Unclaimed Money in France
France holds €7.87 billion in unclaimed savings through Ciclade, the official portal operated by Caisse des Dépôts (CDC). Under the Eckert Law of 2014, banks and insurers are legally required to transfer inactive accounts and unclaimed contracts to the CDC after a set period. The money waits there indefinitely — but with one important catch: after 30 years of total inactivity, funds are permanently transferred to the French State and cannot be recovered.
In 2025 alone, Ciclade returned €164 million to 174,000 claimants, with an average payout of €943 per case. If you or a family member have ever lived or worked in France, held a French bank account, or taken out French life insurance, it's worth checking.
What Ciclade Covers
Dormant Bank Accounts
Current accounts, savings accounts, and livrets (tax-free savings books like Livret A, LDD, LEP) that have had no customer-initiated activity for 10 years. Includes accounts from Ma French Bank, Orange Bank, and UFFB, which ceased operations.
Life Insurance Contracts
Unclaimed life insurance (assurance vie) and provident contracts where the insurer has been unable to contact the beneficiary. Life insurance is the single largest category of unclaimed money in France.
Employee Savings Plans
PEE (Plan d'Épargne Entreprise), PERCO, and PEROB employee savings plans from former employers. Very commonly forgotten when changing jobs.
Capitalisation Bonds
Bons de capitalisation (bearer bonds) that were never cashed. These can date back many decades and may belong to heirs of deceased relatives.
How to Search Ciclade
Go to ciclade.caissedesdepots.fr and click "Lancer ma recherche" (Start my search). Enter your surname and first name — the search is immediate and shows whether any funds are held in your name. If you get a match, you'll need to create a free personal account ("Mon espace") to view the details and submit your claim online.
To claim you'll need: a valid government-issued photo ID (passport or national identity card) and documents proving your connection to the account (old bank statements, insurance policy documents, or proof of address at the time). Claims for deceased relatives require a death certificate and proof of inheritance rights.
The 30-Year Limit — Act Now
This is the most important thing to know about French unclaimed money: the déchéance trentenaire (30-year expiration rule) means that once 30 years have passed since the last customer-initiated activity on an account, the funds are permanently transferred to the French State. In 2025, €89 million was lost this way. If you think an account may be old, search immediately — this deadline cannot be extended.
Other Unclaimed Assets in France
Historical Savings Accounts — Caisse d'Épargne
France has a long history of postal and mutual savings banks, and many older Livret A, Livret B, and early Caisse d'Épargne savings accounts from the 1970s–1990s are among the most commonly forgotten assets in the Ciclade database. These accounts were widely opened for children by grandparents or parents and never accessed. If a family member held a Livret A or similar tax-free savings account before 2009 (when they became fully portable and tied to national identity), search Ciclade using both their current name and any maiden name. Pre-2009 Livret accounts issued by local Caisses d'Épargne were managed regionally and may appear under slightly different name spellings.
French Expats and Non-Residents
French citizens and former residents living abroad can search and claim from Ciclade entirely in English via ciclade.caissedesdepots.fr/en. To submit a claim from abroad, you will need a valid passport (French or foreign), your French numéro fiscal (tax identification number) if you have one, and any documentation linking you to the original account. French consulates abroad can assist with certifying documents and can provide an attestation de vie (proof of life) required for some older accounts. For claims involving deceased French relatives, a notaire (French notary) can prepare the acte de notoriété (succession certificate) that establishes inheritance rights — this is typically required for life insurance claims above a certain threshold.
Employee Savings — PEE, PERCO and Former Employer Plans
Employee savings plans (Plan d'Épargne Entreprise / PEE and Plan d'Épargne pour la Retraite Collectif / PERCO) are among the most commonly forgotten assets in France, particularly by workers who changed employers and did not transfer their plan. The GIP Union Retraite (a consortium of French pension bodies including AGIRC-ARRCO, CNAV, and MSA) operates info-retraite.fr, where you can locate old occupational pension and savings plan accounts using your numéro de sécurité sociale. Unclaimed PEE and PERCO balances above a minimum threshold are also transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts under the Eckert Law and will appear in Ciclade after 10 years of inactivity.
The 30-Year Limit — Act Urgently for Old Accounts
The déchéance trentenaire (30-year expiration rule) is the most critical deadline in the French unclaimed money system. Once 30 years have elapsed since the last customer-initiated activity on an account or contract, the funds are permanently transferred to the French State and cannot be recovered by any means. In practice, this means accounts that were last active before approximately 1996 may already be beyond recovery. In 2025, €89 million was lost this way. If you believe a relative had a French savings account or insurance policy that has been dormant for a long time — particularly accounts opened in the 1980s or 1990s — search Ciclade immediately. There is no way to extend or appeal the 30-year deadline once it has passed.
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