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RésuméIn 1999, Mayotte, a French island in the Comoro archipelago northwest of Madagascar, voted in favor of becoming a French overseas “department,” even though few inhabitants opted for French civil law. Between 2003 and 2010, the local civil law was transformed albeit protected by the Constitution. Envisioned for quite some time, the reforms are similar to those adopted by several Muslim countries, although the method might be criticized. The population felt cheated by the suppression of this element of their culture. This article examines whether local civil law disappeared from Mayotte and if the population was deceived, or if a local definition still exists.