French Government Documents
Since 1789, the French Government has published several different official records of its activities. From 1789-1810, Gazette nationale; ou, le moniteur universel was the official daily record of the French Government. This publication was continued by Le Moniteur universel in 1811. Le Moniteur universel was the official daily record of the French Government from 1811-1868. This publication was continued by Journal officiel in 1869. These publications include debates in the legislature, laws and decrees, government reports, communications between the legislature and the ministers, executive materials, etc. These publications are the first stop for any research regarding French government materials.
The most important publication of the French Government today is Journal officiel. Journal officiel began publication in 1869 as the official daily record of the French Government. Journal officiel was published as one volume through 1880. Beginning in 1880, it was broken into separate volumes: Lois et dicrets (laws and decrees), Dibat de l'Assemblie Nationale et de l'Union frangaise (reports of parliamentary debates and written questions and answers of the ministers), Conseil economique (the economic council its opinions, reports, and bulletins of its meetings), Documents de l'Assemblie Nationale (documents or draft laws and bills, reports and opinions of parliamentary commissions), and Documents Administratifs (miscellaneous reports issued at regular intervals). The various parts of the Journal officiel have changed over the years. The current iteration has six separate editions : Dibats de l'Assemblie Nationale, Dibats du Sinat, Impressions, Lois et Dicrets, Documents administratifs, and Avis et rapports du Conseil Economique et Social.
Avis et rapports du Conseil Economique et Social. This part of the Journal officiel includes reports and opinions of the Economic and Social Council.
Dibats de l'Assemblie Nationale and Dibats du Sinat. The day-to-day prooceedings of the National Assembly and the Senate.
Documents administratifs. This part of the Journal officiel includes annual reports of ministeries, reports of commissions and committees, quarterly vital statistics, reports of investigations, guides to nomenclature, and technical studies.
Impressions. This part of the Journal officiel includes bills, and resolutions, reports and opinions of parliamentary committees, and messages from the President of the Republic.
Journal officiel. The primary source of information on the activities of the legislative and executive arms of the French government. It currently consists of six separate parts: Dibats de l'Assemblie Nationale, Dibats du Sinat, Impressions, Lois et Dicrets, Documents administratifs, and Avis et rapports du Conseil Economique et Social.
Lois et Decrets. Laws and decrees. Lois et Decrets is one of the six principal parts of the Journal officiel. It is published daily, including Sundays, and contains the texts of all the acts passed by Parliament, and all the administrative decrees, orders, circulars, and announcements of any kind emanating from the government.
Table. Index.
Almanach National: Annuaire official de la Republique Francaise, 1770-1879.
The Almanach National is an important source for information about the French Government, as well as other institutions. It lists the members of the Cabinet, Senat, and Chamber; principle offices of government bureaus; and information about universities, the army, the clergy, etc.
The microfiche collection includes the years 1770 -1879, organized chronologically and located in Microfiche 4.
Print versions of the years 1827, 1828, 1832, 1851, and 1915-1919 can be found in STORAGE (use Place Requests tab to request) at call number JN 2304.
L'Annie politique. The annual review of politics, economics, diplomacy, and society.
Holdings: 1944/45 current. Available in Van Pelt Library at call # DC398 .A6. Latest issue available in reference.
Dictionnaire Giographicque et Administratif de la France.
Available in the Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks at call # DC14 .J63.
Dictionnaire des termes officiels de la langue frangaise.
Available in the Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks at call # PC2680 .D555 1994.
Journal des dibats politiques et littiraires.
This is not, strictly speaking, a government publication. Nevertheless, it covers politics, laws, and acts of government for the time period 1789-1940. It is available (for the years 1789-1830 and 1914-1940) in Microfilm cont. 563 and (for the years 1831-1913) in Microfilm News 635.
Who's Who in France
Holdings: 1953 current. Available in Van Pelt Library at call # DC705 .A1 W46.
Documents Relating to Foreign Affairs
Digitized material from the Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères
Ministire des Affaires Itranghre. Documents Diplomatiques Frangais.
Holdings: 1920, 1944, 1946, 1954-65. (available in Van Pelt Library at call # DC398 .A452).
Note: we appear to have all volumes of this set. The dates of coverage are irregular.
Ministire des Affaires Itranghre. Documents Diplomatiques Frangais.
Holdings: 1932-39. (available in Van Pelt Library at call # DC396 .A45).
Ministire des Affaires Itranghre. Documents Diplomatiques Frangais.
Holdings: 1860-1927. (available in Storage at call # 327.44 F842).
