Voltaire once said that in France, the traveler changed the laws as often as he changed horses. Before the revolution, France practiced under several laws and each region even used its own customs to govern. North and South were the largest division, with the northern region of France practicing customary law, while the South practiced Roman law. The division of laws within the regions and across the French state caused unrest and friction when issues were brought before each region. France yearned for reform, arguing that "the law was so confusing that no one, even judges, was able to understand it with certainty and that, therefore, people were at the mercy of the courts." Napoleon sought to resolve the division and unify France under the Civil Code and establish law guaranteeing individuals legal rights and protection. Thanks to the Civil Code, all regions and territories under French rule were governed by its law, thus eliminating friction between the