{"id":2082396,"date":"2026-08-09T13:08:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T13:22:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:22:03","slug":"french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you buy a property in France, you acquire more than just walls and a roof. You also acquire\u2014or become bound by\u2014legal rights attached to the land itself that may allow a neighbour to cross your garden, to run a pipe beneath your patio, or to prevent you from building above a certain height. These rights, known as servitudes<\/em> (easements), are a fundamental part of French property law and can have significant financial and practical consequences for foreign buyers who are often unfamiliar with the concept as it operates under the French Civil Code.<\/p>\n

Unlike common-law jurisdictions where easements are treated as a bundle of use-rights often created by long usage or necessity, French servitudes<\/em> are governed by Articles 637 to 710 of the French Civil Code and are conceptualised as a charge imposed on one piece of land (the fonds servant<\/em>, or servient tenement) for the benefit of another piece of land (the fonds dominant<\/em>, or dominant tenement). This article explains the legal framework, the main types of servitudes encountered in French residential property transactions, the obligations they create, and the risks they pose to foreign buyers who may not know what questions to ask before signing the compromis de vente<\/em> (preliminary sale agreement).<\/p>\n

I. Understanding Servitudes Under French Law<\/h2>\n

A. The Legal Framework: What a Servitude Is and How It Is Created<\/h3>\n

Article 637 of the French Civil Code defines a servitude as “une charge impos\u00e9e sur un h\u00e9ritage pour lusage et lutilit\u00e9 dun h\u00e9ritage appartenant \u00e0 un autre propri\u00e9taire” \u2014 a charge imposed on one property for the use and benefit of a property belonging to a different owner. The key point is that the servitude attaches to the land, not to the person. When you sell your property, the servitude travels with it, binding or benefiting each successive owner.<\/p>\n

Article 639 of the Civil Code provides that servitudes arise from one of three sources: the natural situation of the land, obligations imposed by law, or agreements between property owners. This tripartite classification shapes the entire regime.<\/p>\n

A natural servitude<\/strong> derives from topography \u2014 the natural flow of water from higher ground to lower ground is the classic example. A legal servitude<\/strong> is imposed by statute for reasons of public policy or neighbourhood relations: the right of way for a landlocked property under Article 682 of the Civil Code is the most frequently litigated. A conventional servitude<\/strong> is created by agreement between owners, recorded in a notarial deed, and governed by Article 686: “Il est permis aux propri\u00e9taires d\u00e9tablir sur leurs propri\u00e9t\u00e9s, ou en faveur de leurs propri\u00e9t\u00e9s, telles servitudes que bon leur semble” \u2014 owners may establish whatever servitudes they wish on or for their properties, provided the obligation is imposed on a piece of land and for the benefit of a piece of land, and not on or for a person, and provided it does not contravene public policy.<\/p>\n

The distinction matters because the legal regime \u2014 how a servitude is created, proved, transferred, and extinguished \u2014 differs depending on its source. A legal servitude for a landlocked property, for instance, carries with it an obligation to pay compensation to the owner of the servient land under Article 682, whereas a conventional servitude may or may not include compensation, depending on what the parties agreed.<\/p>\n

In a significant decision published in the Bulletin, the third civil chamber of the Cour de cassation clarified the relationship between the rules governing servitudes created by division of land and those acquired by long usage. The Court held that the determination of the route of a right of way by thirty years of continuous use renders inapplicable the rule in Article 684 of the Civil Code \u2014 which provides that where a landlocked state results from the division of a property, the passage must be claimed only over the land that was the subject of the division. The Court thus confirmed that a thirty-year prescriptive right to a particular route overrides the statutory allocation of the passage burden (Cass. 3e civ., 2 Oct. 2025, no. 24-12.678, Publi\u00e9 au Bulletin<\/a>).<\/p>\n

