Chapter V: Testamentary dispositions.

The wills mentioned in the two preceding articles shall become null and void six months after communications have been re-established in the place where the testator is, or six months after he has passed to a place where they are not interrupted.

During a sea voyage, either en route or during a stopover in a port, when it is impossible to communicate with land or when there is no French diplomatic or consular agent in the port, if abroad, invested with the functions of a notary, the wills of persons present on board shall be received, in the presence of two witnesses: on State vessels, by the administration officer or, in his…

On government vessels, the will of the administrative officer shall, in the circumstances provided for in the preceding article, be received by the commanding officer or by the person who performs the duties of such officer, and, if there is no administrative officer, the will of the commanding officer shall be received by the person who comes after him in the order of service. On other vessels, the will of…

In all cases, a duplicate original of the wills mentioned in the two preceding articles shall be made. If this formality could not be fulfilled due to the testator’s state of health, an expedition of the will shall be drawn up to take the place of the second original; this expedition shall be signed by the witnesses and by the instrumental officers. Mention shall be made of the reasons which…

At the first stop in a foreign port where a French diplomatic or consular agent is present, one of the originals or the copy of the will is given, in a closed and sealed envelope, to that agent. This agent sends this envelope to the Minister responsible for the sea, so that the deposit provided for in article 983 is made.

On arrival of the vessel in a port on national territory, the two originals of the will, or the original and its dispatch, or the original which remains, in the event of transmission or delivery made during the course of the voyage, shall be deposited, in a closed and sealed envelope, for State vessels with the Minister responsible for national defence and, for other vessels, with the Minister responsible for…

The vessel’s logbook shall mention, opposite the testator’s name, the handing over of the originals or the copy of the will made, as the case may be, to the consulate, to the minister responsible for national defence or to the minister responsible for the sea.

A will made during a sea voyage, in the form prescribed by articles 988 et seq. shall be valid only so long as the testator dies on board or within six months after he has disembarked in a place where he has been able to make it again in the ordinary forms. However, if the testator undertakes a new sea voyage before the expiry of this period, the will will…

The provisions inserted in a will made, during a maritime voyage, for the benefit of the ship’s officers other than those who would be relatives or allies of the testator, shall be null and void. This will apply whether the will is made in holographic form or is received in accordance with articles 988 et seq.

The testator shall be read, in the presence of witnesses, the provisions of article 984, 987 or 994, as the case may be, and mention of this reading shall be made in the will.