Assorted other Documents Diplomatiques Francais are listed in Franklin and can be found by doing a keyword search for documents diplomatiques.
Archives Diplomatiques.
Holdings : 1861-1914. (available in Van Pelt Library at call # JX3.A6)
Published by a non-governmental organization, this journal reproduced texts of treaties, conventions, protocols, conference proceedings, and other diplomatic documents. Each volume contains records of events that occured several years previously. For instance, the 1894 volume contains records from 1875-1894.
French Government Documents by Historical Period
Constitution
The Constitution of the Fifth Republic, translation and commentary [by] Peter Campbell [and] Brian Chapman. (available in Van Pelt Library at call # 342.44T F842.EC).
See J.A. Laponce, The Government of the Fifth Republic ; French political parties and the Constitution (1961). Call # -- JN2594.2 .L2
See Gaullist Constitution of 1958 -- http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/english/8ab.asp
Executive Materials
Major addresses, statements, and press conferences, of General Charles de Gaulle, May 19, 1958 - January 31, 1964. (Available in Van Pelt Library at Call # 944.086L G234).
Charles de Gaulle. Lettres, Notes, et Carnets; Articles en Ecrits; Discours et Messages. (available in Van Pelt Library at call #'s DC 373 G3 A4 and DC 373 G3 A53).
Journal officiel and other Government Materials
Parlementary debates and other legislative material of the 5th Republic have been digitized and made available by the National Assembly.
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1993- |
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1993- |
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1990- |
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1980-85 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Dibats parlementaires, Assemblie nationale. Compte rendu intigral. Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Dibats parlementaires, Assemblie nationale. Questions icrites remises ` la Prisidence de l'Assemblie nationale et riponses des ministres. |
Microfilm cont. 478A Microfilm cont. 478B |
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1976-79 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Idition des lois et dicrets. Numiro complimentaire. |
Microfilm cont. 192 |
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1976-79 |
Impressions |
Microfilm cont. 479 |
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1958-79 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Dibats parlementaires, Assemblie nationale. |
Microfilm cont. 478 |
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1920-75 |
Journal officiel |
J7.F2 (in Storage) |
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1871-1963 |
Journal officiel. Tables. The indexes to the Journal officiel and its subparts. |
Microfilm cont. 202 |
Other Materials of Interest
Les Idies Constitionelles du Giniral de Gaulle (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # JN2594.2 D38).
Constitution
La Constitution de la IVe Ripublique. Commentaire et texte de la Loi constitutionnelle du 27 octobre 1946 modifiie par celle du 7 dicembre 1954 . (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # 342.44 M2931).
See Jacques Godechot, Les constitutions de la France depuis 1789 (1970) (available in the Biddle Law Library at call no. KD 1111 1789-1969).
Executive materials
Archives de la prisidence de la Ripublique, IVe Ripublique : Vincent Auriol, 19 janvier 1947-16 janvier 1954, Reni Coty, 16 janvier 1954-8 janvier 1959.
(available in Van Pelt Library at call # DC408 .A734 2001).
Journal officiel and other Government Materials
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1946-57 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Dibats parlementaires, Assemblie nationale. |
Microfilm cont. 478 |
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1920-75 |
Journal officiel |
J7.F2 (in Storage) |
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1871-1963 |
Journal officiel. Tables. The indexes to the Journal officiel and its subparts. |
Microfilm cont. 202 |
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1871-1953 |
Journal officiel. Comptes rendus in extenso des ilections des Prisidents de la Ripublique. The National Assembly is composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate sitting together as one body. This series covers those sessions when the National Assembly met for the purpose of electing the president of the Republic. |
Microfilm cont. 104 |
Journal officiel and other Government Materials
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1943-44 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. (published in Algeria) (du 10 juin 1943 au 31 ao{t 1944) |
KE1111 .A2 1996 -and- Microfilm cont. 194 |
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1943-45 |
Dibats de l'Assemblie consultative provisoire. Questions icrites et riponses des ministres ` ces questions [du 4 ao{t au 20 octobre 1945]. This is a supplement to the Journal officiel published by the provisional government. |
Microfilm cont. 201 |
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1943-44 |
Journal officiel. Dibats de l'Assemblie, consultative porvisoire. Compte rendu in extenso. A summary of the debates. |
Microfilm cont. 201 |
Other Materials of Interest
Les Evenements Survenus en France de 1933 a 1945 (available in Van Pelt Library at call # 944.08 F849.2).