B. Continuous vs Discontinuous Servitudes and Why the Distinction Matters<\/h3>\n

Article 688 of the Civil Code draws a fundamental distinction between continuous and discontinuous servitudes. A continuous servitude is one whose use is or can be constant without any current human action \u2014 water pipes, drains, and rights of view (vues<\/em>) fall into this category. A discontinuous servitude requires a human act to be exercised \u2014 rights of way (passage<\/em>), the right to draw water (puisage<\/em>), and grazing rights are the main examples.<\/p>\n

This distinction has profound consequences for how servitudes may be created and proved. A discontinuous servitude cannot be acquired by destination du p\u00e8re de famille<\/em> (a rule whereby a visible arrangement existing between two parts of a single property at the time the property is divided becomes a servitude by operation of law) unless there is a visible sign of the servitude at the time of division and the division deed contains no contrary provision. The Cour de cassation has rigorously applied this rule.<\/p>\n

In a decision from January 2023, the Court considered a case where a road crossing one parcel had, before division, provided access to a parking area on another parcel. The Court overturned the appeal decision that had rejected the existence of a servitude by destination du p\u00e8re de famille<\/em>, holding that the conditions for such a servitude must be assessed at the date of the division of the relevant parcels \u2014 not at some earlier or later date (Cass. 3e civ., 18 Jan. 2023, no. 22-10.019, Publi\u00e9 au Bulletin<\/a>). The practical lesson for a buyer is that the history of land divisions matters, and that what appears to be an informal access arrangement may or may not have legal force depending on the precise sequence of property transactions and the wording of the division deeds.<\/p>\n

II. Servitudes in Practice: Rights, Obligations, and Risks for Foreign Buyers<\/h2>\n

A. Right of Way for Landlocked Property and the Rules for Multiple Beneficiaries<\/h3>\n

The servitude de passage pour cause denclave<\/em> \u2014 the right of way for a landlocked property \u2014 is the single most common servitude dispute in French real estate litigation. Article 682 of the Civil Code provides that an owner whose land has no access to a public road, or whose access is insufficient for agricultural, industrial, or commercial use, or for construction or development, may claim a right of way over neighbouring land, subject to paying compensation proportional to the damage caused.<\/p>\n

The right is not automatic and unfettered. The passage must be the shortest route causing the least damage to the servient land. Even where a right exists, the question of where exactly it should be located \u2014 its assiette<\/em> \u2014 is frequently contested. Article 685 provides that the route and the manner of the servitude are determined by thirty years of continuous use, and failing that, by the court.<\/p>\n

A critical issue for foreign buyers who purchase a rural property with a shared driveway or an informal track is whether what they see on the ground matches what the title deeds say. The Cour de cassation has repeatedly held that the route of a conventional servitude is defined by the deed that created it, and a court cannot impose a different route that the owner has not requested. In one case, the Court rejected a demand to widen an existing path to three metres because the claimant was relying on the deed alone and the actual route used on the ground did not correspond to the route described in the title (Cass. 3e civ., 28 Nov. 2024, no. 22-21.606<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Where several landlocked properties benefit from a right of way over the same servient land, a further question arises: are the owners of the dominant tenements jointly and severally liable for compensation? The Cour de cassation answered this in a published decision of September 2024. The Court held, applying Articles 682, 1309, and 1310 of the Civil Code, that each dominant owner is liable to the servient owner only for the damage caused by his or her own use of the right of way, and that in the absence of a statutory provision or contractual clause creating solidarity, no joint and several liability can be imposed (Cass. 3e civ., 12 Sept. 2024, no. 22-18.602, Publi\u00e9 au Bulletin<\/a>). For a foreign buyer sharing a driveway with several neighbours, this means that your contribution to maintenance costs is limited to your individual share, and you cannot be pursued for the entirety of the burden.<\/p>\n

The owner of the servient land has obligations too. Under Article 701 of the Civil Code, the owner of the land burdened by the servitude may do nothing that tends to diminish the use of the servitude or to make it more inconvenient. The Cour de cassation applied this principle in a case where the owner of the servient land had built a porch with a clearance of only 2.32 metres under which the right of way passed. The Court upheld the appeal judgment fixing the minimum height at 3.50 metres to allow the passage of agricultural tractors, horse trailers, and emergency vehicles, effectively requiring the servient owner to carry out partial demolition of his own building (Cass. 3e civ., 9 Jan. 2025, no. 22-18.677<\/a>).<\/p>\n

