Author: French Roots Editorial Team

A visit to a French archive can be a highlight of a heritage trip, or a frustrating morning of being turned away at the door. The difference is usually preparation. This checklist covers what to bring, what to leave behind, and the rules you will…

You do not need fluent French to research your family in France, but a few well-chosen phrases change how people respond. A polite greeting and a clear, simple request open doors in town halls and archives. This guide gives the phrases you are most likely…

A genealogy trip to France works best when it is built around three things: the archives, the village, and a little slack. This sample seven-day plan gives you a structure to adapt. It assumes you are flying into Paris and heading to a département elsewhere…

The Archives nationales, France’s national archives, are one of the great research institutions of Europe, and a tempting stop on any genealogy trip to Paris. They are also widely misunderstood. Most family history does not live there, the holdings are split across several sites, and…

Every French commune keeps its own records, and the town hall, the mairie, is where a letter from a descendant overseas can make a real difference. A courteous, specific request often brings a copy of an act, a note about a family, or an invitation…