I will be interested and delighted! to hear of an actual ‘definitive’ outcome, of the application of ‘English’ inheritance law 
Hi Sandra… Assurance Vie and other ways are available… but you need professional advice… not just what you find on Forums.
As you will have seen from this thread… many of us have differing views …
It costs little/nothing to speak with a Notaire… they are used to finding a way through the maze… 
Many of them have Specialist areas…so if you come across a Notaire who is “unsure”… ask for a reference to a Notaire who might be/is better informed…
Hi,
Good advice , but be aware that many notaires don’t like assurance vie , as it passes, in many cases , outside the succession , and so is not subject to notaire’s fees.
A good question to ask the notaire is " how do I ensure that any assurance vie I take out won’t need to be declared in my succession?"
Hi Patrick…
When we took out Assurance Vie at Credit Agricole… we were advised that it did not form part of the Estate … I am not convinced that Notaires would deliberately with-hold advice on Assurance Vie… 
just because it would not earn them any money…
If anyone has been advised differently, please come forward… always like to discuss…
So, it’s apparent, no one actually knows!
If the ‘UK Will’ is going to work as we hope, or not!
Lots of theories, but, no one is able to quote a successful example, if you regard death as being a success 
So, until all the potential cases of “hiccups” have been resolved, Babeth ‘absolutely forbids’ me from ‘Popping my Clogs’.
Being the devoted Spouse, wott I am, I’m willing to go along with that.
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Hi,
There are some dodgy notaires out there ,as you will sometimes see in the french press - some are incompetent ,a few are downright criminal. The great majority are , of course, honest and competent -but if you sense something not quite right about what your notaire tells you , get a second opinion.
It always pays before visiting a notaire to decide exactly what you want to achieve , and make a list of detailed questions -and don’t leave until they are fully answered.