B. Hidden Servitudes, Seller Disclosure, and Remedies for the Buyer<\/h3>\n

The single greatest risk for a foreign buyer is the undisclosed servitude \u2014 an easement that burdens the property and that the seller either deliberately concealed or simply did not think to mention, because to a French seller living with a neighbours right of way for thirty years, it may seem unremarkable.<\/p>\n

French law provides two principal protections. The first, specific to servitudes, is Article 1638 of the Civil Code: “Si lh\u00e9ritage vendu se trouve grev\u00e9, sans quil en ait \u00e9t\u00e9 fait de d\u00e9claration, de servitudes non apparentes, et quelles soient de telle importance quil y ait lieu de pr\u00e9sumer que lacqu\u00e9reur naurait pas achet\u00e9 sil en avait \u00e9t\u00e9 instruit, il peut demander la r\u00e9siliation du contrat, si mieux il naime se contenter dune indemnit\u00e9” \u2014 if the property sold is burdened by undisclosed, non-apparent servitudes of such importance that it may be presumed the buyer would not have purchased had he known of them, the buyer may seek rescission of the sale or, alternatively, accept compensation. Note the critical qualifier: “non-apparentes” \u2014 non-apparent. A visible path crossing the land, a drainpipe protruding from the wall, a window overlooking the garden from the neighbours house: these are apparent servitudes and the buyer is deemed to have accepted them by purchasing with knowledge of their visible manifestation. It is the hidden servitude \u2014 the neighbours recorded but invisible right to connect to your septic tank, the underground pipeline easement, the notarial restriction on building height buried in a deed from 1923 \u2014 that triggers the protection.<\/p>\n

The second protection, introduced by the 2016 reform of French contract law, is the general pre-contractual duty to inform under Article 1112-1 of the Civil Code. A party who knows information of decisive importance for the other partys consent must disclose it, provided the other party legitimately ignores that information or places trust in the counterparty. This duty cannot be limited or excluded by contract. For a property transaction, this means that a seller who knows of a servitude \u2014 even an apparent one, if its legal significance is not obvious \u2014 may be under a duty to bring it explicitly to the buyers attention, on pain of the sale being annulled for dol par r\u00e9ticence<\/em> (fraudulent concealment).<\/p>\n

The Cour de cassation has also clarified the rules governing the extinction of servitudes. A conventional servitude instituted because of a landlocked state does not automatically end when the landlocked condition ceases. In one case, the Court held that where the parties had, by a later agreement, accepted the maintenance of a right of way at a time when the dominant land already had independent access to the public road, the servitude had become purely conventional and was no longer governed by the statutory extinction rule in Article 685-1 of the Civil Code (Cass. 3e civ., 14 Nov. 2024, no. 22-22.527<\/a>). A servitude once created can thus take on a legal life independent of its original justification.<\/p>\n

Servitudes cease, under Article 703, when the state of the land is such that they can no longer be used \u2014 for example, when a building that benefited from a right of view is demolished and the land becomes an open field. They also cease by non-use for thirty years (prescription extinctive<\/em>). But the burden of proving extinction rests on the party asserting it, and the courts require clear evidence.<\/p>\n

Practical Steps for Foreign Buyers<\/h2>\n

Before signing a compromis de vente<\/em>, instruct your French notaire<\/em> to obtain and translate for you the full \u00e9tat hypoth\u00e9caire<\/em> (land registry extract) and any recorded servitudes. Ask the seller, in writing, to declare all servitudes \u2014 apparent and non-apparent \u2014 that burden or benefit the property. Walk the boundaries with the seller and ask about every path, every pipe, every overlooking window. If the property is in a copropri\u00e9t\u00e9<\/em> (co-ownership building), request the r\u00e8glement de copropri\u00e9t\u00e9<\/em> (co-ownership regulations), which often contain servitudes between lots.<\/p>\n

