Section 2: Funeral operations

The provisions of Chapter III of Title II of Book II of this Part are applicable to the communes of the Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin departments with the exception of those of articles L. 2223-19 to L. 2223-30, L. 2223-38 and L. 2223-40.

The fabriques of churches and consistories alone enjoy the right to provide carriages, hangings, ornaments, and generally to make any supplies whatsoever necessary for burials and for the decency or pomp of funerals. The fabriques and consistories may have this right exercised or leased, with the approval of the civil authorities under whose supervision they are placed.

It is expressly forbidden for any other persons whatever their functions to exercise the right mentioned in article L. 2542-15.

The fees to be paid by the estates of deceased persons, for burial tickets, the price of hangings, beers and the transport of bodies, are set by a tariff proposed by the municipal authorities.

In villages and other places where the right mentioned in article L. 2542-15 cannot be exercised by the fabriques, the local authorities shall provide for it.

In communes where there is no company and no market for burials, the method of transporting bodies is regulated by the representative of the State in the department and the municipal councils. The transport of the bodies of indigents is carried out decently and free of charge.

In populous communes, where the remoteness of the cemeteries makes transport costly, and where it is done with cars, the municipal authorities, in conjunction with the fabriques, have the undertaking of this transport, the work necessary for burial and the upkeep of the cemeteries awarded at public auction.

The transport of corpses is subject to a fixed fee. Families who want any pump deal with the contractor according to a tariff that is established for this purpose. The regulations and contracts that set this fee and the tariff are deliberated by the town council.

It is forbidden, in these regulations and contracts, to charge any additional fee for presentations and stations at the church, any person having equally the right to be presented there.

The supplies mentioned in article L. 2542-21, in towns where the fabriques do not provide them themselves, are given either as a régie intéressée or as a company to a single régisseur or contractor. The specifications are proposed by the town council following the advice of the bishop.