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1942-44 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Documents administratifs. |
Microfilm cont. 199 |
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1942-44 |
Journal officiel. Documents Administratifs. At irregular intervals, miscellaneous reports are issued as Documents Administratifs. |
Microfilm cont. 199 |
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1940-44 |
Journal officiel. Lois et Decrets. |
Microfilm cont. 192 |
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1940-44 |
Journal officiel . Bulletin des annonces legales obligatoires (the offical supplement of the Journal officiel). |
Microfilm cont. 200 |
Other Materials of Interest
Les Evenements Survenus en France de 1933 a 1945 (available in Van Pelt Library at call # 944.08 F849.2).
Constitution
See Jacques Godechot, Les constitutions de la France depuis 1789 (1970) (available in the Biddle Law Library at call no. KD 1111 1789-1969).
Journal officiel and other Government Materials
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1939-40 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Documents administratifs. |
Microfilm cont. 199 |
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1920-75 |
Journal officiel |
J7.F2 (in Storage) |
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1916-1917 Feb.-April 1940 |
Journal officiel. Comptes rendus in extenso des comitis secrets de la chambre des Diputis (the verbatim reports of the Chamber of Deputies when meeting in closed session (comitis secrets) |
Microfilm cont. 111 |
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1912-40 |
Journal officiel . Bulletin des annonces legales obligatoires (the offical supplement of the Journal officiel). |
Microfilm cont. 200 |
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1905-40 |
Journal officiel. Documents Administratifs. At irregular intervals, miscellaneous reports are issued as Documents Administratifs. |
Microfilm cont. 199 |
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1881-1940 |
Journal officiel. Lois et Decrets. |
Microfilm cont. 192 |
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1881-1940 |
Journal officiel. Dibats Parlementaire. Chambre des Diputis. The proceedings of the Chamber of Deputies of the National Assembly. |
Microfilm cont. 195 -or- Microfilm cont. 647 |
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1881-1940 |
Journal officiel. Sinat. Dibats parlementaire. Covers the debates, speeches, voting record, audience remarks, in the Senat. |
Microfilm cont. 197 |
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1881-1938 |
Documents parlementaires annexes aux Procis-verbaux des siances. Annexes de la Chambre des diputes. Projets de loi, propositions et rapports |
Microfilm cont. 196 and 198 |
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1881-1938 |
Journal officiel. Sinat documents parlementaires. Includes draft laws and bills, reports and opinions of the Senat. |
Microfilm cont. 198 |
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1876-1880 |
Annales du Sénat et de la Chambre des députés. Includes draft laws and bills, reports and opinions of the Senat and Chamber of Deputies. |
Microfiche cont. 115 |
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1871-1963 |
Journal officiel. Tables. The indexes to the Journal officiel and its subparts. |
Microfilm cont. 202 |
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1871-1953 |
Journal officiel. Comptes rendus in extenso des ilections des Prisidents de la Ripublique. The National Assembly is composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate sitting together as one body. This series covers those sessions when the National Assembly met for the purpose of electing the president of the Republic. |
Microfilm cont. 104 |
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1871-80 |
Journal officiel de la Ripublique frangaise. Table alphabitique de l'annie. (annual index) |
Folio 328.44 B1.1 v.9 (Rare Books) |
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1871-76 |
Annales de l'Assemblie nationale. Compte-rendu in extenso des siances |
Microfiche 114 |
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1869-80 |
Journal officiel |
Microfilm cont. 193 |
Other Materials of Interest
Enquete Parlementair sur les Actes du Gouvernement de la Difense Nationale (available in Van Pelt Library at call # 944.08 F848.3).
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1871 |
Journal officiel de la Commune de Paris. |
DC317 .J68 1997 |
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1871 |
Journaux de la piriode de la Commune |
Microfilm cont. 114 |
Le Moniteur universel and other Government Materials
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1861-70 |
Annales du Senat et du corps legislatif |
328.44 A6 |
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1811-68 |
Le Moniteur universel |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
Other Materials of Interest
Les Origines Diplomatique de la Guerre de 1870-72 (available in Van Pelt Library at call # 944.08 F844).
Constitution
See Jacques Godechot, Les constitutions de la France depuis 1789 (1970) (available in the Biddle Law Library at call no. KD 1111 1789-1969).
Le Moniteur universel and other Government Materials
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1849-51 |
Assemblee Nationale Legislative. Compte rendu (index in final volume) |
328.44 A5.4 |
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1848-49 |
Assemblee Nationale Constituante. Compte rendu (index in final volume) |
328.44 A5.3 |
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1811-1868 |
Le Moniteur universel |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
9. Restoration/Constitutional Monarchy (1815-48)
Constitution
See Jacques Godechot, Les constitutions de la France depuis 1789 (1970) (available in the Biddle Law Library at call no. KD 1111 1789-1969).
