Title I: Distinguishing property

Property is movable by its nature or by determination of law.

Goods that can be transported from one place to another are movable by their nature.

Bonds and shares whose object is sums payable or movable effects, shares or interests in finance, commercial or industrial companies, even if immovables dependent on these companies belong to the companies, are movable by determination of the law. These shares or interests are deemed to be movable with respect to each partner only, for as long as the company lasts. Perpetual or life annuities, either on the State or on…

Any annuity established in perpetuity for the price of the sale of real estate, or as a condition of the transfer for valuable consideration or free of charge of real estate, is essentially redeemable. The creditor is nevertheless permitted to regulate the terms and conditions of redemption. He is also permitted to stipulate that the annuity may only be repaid to him after a certain term, which may never exceed…

Boats, ferries, ships, mills and baths on boats, and generally all factories not fixed by pillars, and not forming part of the house, are movable: the seizure of some of these objects may, however, because of their importance, be subject to special forms, as will be explained in the code of civil procedure.

Materials coming from the demolition of a building, those assembled to build a new one, are movable until they are employed by the workman in a construction.

The word “movable”, used alone in the provisions of the law or of man, without any other addition or designation, does not include cash, gems, active debts, books, medals, instruments of science, arts and crafts, body linen, crews, weapons, grain, wine, hay and other commodities; it also does not include what is the subject of trade.

The words “furniture” include only furniture intended for the use and decoration of flats, such as tapestries, beds, seats, mirrors, clocks, tables, porcelain and other objects of this nature. Paintings and statues that form part of a flat’s furniture are also included, but not collections of paintings that may be in galleries or private rooms. The same applies to porcelain: only those that form part of a flat’s decoration are…

The expression “movable property”, that of “furniture or household effects”, generally includes anything that is deemed to be movable according to the rules set out above. The sale or gift of a furnished house includes only the furnishings.