Be aware that in rural France, many informal rights of way have been exercised for decades without any written title. Under Article 685, thirty years of continuous, peaceful, public, and unequivocal use can create a legal right of way even if no deed exists. If the neighbours tractor has crossed your prospective olive grove every autumn for the past forty years, you may be buying a property that comes with a permanent obligation to let it continue.<\/p>\n

The notaires role in the transaction includes verifying the legal status of the property, but a notaire does not conduct a physical inspection of the land and will not necessarily identify all servitudes \u2014 especially those that are not recorded in the land registry. This is why engaging a French avocat (lawyer) to review the title deeds, question the seller, and advise on the risks identified can be a prudent investment, particularly for buyers who do not speak French and who are unfamiliar with the legal concept of servitudes as it operates under the Civil Code. Our firm assists foreign buyers and owners with property due diligence, title review, and servitude disputes before French courts. You may contact our real estate law team<\/a> for a consultation.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

French servitudes are a sophisticated legal institution that can quietly determine what you can and cannot do with your property \u2014 sometimes in ways that only become apparent years after the purchase. The distinction between continuous and discontinuous servitudes, the rules governing rights of way for landlocked land, the sellers duty to disclose hidden easements, and the effects of long usage are all governed by a dense body of statutory provisions and case law from the third civil chamber of the Cour de cassation. For a foreign buyer, the best protection is to understand, before committing to a purchase, exactly what rights attach to the land and what obligations run with it. A thorough title review, a written declaration from the seller, and, where appropriate, independent legal advice can prevent a servitude from becoming a costly surprise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you buy a property in France, you acquire more than just walls and a roof. You also acquire\u2014or become bound by\u2014legal rights attached to the land itself that may allow a neighbour to cross your garden, to run a pipe beneath your patio, or to prevent you from building above a certain height. These […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251031309,"featured_media":16293,"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":"federated","footnotes":""},"categories":[79307],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2082396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-en-real-estate"],"yoast_head":"\nFrench Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners - 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\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When you buy a property in France, you acquire more than just walls and a roof. You also acquire\u2014or become bound by\u2014legal rights attached to the land itself that may allow a neighbour to cross your garden, to run a pipe beneath your patio, or to prevent you from building above a certain height. These […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-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=\"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"7000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"4672\" \/>\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=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kohen\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd\"},\"headline\":\"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2529,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"French real estate law\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"citation\":\"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners\",\"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\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/\",\"name\":\"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners - 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\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/11\\\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp\",\"width\":7000,\"height\":4672},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/09\\\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/kohenavocats.fr\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners\"}]},{\"@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":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners - 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\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners","og_description":"When you buy a property in France, you acquire more than just walls and a roof. You also acquire\u2014or become bound by\u2014legal rights attached to the land itself that may allow a neighbour to cross your garden, to run a pipe beneath your patio, or to prevent you from building above a certain height. These […]","og_url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/","og_site_name":"Ma\u00eetre Reda Kohen, Real Estate and Business Law Attorney in Paris","article_published_time":"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00","og_image":[{"width":7000,"height":4672,"url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Kohen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kohen","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/"},"author":{"name":"Kohen","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/6254a643e6239d803134a01c800381bd"},"headline":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners","datePublished":"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/"},"wordCount":2529,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp","articleSection":["French real estate law"],"inLanguage":"en-US","citation":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners","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\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/","name":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners - 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\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp","datePublished":"2026-08-09T11:08:58+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-09T11:22:03+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/curated-lifestyle-qCnkmrhcitk-unsplash.webp","width":7000,"height":4672},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/2026\/08\/09\/french-property-easements-servitudes-guide-foreign-buyers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"French Property Easements and Servitudes: A Guide for Foreign Buyers and Owners"}]},{"@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\/2082396","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=2082396"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2082396\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2082403,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2082396\/revisions\/2082403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2082396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2082396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2082396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}