whilst on the subject i don't even know how organ donation works over here? [/quote]

Organ donation thread: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/984819/ShowPost.aspx

[Meg]

Thanks Clair, thats me all sorted then!

[Russethouse]

 If I remember correctly Adam Faith had a willow coffin - I think that is rather appealing....[8-|]

[mooky]

I officiate at many funerals around my home here in Dept 79. I do them as people know I am a priest so I just get asked. Mainly non religious ones.

It seems to me  expats need to have a lot more information on whats available, what to do after death. Funeral requirements ect.
My friend who has just died wanted cardboard; or wicker coffin. The man at the crem said they didn't have objections; but funeral directors do.

I have seen a wonderful and theraputic use using a cardboard coffin. Young mom, knew she was dying. She bought a cardboard coffin; and all her family kids included, painted and decorated it.I was very moved by it, and the kids left messages on it, and it seemed to ease her passing somehow.

I have bought a eco friendly urn for me in paper maché; It looks like a big acorn 

 

[cooperlola]

I think you're right, Mooky, some good info' could be useful (as morbid a subject as this might be!)  I was wondering the other day how easy it will be for those who are left to organise my secular funeral in a Catholic country.  It's the sort of thing one ought to know, but maybe puts off more than one should.

Although I have told my o/h and my friend Paul that they are to drive down the Mulsanne straight in his Ferrari and fling my ashes out of the window!!![:D]

[Gardengirl]

Could we have an official section on 'Death'? It would be so useful (& reassuring) to have links such as just provided by Clair, in one place. It can be hard enough to find info that you need in your own language when a loved one is approaching death; it must be so hard to have to try looking for green funerals etc in another language, however good you might be under normal circumstances.

Jo

[Alwah]

Thank you all very much for the info.  Links now safely installed in favourites and copies printed off, though I must say that I hope the ink will have well and truly faded by the time the information is required...

We have both signed up for the organ donor scheme as well.

 

Thank you once again.

ALWAH

[oscar]

The thing that concerns me is the speed with which you are disposed of in France.  It always seems to be within two days of death.  Firstly, I don't know how people manage to organise a funeral so quickly and secondly, in the case of an ex-pat dying in France, how would you get relatives over from the UK in time?  Do you HAVE to be buried so quickly or can you delay things by a few days?

[val douest]

Yes, I'd like to second Gardengirl's request for a section on 'Dying in France' so that if we ever have to cope with a death here (or are asked to help someone else who is in that situation) we know exactly where to go for the information.  I think there have been some previous postings so perhaps it would be possible to include that information or links to the relevant postings. As well as info on actual burials and funerals, it would be good to know something about death certificates, registering a death (for residents and non-residents) and even repatriating a body or ashes for those who require that this be done.  I know in the UK I found the Govt booklets 'What to do when someone dies' and 'Applying for probate' invaluable when my mother and father-in-law died so it would be very reassuring to be able to find a summary of the same kind of information on the forum.

[Clair]

[quote user="oscar"]The thing that concerns me is the speed with which you are disposed of in France.  It always seems to be within two days of death.  Firstly, I don't know how people manage to organise a funeral so quickly and secondly, in the case of an ex-pat dying in France, how would you get relatives over from the UK in time?  Do you HAVE to be buried so quickly or can you delay things by a few days?[/quote]

By law, a burial or cremation has to take place no earlier than 24 hours and no later than 6 days after death (Sundays and bank hols are excluded).

The préfet can authorise delays.

Regarding a "Death in France" section, the mods are looking into it now.

I can write up a sticky of how things are required to be done in France, as per this discussion.

If anyone has experience of repatriation, dealings with the British autorities and so on and wants to send me some info (by PM please), we can put something together.

.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Hi Clair, I'll send you a pm in the next day or so, I repatriated 4 bodies after an accident a couple of years ago and have all the details of how it should be done, delays, registering the deaths etc.

[Clair]

Thanks Tony.

I remember what happened and that you offered before...

[cooperlola]

Funnily enough, I was trawling through the French Humanists website the other day, trying to find some info' about this.  In the UK, they have people who will officiate at secular funerals (something I've had to organise for two members of my family) and a very useful facility it is too.  But I can't find any reference to this on the French site.  It would be good info' if anybody knows.