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1839-1848 |
Annales du Parlement frangais (index in final volume) |
328.44 A5.2 |
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1821 |
Les cinq codes, nouvelle idition, entierement conforme a l'idition de l'Imprimerie royale; avec des notes qui relatent les diverses abrogations et modifications y apporties par des lois subsiquentes, telles que celles qui abolissent le divorce, le droit d'aubaine; la Loi sur l jury, du 24 mai 1821, etc.: pricidie de la Charte constitutionnelle, et suivie du tarif des frais et dipens en matieres civile et criminelle, et du tableau des distances. |
349.44 C497 |
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1811-1868 |
Le Moniteur universel |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
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1811-1868 |
Le Moniteur universel |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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Until 1811 |
Additions aux cinq codes, Napoleon, de procedure civile, de commerce, d'instruction criminelle et penal, ou, textes des Lois, Sinatus-consultes, Dicrets Impiriaux, Avis du Conseil d'Etat, Dicisions des Ministres et Arrjts de la Cour de Cassation, rendus jusq'au 22 Novembre 1811, pour leur Exicution... (Napoleonic imperial documents) |
KJV444.21804 .A52 1812 (Rare Books) |
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1804 |
Code Napoleon; being the French Civil code, literally translated from the original and official edition published in Paris in 1804 |
349.44 C647 |
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1789-1810 |
Gazette nationale; ou, le moniteur universel. |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
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1789-1810 |
Gazette nationale; ou, le moniteur universel. |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
Constitution
Constitution de la Republique frangaise : proposee au peuple francais, par la Convention nationale (1795). (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # Microfiche 821).
Constitution of the French Republic (1795) : Offered to the French people, by the National Convention; and ratified by the people, in primary assemblies met. / Translated from a correct French original. (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # Microfiche 821).
Constitution of the republic of France, completed on the 26th June, 1793, and submitted to the people by the National Convention. (1793) / (Translated from a French copy, direct from Paris.) (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # Microfiche 821).
La Declaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen et la Constitution de 1791, accompagnies de divers documents recueillis par M. Bouchary. (available in the Van Pelt Library at call # JN2471 .A5 1947).
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1795-99 |
Journal des dibats et lois du Corps Ligislatif. |
DC141 .A41 (Rare Books) |
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1789-1810 |
Gazette nationale; ou, le moniteur universel. |
944.04P G25 -or- Folio 328.44 B1 (Rare Books) |
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1787-1860 |
Archives parlementaires de 1787 ` 1860; recueil complet des dibats ligislatifs et politiques des chambres frangaises |
Microfiche 127 -and- J341.H2 |
Eighteenth century French materials can be found in the card catalog by searching under the corporate author France.
Online Resources for French Government Documents
Site du Premier ministre Portail du Gouvernement
France from European Governments Online
Includes links to various branches of the national government.
France -- Governments
Including national, regional, local amd branches of government.
ADMINET: Le riseau de l'administration frangaise
(French Government Resources including Le Journal Officiel Electronique).
Service-Public
A well-developed portal for French administrative government and civic information.
Constitutions de la France de 1789 ` nos jours
Constitutional variants reproduced on the Ministry of Culture's Archim imagebank.(1789 - present; photo facsimiles)
Les lois constitutionnelles de la piriode rivolutionnaire
French Constitutional Laws from 1791 to 1795; (French transcriptions)
Les textes constitutionnels du Consulat et de l'Empire
French Constitutional Laws from 1799 to 1815 (French transcription)
Charte constitutionnelle de la Restauration (4 juin 1814)
French Constitutional Law of 4 June 1814 (French transcription)
Charte constitutionnelle de la monarchie de Juillet (14 ao{t 1830)
French Constitutional Law of 14 August 1830 (French transcription)
Constitution de la Seconde Ripublique (4 novembre 1848)
French Constitution of 4 November 1848 (French transcription)
Constitution du Seconde Empire et ses modifications (14 janvier 1852)
French Constitution of 14 January 1852 ( French transcription)
Les lois constitutionnelles de la IIIhme Ripublique
French Constitutional Laws of 1875 to 1884 (French transcriptions)
Les textes constitutionnels
French constitutional texts from 1791 to the present (French transcriptions)
French Constitution
(4 October 1958, amendments to 25 June 1992; English translation)
Guide to Law Online: France
Library of Congress guide to constitutional, legal and government documents.
Send mail concerning this page to Nick Okrent at: okrent@pobox.upenn.edu
