{"id":2053788,"date":"2026-07-25T13:09:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:09:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T13:10:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:10:55","slug":"the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers"},"content":{"rendered":"

For anyone purchasing property in France, the notaire<\/em> is the single most important professional in the transaction. Unlike the common law jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, the United States, or Australia, where a real estate lawyer and a separate conveyancer typically handle the paperwork, the French system vests a unique set of powers and responsibilities in a single public officer: the notaire<\/em>. This figure is neither a lawyer in the common law sense, nor merely a scrivener who stamps documents. The notaire<\/em> is a ministerial public officer appointed by the Minister of Justice, vested with the power to confer authenticity upon legal instruments and, by extension, to confer upon them a force that private contracts lack. For international buyers unfamiliar with the civil law tradition, grasping the notaire<\/em>‘s role is essential: it determines what protections the buyer enjoys, where liability falls when something goes wrong, and how to navigate the procedural steps from the initial offer to the final deed.<\/p>\n

I. The Notaire’s Dual Identity: Public Officer and Private Adviser<\/h2>\n

A. The Authentic Act: Legal Force and Practical Consequences<\/h3>\n

At the heart of the notaire<\/em>‘s function lies the acte authentique<\/em> (authentic instrument). The French Civil Code defines a sale as a convention by which one party undertakes to deliver a thing and the other to pay for it, and provides that a sale may be made by authentic act or by private writing (Art. 1582 Code civil<\/a>). In real estate transactions, however, the acte authentique<\/em> is in practice indispensable. Only an authentic instrument, received by a notaire<\/em> who has verified the identity of the parties, confirmed their capacity, checked the chain of title, and ensured that the mandatory disclosures have been made, can be registered with the service de la publicit\u00e9 fonci\u00e8re<\/em> (land registry). Without registration, the transfer of ownership is not enforceable against third parties.<\/p>\n

The authentic act confers three decisive advantages. First, it carries force probante renforc\u00e9e<\/em> (heightened evidentiary force): the statements certified by the notaire<\/em> as having been made in his presence are presumed accurate and can only be overturned through the cumbersome inscription de faux<\/em> procedure. Second, the authentic act carries force ex\u00e9cutoire<\/em> (enforceability): it is directly enforceable without a prior court judgment, meaning that a creditor holding an authentic instrument can proceed to seizure. The Cour de cassation has repeatedly examined the conditions under which an instrument retains or loses its authentic character. In a decision of the Second Civil Chamber (Cass. 2e civ., 22 May 2025, no. 22-21.614<\/a>), the Court held that irregularities constituting mere defects of form do not automatically deprive the instrument of its authentic character unless they fall within the specific categories defined by the decree of 26 November 1971 governing the formal requirements for authentication. Third, the authentic act provides a definitive date (date certaine<\/em>) that is binding on third parties, a critical feature for establishing priority between competing claims.<\/p>\n

For the international buyer, the significance of the authentic act cannot be overstated. A privately drafted sale agreement, even if signed by both parties in the presence of witnesses, does not transfer ownership vis-\u00e0-vis the land registry. The buyer acquires ownership between the parties themselves once the thing and the price have been agreed upon (Art. 1583 Code civil<\/a>), but until the authentic deed is signed and published, that ownership is invisible to the world. In practice, therefore, a foreign purchaser who signs a private agreement without proceeding to the authentic act before a notaire<\/em> holds a fragile right: enforceable against the seller, but incapable of opposing the claims of a third-party creditor who registers first.<\/p>\n

B. The Duty to Advise: A Jurisprudential Construction<\/h3>\n

The notaire<\/em>‘s obligations extend well beyond formal authentication. French case law has constructed a robust devoir de conseil<\/em> (duty to advise) that makes the notaire<\/em> an active guardian of the parties’ interests. The Cour de cassation has formulated this obligation in terms that are now routinely cited by lower courts. In a series of decisions handed down on the same day, the First Civil Chamber stated:<\/p>\n

