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Living in French society

Quel mariage est reconnu légalement ?Which marriage is legally recognised?

Answer

Le mariage civil, célébré à la mairieA civil marriage, performed at the town hall

Explanation

In France, only a civil marriage, performed by the registrar at the town hall, is legally valid. A religious marriage must come afterwards.

Source: Code civil, article 165Updated 13 October 2026.Official question · answer and translation written by Recite

What the law says

Official text, in French

Code civil, article 165

Le mariage sera célébré publiquement lors d'une cérémonie républicaine par l'officier de l'état civil de la commune dans laquelle l'un des époux, ou l'un de leurs parents, aura son domicile ou sa résidence à la date de la publication prévue par l'article 63, et, en cas de dispense de publication, à la date de la dispense prévue à l'article 169 ci-après.

Read the article on legifrance.gouv.fr 

Official text (Légifrance), checked on 16 October 2026.

The 4 options, in French as at the exam

  1. Le mariage religieux, célébré seul sans passage en mairieA religious marriage performed on its own, without going to the town hall
  2. Le mariage coutumier, célébré seulement en familleA customary marriage, performed only within the family
  3. Le mariage avec plusieurs époux en même tempsA marriage to several spouses at the same time
  4. Le mariage civil, célébré à la mairieA civil marriage, performed at the town hall

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