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Which marriage is recognised by law in France?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: The civil marriage, held at the town hall (mairie). The civil marriage is the only marriage recognised in France. Two people of different or the same sex can marry. They must be over 18 (unless agreed) and give free consent.
Sources: Sheet “La déclaration de mariage” (French), read on 21 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✓ The civil marriage, held at the town hall (mairie)Le mariage civil, célébré à la mairieCorrect answer. The civil marriage is the only marriage recognised in France. Two people of different or the same sex can marry. They must be over 18 (unless agreed) and give free consent.
- ✗ A religious marriage onlyLe mariage religieux seulementA religious marriage alone is not recognised by law.
- ✗ A marriage following family traditionLe mariage selon la tradition de la familleA family tradition does not replace the civil marriage.
- ✗ An agreement signed before witnesses, without the mairieUn accord signé devant des témoins, sans mairieWithout a civil marriage, the union is not recognised.
What the source says
« Le mariage civil est le seul mariage reconnu en France. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 21 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Quel mariage est reconnu par la loi en France ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question comes from the list of the naturalisation version of the exam (PDF relayed by Le Français des affaires, read on 14 October 2026; the Ministry's own page for this list did not answer). The list's wording: “Quel mariage est reconnu légalement ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “La déclaration de mariage” (French).
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