“Le notaire est tenu d’\u00e9clairer les parties et d’appeler leur attention, de mani\u00e8re compl\u00e8te et circonstanci\u00e9e, sur la port\u00e9e et les effets des actes auxquels il est requis de donner la forme authentique, quand bien m\u00eame leur engagement proc\u00e9derait d’un accord ant\u00e9rieur, d\u00e8s lors qu’au moment de cette authentification, cet accord n’a pas produit tous ses effets.” (Cass. 1re civ., 11 Feb. 2026, no. 24-16.991<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This means: the notaire<\/em> must inform the parties, in complete and detailed terms, of the scope, effects and risks of the instruments he authenticates \u2014 even when the parties’ commitment originated in a prior agreement that has not yet produced all its effects. The Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence has further specified that “le notaire, professionnel du droit, est soumis \u00e0 un devoir de conseil dont il est d\u00e9biteur \u00e0 l’\u00e9gard des parties, quelle que soit la qualit\u00e9 de celles-ci” \u2014 the notaire<\/em> is subject to a duty of advice owed to all parties, regardless of their status (CA Aix-en-Provence, 18 March 2025, no. 21\/02927<\/a>).<\/p>\n

It is important to understand that the notaire<\/em> does not act as the buyer’s personal advocate. The notaire<\/em> is an impartial public officer, not a party’s representative. His duty of advice is owed equally to both seller and buyer \u2014 and equally to the tax authorities whose interests he is also required to safeguard. This is a fundamental distinction from the solicitor or attorney retained by a buyer in a common law transaction. The notaire<\/em> does not negotiate on the buyer’s behalf; he does not draft protective clauses tailored to the buyer’s interests alone; and he does not owe the buyer a fiduciary duty of undivided loyalty. He must inform, verify, and authenticate \u2014 and he must do so neutrally.<\/p>\n

For a foreign buyer who may not speak or read French fluently, this distinction carries practical consequences. The notaire<\/em> is required to ensure that the parties understand the content of the act they sign. When there is any doubt about the buyer’s comprehension, the notaire<\/em> must take steps to resolve it. The duty of advice is assessed with particular rigour in cases where one party \u2014 typically the buyer \u2014 is at a linguistic or informational disadvantage. As the Court of Appeal of Versailles put it, the notaire<\/em> must “appeler leur attention sur les cons\u00e9quences et les risques des actes auxquels il est requis de donner la forme authentique” \u2014 draw the parties’ attention to the consequences and risks of the acts he authenticates (CA Versailles, 27 May 2026, no. 24\/01115<\/a>).<\/p>\n

II. Notaire Liability and Practical Protection for Foreign Buyers<\/h2>\n

A. When the Notaire’s Duty Is Breached: Lessons from the Case Law<\/h3>\n

The liability of the notaire<\/em> is governed by the general provisions on extra-contractual liability contained in Article 1240 of the Code civil<\/a>: “Tout fait quelconque de l’homme, qui cause \u00e0 autrui un dommage, oblige celui par la faute duquel il est arriv\u00e9 \u00e0 le r\u00e9parer.” (Any act whatsoever of a person which causes damage to another obliges the person through whose fault the damage occurred to repair it.) The Cour de cassation has consistently held that a notaire<\/em>‘s obligations \u2014 including those tending to ensure the effectiveness of the instrument he has drafted \u2014 fall under his delictual (tort) liability, not his contractual liability (Cass. 1re civ., 6 June 2018, no. 17-13.975, Bull.<\/a>). This is a crucial point: even though the buyer and seller enter into a contract with the notaire<\/em> through the engagement letter, the notaire<\/em>‘s core professional duties are anchored in tort, not in contract.<\/p>\n

