Hi

The trouble with French law as far as family History research goes are the privacy laws. To get any info on anyone within the last 100 years you have to present yourself in person at the right Town Hall with the docs to prove that you are a direct descendant.
If he has descendants I would do what I did - look in the French on line tel directory + write/email everyone
http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/trouverunnom/RecherchePagesBlanche...
At the moment it's crashed so I can't check
I also suggest you go to fil d'Ariane
http://www.entraide-genealogique.net/index.php
If you don't speak French there is a flag which translates. Go to the right département + post a request for help. (anyone who's French + reading this please don't be offended) Be very polite, write in French if at all possible, someone will be bound to help you - but just be prepared to wait as the French interest in their ancestors is increasing like a sunami wave - which is fantastic for the likes of you + me
But trying to find anything online is a steep learning curve as nothing is centralised, nothing in alphabetical order, no 10 year censuses from 1841 as in the UK, in addition 2 world wars + the French Revolution to boot all make things easier said than done.
Have you found the house on Google Earth? If it's still there you could always write to that house?

Suzanne
btw I am the same Suzanne as before - heaven knows why this machine sometimes signs me on with a dirrerent name!