12 things you can do at your mairie in france apart from get married

WE HIGHLIGHT FUN AND SERIOUS WAYS THE LOCAL MAIRIE KEEPS YOUR FRENCH COMMUNITY RUNNING SMOOTHLY There are around 35,000 communes in France, almost all of them with a _mairie_. You can only

legally get married at a _mairie_, although you can have a marriage blessed in church (or anywhere else for that matter). You can also get a civil partnership here, known in France as a

_pacte civil de solidarité_ (pacs). Formal recognition of relationships is not, however, the only service that _mairies_ offer. They are the first port of call for numerous queries and

bureaucratic functions. The services they manage depend on the size of the commune and the areas of responsibility delegated by the local _communauté de communes_. READ MORE: 15 THINGS YOUR

FRENCH ‘COM COM’ CAN DO APART FROM COLLECT YOUR BINS These can include town planning, housing, schools, public sporting equipment, cultural activities, health and social aid, and even, in

theory, the police. Essentially, whatever your query, if the _mairie_ cannot answer it, the team there will at least point you in the right direction. Here are other services offered: 1.

APPLY FOR PLANNING PERMISSION A declaration of works on a property (déclaration préalable) or application for full planning permission must be submitted to the mairie. You can also contest

someone else’s application and consult the local planning rules (_plan local d’urbanisme_). READ MORE: NEXT DOOR’S EXTENSION WILL BLOCK SUN TO MY FRENCH HOME. WHAT CAN I DO? 2. GET AN

UPDATED BIRTH CERTIFICATE In France, you must apply to the town hall where you were born (rather than the local _mairie_) for a current birth certificate. These are updated each time

something happens: a name change, marriage, divorce, children, death. This is why ‘officialdom’ requires a recent (no more than three months old) copy of a birth certificate. 3. APPLY FOR A

TIP PERMIT Proof of address (_un justificatif de domicile_) or a special card from your mairie is generally required to access the local _déchetterie_. They can also tell you where the

nearest tipping facility is. READ MORE: HOW TO GET A DÉCHETTERIE PERMIT IN FRANCE WITH A UK-REGISTERED CAR 4. GET ON THE ELECTORAL LIST This applies to EU citizens only. Pre-Brexit, UK

citizens could vote in local and European elections, but this is no longer the case. 5. CELEBRATE HIGH DAYS AND HOLIDAYS A great aspect of French life is the custom in many communes of

inviting residents to free _apéros_ on bank holidays. Apart from being able to chat to the_ élus_ (elected officials), it is also a useful way to meet the neighbours. Some_ mairies_ arrange

drinks for new arrivals too. 6. DO RECENSEMENT CITOYEN PAPERWORK At age 16, French citizens complete a_ recensement citoyen_ declaration (sometimes erroneously called a military census) in

order to get an _attestation de recensement_. This involves completing a_ journée défense et citoyenneté_ (JDC) and is essential to sit exams including the Bac and BEP, to enter a _concours

administratif_ (competitive hiring/training exams within the civil service), to be added to the electoral roll at 18, or to get a driving licence. 7. ASK PERMISSION FOR SCHOOL ENROLMENT In

theory, children should go to the school in their commune, so if you want to send them somewhere else, you usually have to ask permission (_dérogation scolaire_). 8. ARRANGE A CIVIL BAPTISM

If you are not religious but would still like to welcome a new baby with a ceremony, you can ask the _maire_ for a civil baptism. The ceremony is free. The maire is not legally obliged to

perform it but it is rare for a request to be refused. If it is refused, parents can ask at another _mairie_. 9. FIND LOCAL TRADESPEOPLE Most _mairies _have a website detailing local

businesses, many of which have no other online presence, making this a fabulous way of finding local tradespeople. READ MORE: HOW CAN I FIND A RELIABLE ELECTRICIAN IN FRANCE? 10. DECLARE

YOUR GÎTE OR CHAMBRE D’HÔTES Whether you rent out a room on Airbnb or run a full-blown holiday accommodation business, you must declare it at the _mairie_. 11. REGISTER A DEATH To register a

death, you must go to the _mairie_ in the commune where the death occurred, regardless of the nationality of the deceased. Bring your ID and, if possible, the death certificate, plus any

document concerning the identity of the deceased. You should also register the death of large animals, such as horses. 12. SEEK MEDIATION WITH NOISY NEIGHBOURS If you cannot agree with

neighbours about loud music, your plum tree’s branches or a barking dog, the _maire_ will often intervene to settle the matter, or at least to point out the local regulations. RELATED

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