Three conditions must be established for a successful claim against a notaire<\/em>: a fault (breach of the duty of advice or the obligation of effectiveness), a certain and direct loss, and a causal link between the fault and the loss. The Court of Appeal of Paris has recalled that “le notaire r\u00e9dacteur d’acte engage sa responsabilit\u00e9 d\u00e9lictuelle \u00e0 charge pour celui qui l’invoque de d\u00e9montrer une faute, un lien de causalit\u00e9 et un pr\u00e9judice. Le notaire, tenu \u00e0 un devoir de conseil et \u00e0 une obligation d’efficacit\u00e9, doit effectuer les v\u00e9rifications n\u00e9cessaires conditionnant la validit\u00e9 et l’efficacit\u00e9 de l’acte qu’il dresse.” \u2014 the notaire<\/em> drafting a deed incurs delictual liability, and the claimant must prove fault, causation and loss; the notaire<\/em>, bound by a duty of advice and an obligation of effectiveness, must carry out the verifications necessary for the validity and effectiveness of the instrument he draws up (CA Paris, 6 March 2024, no. 21\/01307<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A case decided by the Tribunal judiciaire de Toulon on 30 December 2025 (TJ Toulon, 30 Dec. 2025, no. 24\/04092<\/a>) illustrates with precision the issues that confront an English-speaking buyer. The claimant, a British citizen living in France, had acquired an apartment in a copropri\u00e9t\u00e9<\/em> (co-ownership) through a compromis de vente<\/a><\/em> (preliminary sale agreement) signed on 9 December 2022 and an authentic deed signed on 23 December 2022. She later sued the notaire<\/em> on two grounds: first, an alleged failure to advise her about co-ownership works that would fall on her as the new owner; and second, a failure to provide an English interpreter during the signing. On the first point, the court examined the record in detail and found that the notaire<\/em> had requested the relevant co-ownership documents from the managing agent, had received incomplete information, and had nonetheless inserted protective clauses in the deed of sale placing the financial burden of the unexpectedly voted works on the seller. The court concluded that no fault had been committed. On the second point, however, the court made a more nuanced finding. The notaire<\/em> had communicated with the buyer in English by email before the signing, which the court regarded as an acknowledgment that the buyer faced difficulties understanding French in a legal context. The court held that “en s’abstenant d’inviter [la demanderesse] \u00e0 se faire assister d’un interpr\u00e8te en langue anglaise, la SELARL et ma\u00eetre [V] [R] ont manqu\u00e9 \u00e0 leur obligation de conseil.” (By failing to invite the claimant to obtain the assistance of an English-language interpreter, the notary firm and the notary breached their duty of advice.) Yet the claim was ultimately dismissed because the buyer failed to prove the causal link between this fault and the specific financial loss she invoked \u2014 the loss of a chance to withdraw from the purchase or renegotiate with the seller. The court’s reasoning is instructive: the loss of a chance is not equivalent to the full amount of the disputed works, and it is for the claimant to demonstrate what that lost chance was worth.<\/p>\n

The decision in CA Angers, 2 Dec. 2025, no. 20\/00788<\/a> provides another example of the scope of the notaire<\/em>‘s duty. In that case, the buyer had acquired a property with the intention of changing its use \u2014 a fact communicated to the notaire<\/em> at the compromis<\/em> stage. The notaire<\/em> failed to verify whether a natural risk prevention plan (PPRI<\/em>) would prevent the planned change of use. The court of appeal found the notaire<\/em> liable. Similarly, CA Pau, 14 Jan. 2025, no. 23\/00778<\/a> concerned a notaire<\/em> who annexed an arr\u00eat\u00e9 de p\u00e9ril<\/em> (danger order) issued by the mayor to the deed of sale but did not draw the buyer’s attention to its contents; the court held that the mere attachment of the document was insufficient to discharge the duty of advice.<\/p>\n

These cases collectively define the scope of the notaire<\/em>‘s obligation: it is a duty of means (obligation de moyens<\/em>), not of result. The notaire<\/em> is not required to guarantee that the transaction is flawless; he is required to act with due diligence<\/a>, to carry out all verifications that a reasonably competent notary would undertake, and to communicate his findings clearly and completely to the parties. As the Tribunal judiciaire de Bordeaux, 20 Jan. 2026, no. 23\/03183<\/a> confirmed, even when a fault is established, compensation is refused if no demonstrable loss flows from it \u2014 the claimant must show a concrete, quantifiable prejudice.<\/p>\n

B. Practical Steps: Engaging a Notaire as a Foreign Buyer<\/h3>\n

An international buyer contemplating a French property purchase should take several practical measures to secure adequate protection within the constraints of the French notaire<\/em> system.<\/p>\n

Choose your notaire<\/em> \u2014 and consider appointing your own.<\/strong> In principle, a single notaire<\/em> acts for both parties, which is the default arrangement in French transactions. However, there is no legal obstacle to each party appointing its own notaire<\/em>, and this has become common practice in complex transactions. A second notaire<\/em> \u2014 typically retained and paid by the buyer \u2014 does not replace the first but acts alongside him, reviewing the draft deed, flagging risks, and ensuring the buyer’s interests are not subordinated to those of the seller. The cost of a second notaire<\/em> does not increase the overall fees: the two notaires<\/em> share the same statutory fee, which is fixed by decree and calculated as a percentage of the sale price, and no additional fee is payable. For a foreign buyer with limited French, the benefit of a notaire<\/em> who is fluent in English \u2014 or who is willing to arrange for an interpreter \u2014 is considerable.<\/p>\n

Insist on full translation or interpreting assistance.<\/strong> The Toulon judgment underscores a principle that foreign buyers should take seriously: if the notaire<\/em> is aware of a linguistic barrier, he has a positive obligation to address it. A buyer should not rely on a friend, an agent, or a bilingual family member to translate the deed. The interpreter should be independent and, ideally, familiar with legal terminology. The buyer should document any request for an interpreter in writing, and should confirm at the signing that every clause has been explained in the buyer’s native language. Where a notaire<\/em> refuses or neglects to provide interpreting assistance, that refusal may itself constitute a breach of the duty of advice.<\/p>\n

