Years of silence. Calls that go unanswered. A relationship that fades until nothing remains but an ache you can’t quite name. Many parents know this kind of absence. And after a long time without news, one painful question sometimes surfaces:
“If my child has cut me out of their life, can I cut them out of my inheritance?”

In France, the answer is more complex than it seems.

What French Law Actually Allows

French inheritance law is built on the idea that certain heirs—most often children, a spouse, and in some cases parents—cannot be excluded.
A part of the estate is automatically reserved for them. This is the reserved portion: a share protected by law, no matter what the family situation looks like.

The rest is called the disposable portion, the part you are free to distribute however you wish. A friend. A charity. Another child. Someone outside the family. Through this portion, the law leaves room for personal choice and emotional bonds.

Can a Parent Truly Disinherit a Child?