Explore The Online France Department Archives - Making French Genealogy Easier

We cried “Where can we find French birth, baptism, marriage, death, military and census records?” And then it was so.

The France department archives went online and it’s free. A French Genealogy miracle for those researching their French ancestors from afar. Parish, civil, military and census records were digitized and uploaded with some of the departments still in the process of making all their documents accessible to online researchers.

This is a list of online archives of digitized records for all continental departments of France. Before the French Revolution, France existed as provinces of the ‘ancien régime’. Roman Catholic clergy recorded the baptism, marriage, and burial occurrences. In 1792, France was no longer governed by the Catholic church. The country was now governed by the new French Republic. The country was divided into “Departments” (

Each department varies on what is scanned and available for viewing. Some departments will have all types of records; parish, civil, census and military available, while others offer only one or two types of records. Here’s what you can find : Registres Paroissiaux (church records: baptemes, Mariages, Sepulture (burial)- BMS; état civil numérisés (civil vital records: naissance (birth), Mariages, décés (death) – BMD; Recensements de population (census); Registres matricules militaires (military enlistments), maps, estates, ect, browse through. Elise Noble fully explains the names of records in an easy to read format. (She has a great website filled with historical and informational content).

Have you come across department’s online records only to have those links time-out? Unfortunately, because of the serious problem of hackers coming from outside of France, some departments and no doubt more will follow, have denied access to those outside of France. Not all is lost though. If you already have a good VPN service they should provide access to the geo-restricted content. I have BitDefender Preminum VPN that provides a France IP so you can have access to those protected sites. If yours doesn’t, you can sign up for a an excellent VPN service (like Bitdefender). subscription service, There are free VPN programs available that offer Download Red Panda free VPN browser extension (Edge or Chrome) or Hotspot Shield. The free version may be all that you need. If that is not for you, Tom’s Guide can help you to decide which service is best for you.

If you need a helping hand navigating the French Archives ? Click Here

Aine (01)

(click on Archives Numérisés)

Pariossiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Aine-Genweb
Archives Municipales: Bourg-en-Bresse

Aisne (02)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Aisne Genweb

Allier (03)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records 1836-1936
Allier Genweb

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records( with Indexes)
Recensements de Population -Census 1836-1936
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Genweb

Haute-Alpes (05)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Haute-Alpes Genweb

Alpes-Maritimes (06)

You need a France VPN to access

Recensements de Population-Census Records
Etat Civil -Civil Records
Alpes-Maritimes Genweb

Ardèche (07)

Registres de Paroissiaux -Parish Records- Catholic
Registres de Paroissiaux -Parish Records – Protestants
Registres de l’Etat Civil – Civil Records of Birth, Marriage and Death
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Matricules Militaire -Search by Name -Military Records classes 1887-1921
Encrutement Military – Military enlistments 1867-1921
Cartes du Combattant – War Soldiers with bio and pictures
Ardeche Genweb

Ardennes (08)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Enlistments
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Ardennes Genweb

Ariège (09)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Ariège Genweb

Aube (10)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil (w/Indexes), not including Troyes
Paroissiaux et Etat Civil – Parish, Civil Records of Troyes
Etat Civil Tables Décennales – Index of Names of differing year groups
Matricules Militaire -Military Records and Indexes
Recensement de Population -Census Records
Aube Genweb

Aude (11)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensement de Population -Census Records
Tables Decennales -Civil Record Indexes
Aude Genweb

Aveyron (12)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
- Names of Communes by first letter listed on the right
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
- Searchabl e by Name
- Search Through Military Indexes & Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Aveyron Genweb

Bouches-du-Rhône (13)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil – Parish and Civil Records
Recensement Militaire – Military Census – Searchable Database
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Bouches-du-Rhône Genweb

Calvados (14)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Matricules Militaire – Searchable at FamilySearch (Not all Indexed)
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Calvados Genweb

Cantal (15)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Cantal Genweb

Charente (16)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Charente Genweb

Charente Maritime (17)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records- Searchable Database
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Charente Maritime Genweb

Cher (18)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Tables de mariages de l’enregistrement – Early Marriage Index
Matricules Militaire – Military Records- Searchable Database
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Carte-du-Combattant – Combat Veterans’ personnel cards
Cher Genweb

Corrèze (19)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil Parish, Civil w/indexes
Matricules Militaire Military Records
Recensements de Population Census Records
Corrèze Genweb

Corse (20)

Corse-du-Sud (2A)
Haute-Corse (2B)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records – Search Database
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Corse Genweb

Côte d’Or (21)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Church Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Cote d’Or Genweb

Côtes-d’Armor (22)

You need a France VPN to access

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil – Parish and Church Record
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Recensement Militaire –
Cotes d’Armor Genweb

Creuse (23)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records Database
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Creuse Genweb

Dordonge (24)

Tables Décennales -Parish and Civil Records Index
Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil records
R ecensements de Population – Census records
Matricules Militaire -Military records
- 1878-1886- Records
Dordonge Genweb

Doubs (25)

Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Tables Décennales -Parish and Civil Records Indexes
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Doubs Genweb

Drôme (26)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Drôme Genweb

Eure (27)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules militaires -Military Records
Recensements de population -Census
Eure Genweb

Eure-et-Loire (28)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Les r egistres matricules -Searchable Military Database
Recensements de population – Census Records 1836-1946
Eure-et-Loire Genweb

Finistère (29)

Etat Civil et Pariossiaux – Parish and Civil Records
Registres militaires -Military Records
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Finistere Genweb