Understand the ten-day cooling-off period.<\/strong> Under Article L271-1 of the Code de la construction et de l’habitation<\/a>, a non-professional buyer of residential property benefits from a ten-day retraction period (d\u00e9lai de r\u00e9tractation<\/em>) starting from the day after the delivery of the compromis de vente<\/em> or preliminary contract. During those ten days, the buyer may withdraw without penalty and without having to state a reason. The notaire<\/em> must inform the buyer of this right in clear and comprehensible terms, and the preliminary contract must expressly state the conditions and modalities for exercising the retraction right. This period is a critical safeguard: a foreign buyer receiving the compromis<\/em> should use it to have the document reviewed by an independent adviser \u2014 whether a second notaire<\/em>, a French-licensed avocat, or a bilingual professional familiar with French property law. Any structural issue \u2014 a servitude, an undisclosed co-ownership debt, a planning restriction \u2014 that is discovered during these ten days can be raised, and if not resolved, the buyer can walk away.<\/p>\n

Conduct independent due diligence, not merely rely on the notaire<\/em>‘s verifications.<\/strong> The notaire<\/em> will obtain and annex to the deed the mandatory diagnostic reports (dossier de diagnostic technique<\/em>): lead, asbestos, termites, energy performance, natural and technological risks, and, for co-ownership properties, the \u00e9tat dat\u00e9<\/em> (statement of charges). But the notaire<\/em>‘s obligation is limited to obtaining and communicating these documents; he is not required to interpret their findings or to commission further investigations. If the diagnostic de performance \u00e9nerg\u00e9tique<\/em> (energy performance certificate) rates the property as an F<\/em> or G<\/em> \u2014 a rating that triggers renovation obligations under the loi Climat et R\u00e9silience<\/em> \u2014 the notaire<\/em> must inform the buyer of the existence of the rating, but is not required to estimate the cost of the required works. The buyer should engage a qualified surveyor or architect to assess the scope and cost of any works before signing the authentic deed.<\/p>\n

Verify the property’s legal status.<\/strong> The notaire<\/em> will carry out searches at the land registry and at the urban planning department (certificat d’urbanisme<\/em>, droit de pr\u00e9emption<\/em>). However, the buyer is well advised to conduct independent verifications: checking the plan local d’urbanisme<\/em> (PLU) for zoning restrictions, confirming that any extensions or modifications to the property were authorised, and visiting the local town hall (mairie<\/em>) to inquire about planned infrastructure works that could affect the property’s value or amenity. This is particularly important for rural properties where a right of way (servitude de passage<\/a><\/em>), a right to draw water from a spring (droit de puisage<\/em>), or a pre-emptive right of the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 d’am\u00e9nagement foncier et d’\u00e9tablissement rural<\/em> (SAFER) may encumber the title.<\/p>\n

Understand the financial breakdown.<\/strong> The total cost of a French property purchase for a buyer includes the sale price, the notaire<\/em>‘s fees, and the transfer taxes (droits d’enregistrement<\/em>). The notaire<\/em>‘s remuneration itself is modest \u2014 approximately 0.8% to 1% of the sale price; the bulk of what is colloquially called frais de notaire<\/em> (notary fees) actually consists of taxes and disbursements collected by the notaire<\/em> on behalf of the State. For an existing property more than five years old, the total is typically around 7 to 8% of the sale price. For a new-build (vente en l’\u00e9tat futur d’ach\u00e8vement<\/a><\/em>, or VEFA), the total is lower, approximately 2 to 3%. The notaire<\/em> must provide the buyer with a detailed statement of these costs before the signing, and any ambiguity should be clarified in the buyer’s language.<\/p>\n

Know when to engage an avocat<\/em>.<\/strong> The notaire<\/em> is not a substitute for legal counsel. If the transaction raises complex issues \u2014 cross-border taxation, inheritance planning for non-residents, creation of an SCI<\/em> (soci\u00e9t\u00e9 civile immobili\u00e8re), mortgage structuring, or a dispute with the seller \u2014 an avocat<\/em> specialised in French real estate law<\/a> should be retained. The avocat<\/em> owes an exclusive duty to the client, can draft protective clauses for insertion in the preliminary contract, can negotiate with the seller’s representatives, and can represent the buyer in any ensuing litigation. The cost of early legal advice is routinely far lower than the cost of rectifying a transaction entered into on incomplete information.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The notaire<\/em> occupies a singular position in the French legal order: a ministerial officer, a public authenticator, and a private adviser, all embodied in a single professional. For the international buyer, that position is a source of considerable security \u2014 the authentic deed, once registered, provides a level of certainty and enforceability that private conveyancing systems rarely match. But that security is circumscribed. The notaire<\/em>‘s duty of advice is rigorous but impartial; his liability is anchored in tort and requires proof of fault, loss and causation; and his investigations, while systematic, do not extend to every contingency a prudent buyer might wish to guard against. The most reliable protection for a foreign buyer is not a single professional but a combination: a notaire<\/em> who communicates in the buyer’s language, an independent review of the transactional documents during the ten-day cooling-off period, and \u2014 where the transaction’s complexity warrants it \u2014 the assistance of an avocat<\/em> who owes undivided loyalty to the buyer alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For anyone purchasing property in France, the notaire is the single most important professional in the transaction. Unlike the common law jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, the United States, or Australia, where a real estate lawyer and a separate conveyancer typically handle the paperwork, the French system vests a unique set of powers and responsibilities […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251031309,"featured_media":16456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kj_source_type":"","_kj_official_id":"","_kj_official_url":"","_kj_judilibre_id":"","_kj_jur":"","_kj_lieu":"","_kj_chambre":"","_kj_rg":"","_kj_date":"","activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":4,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"deleted","footnotes":""},"categories":[79307],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2053788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-en-real-estate"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers - Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For anyone purchasing property in France, the notaire is the single most important professional in the transaction. Unlike the common law jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, the United States, or Australia, where a real estate lawyer and a separate conveyancer typically handle the paperwork, the French system vests a unique set of powers and responsibilities […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"4500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"3000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kohen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kohen\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd\"},\"headline\":\"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3169,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"French real estate law\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"citation\":\"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers\",\"about\":[{\"@type\":\"Thing\",\"name\":\"French real estate law\"}],\"speakable\":{\"@type\":\"SpeakableSpecification\",\"cssSelector\":[\".article-content > p:first-of-type\"]}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers - Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp\",\"width\":4500,\"height\":3000},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/25\\\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Kohen Avocats\",\"description\":\"Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, attorney specialized in real estate and business law in Paris, advises and assists companies and individuals in their real estate, commercial and contractual transactions. He also handles real estate litigation and the resolution of complex commercial disputes.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Kohen Avocats\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/Logo-2-1.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/Logo-2-1.webp\",\"width\":2114,\"height\":1253,\"caption\":\"Kohen Avocats\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd\",\"name\":\"Kohen\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kohen\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/author\\\/kohenmlk\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers - Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers","og_description":"For anyone purchasing property in France, the notaire is the single most important professional in the transaction. Unlike the common law jurisdictions of the United Kingdom, the United States, or Australia, where a real estate lawyer and a separate conveyancer typically handle the paperwork, the French system vests a unique set of powers and responsibilities […]","og_url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/","og_site_name":"Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris","article_published_time":"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":4500,"height":3000,"url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Kohen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kohen","Est. reading time":"16 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/"},"author":{"name":"Kohen","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd"},"headline":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers","datePublished":"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/"},"wordCount":3169,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp","articleSection":["French real estate law"],"inLanguage":"en-US","citation":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers","about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"French real estate law"}],"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".article-content > p:first-of-type"]}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/","name":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers - Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp","datePublished":"2026-07-25T11:09:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-25T11:10:55+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/getty-images-1zAPNbJuDPI-unsplash.webp","width":4500,"height":3000},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/07\/25\/the-notaire-role-french-property-transactions-foreign-buyers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Notaire in French Property Transactions: A Complete Guide for International Buyers"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/","name":"Kohen Avocats","description":"Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, attorney specialized in real estate and business law in Paris, advises and assists companies and individuals in their real estate, commercial and contractual transactions. He also handles real estate litigation and the resolution of complex commercial disputes.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#organization","name":"Kohen Avocats","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-2-1.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-2-1.webp","width":2114,"height":1253,"caption":"Kohen Avocats"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd","name":"Kohen","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1c5e76ef76bbbfdd2b4da984e2bf2fa4056fd51a27d25ce2c332047f1dfd6e00?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Kohen"},"url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/author\/kohenmlk\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/251031309"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2053788"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2053792,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2053788\/revisions\/2053792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2053788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2053788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2053788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}