Gard (30)

Paroissaux et Etat Civil – Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military Records: Search by name, town or classe (links are down)
Recensements de Population – Census records
Gard Genweb
- Select Name ‘letter’ from top. then scroll the drop-down list for that surname

Haute-Garonne (31)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Haute-Garonne Genweb

Gers (32)

You need a France VPN to access

Gironde (33)

You need a France VPN to access

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military Records – Searchable Database
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Passeportes
Gironde Genweb

Herault (34)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaire – Military Records -Searchable
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Herault Genweb

Ille-et-Vilaine (35)

Paroissaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensement de Population -Census Records
Ille-et-Vilaine Genweb

Indre (36)

Paroissaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaire -Military Records and Index
Recensement de Population -Census Records
Indre Genweb

Indre-et-Loire (37)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil – Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaire -Military Records
Recensements de Population – Census Records
Indre-et-Loire Genweb

Isère (38)

Click on “VOIR LES DOCUMENTS NUMÉRISÉS”

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaires – Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Isère Genweb

Jura (39)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil -Parish, Civil and Indexes
Matricules Militaire -Military records
Misc Lists of Population
Jura Genweb

Landes (40)

Paroissiaux et Etat Civil Catholic – Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military Records – Searchable
Recensement de Population – Census Records – Search by Town or Last Name
Landes Genweb

Loire-et-Cher (41)

Registres paroissiaux et d’état civil -Parish, Civil, Indexes, Catholics and Protestants
Matricules Militaire – Military Records
Recensement de Population -Census Records
Loir-et-Cher Genweb

Loire (42)

Registres Paroissiaux -Parish Records before 1793
Etat Civil -Civil Records after 1792
Recensement de Population – Census Records
Loire Genweb

Haute-Loire (43)

Registres paroissiaux et d’état civil -Parish and Civil records
Tables décennales de l’état civil -Civil Record Indexes
Tables et registres matricules militaires -Indexes and Military Records
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Haute-Loire Genweb

Loire-Atlantique (44)

Paroissiaux et d’état civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricule Militaire – Military Records Searchable
Recensements de Population – Census
Insripts de Maritimes – Search Names of French Sailors and their travels 1700-1929
Loire-Atlantique Genweb
Archives de Nantes – Parish and Civil records, Censuses

Loiret (45)

Paroissiaux et d’état civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military records 1865-1922
Recensements du Population
Loiret Genweb

Lot (46)

Paroissiaux -Baptism, Marriages and burial records
Etat Civil -Civil Records
Matricules Militaire – Military Records
Recensements du Population -Census Records
Lot Genweb

Lot-et-Garonne (47)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires -Military Records -Searchable
Recensements de Population -Census – Searchable Index
Lot-et-Garonne Genweb

Lozere (48)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records -includes Protestants
Matricules Militaires – Military Records with Index – Starts at 1886
Lozere Genweb

Maine-et-Loire (49)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires – Military Records
Depouillement des Matricules Militaires Searchable Database of War Combatants
Dossiers de pension des combatants Vendéens -Pension records of Vendénne war veterans (1815-1828)
Recensements du Population
Maine-et-Loire Genweb

Manche (50)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires – Military Records
Archives of Communes -Has additional information
Manche Genweb

Marne (51)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires -Military Records 1878-1922
Recensements de Population -Census 1836-1936
Marne Genweb
Archives of Reims An X to 1912

Haute-Marne (52)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records – #1
Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records – #2
Tables décennales de l’état civil – Civil Record Indexes
Recensements of Population -Census Records 1836-1946
Haute-Marne Genweb

Mayenne (53)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Registres de Mariage Marriage Records – Searchable
Matricules Militaires Military Records-Searchable
Recensements de Population -Census 1836-1936
Mayenne Genweb

Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires – Military Records
Recensements de Population Census 1872-1936 – Search by Name or Commune
Meurthe-et-Moselle Genweb

Meuse (55)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires -Military Records 1867-1932 (de classe)
Recensements de Population -Census Records
Meuse Genweb

Morbihan (56)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires -Military Records – Searchable
Recensements de Population – Census 1836-1902
Morbihan Genweb

Moselle (57)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires – Military Records 1893-1921
Tables décennales – Civil Record Indexes 1792-1952
Moselle Genweb
Archives of Metz – Parish and Civil records, Censuses

Nièvre (58)

Paroissiaux -Parish Records, Search by Name – Only a few towns
Marticules Militaires -Military Records 1859-1921
Recensements du Population– Census records 1821-1946
Nièvre Genweb

Nord (59)

click on consulter

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records –
Tables Decennales – Parish and Civil Indexes for Birth, Baptismal, Marriage, Death & Burial
Matricules Militaires (Les Tables) – Name Indexes
Matricules Militaires – Military Records
Recensements 1906 – 1906 Census
Nord Genweb

Oise (60)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires – Military Records- Search by Name
Recensements of Population -Census 1831-1936
Dispenses de Mariage -Search Early Marriages by Name
Oise Genweb

Orne (61)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records
Matricules Militaires -Military Records – with Indexes
Recensements de Population -Census 1836-1936(some early ones)
Orne Genweb

Pas-de-Calais (62)

Paroissiaux et d’Etat civil -Parish and Civil Records Parish and Civil records with Indexes and searchable Marriage database
Matricules Militaires -Military Records -Search by Names or by Class
Recensements de Population -Census 1820-1936
Pas-de-Calais Genweb