Paris Cemeteries

Pere Lachaise - Porte Oiseaux entrance

2012-01-23T23:48:00.000+01:00

This entrance on the northern side of the cemetery, which was closed long ago, opened onto the Square du Pere-Lachaise, now called Square du Champlain (after you-know-who).

Sophie Blanchard's balloon

2012-01-16T20:53:00.000+01:00

Madeline-Sophie Blanchard, Madame Blanchard, was not the first woman aviator but she was the first woman to pilot her own balloon. When her husband, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, one of the earliest balloonists, died in 1809, she opted to make a career of ballooning and in fact became a regular barnstormer at fairs and special events around northern France.

She was reportedly most famous for her self-designed basket shaped like a bathtub, as seen inhere in an ascent she made from the Champ de Mars on June 24, 1810:

It was during a performance on July 19, 1819, in the Tivoli Gardens, where the Saint-Lazare train station is now located, that her balloon caught fire and she fell out of the basket onto a nearby roof and broke her neck.

She's buried -- by herself apparently -- in division 13, Pere Lachaise Cemetery. And yes, she's one of my favorites. (Jane Avril in division 19 is another, if you must know.)

Montmartre division 23

2012-01-09T16:21:00.001+01:00

Armand Toussaint

La Fortune

Henri Brisson

Gustave Ricard

Chapuis

Marcelle Charron

Cisternes

Mompach

Montmartre division 22

2012-01-02T16:20:00.000+01:00

Joseph Samson

Vatislav Nijinsky

Massart

Laure Junot-Abrantes

Alfred Demodeneq

Bruzzesi

Lebrun

Maury

Nourrit

Jacques Toussaint

Sculpture in Pere Lachaise Cemetery

2011-12-31T23:24:00.002+01:00

Guillaumet, Dumas and Tcherina - division 21 Montmartre

2011-12-28T14:46:00.000+01:00

Gustave Guillaumet

Alexandre Duma (fils)

Ludmila Tcherina

Alphonse de Neuville - division 23 Montmartre

2011-12-26T15:08:00.000+01:00

Alphonse de Neuville

Laver-Frantz - Montmartre division 21

2011-12-25T16:21:00.000+01:00

Laver-Frantz

Henry Meilhac - division 21 Montmartre

2011-12-23T14:40:00.000+01:00

Robert Didsbury - division 21 Montmartre

2011-12-21T14:38:00.000+01:00

Montmartre division 21

2011-12-19T14:50:00.003+01:00

Anatole

Colaco-Orsorio

Emmanuel Gonzales

Jules Simon

Siebecker

Marius

D'estrange

Claude Rousset

Pean

Garigou-Desarenes

Leon Gozlan

Thome

Montmartre division 20

2011-12-12T16:20:00.001+01:00

Hector Berlioz

Jules Audeoud

Cucco

Montmartre division 19

2011-12-05T16:19:00.000+01:00

Artot

Emile Zola cenotaph - body removed to the Pantheon

Palmier

Alexandre Batton

Roger

Delamare-Bichsel

Dubuisson-Desboutin

Dubuisson-Desboutin, detail

Unknown

Montmartre division 18

2011-11-28T16:19:00.000+01:00

Yolande Gigliotti "Dalida"

Moret-Dore

Gigout

Feyen-Perrin

Montmartre division 17

2011-11-21T16:19:00.000+01:00

Rochefort

Decamps

Duprato

Perrier

Montmartre division 16

2011-11-14T16:19:00.000+01:00

Adele Heudler

Pere Lachaise is struck by artillery during WW1

2011-11-07T22:28:00.000+01:00

Pere Lachaise Cemetery is struck by German artillery fire, 25 March 1918

Montmartre division 15

2011-11-07T16:19:00.001+01:00

Alphonsine Plessis

Druihle-Amiot

Unknown

Mystery of the World War 1 Monument in Pere Lachaise

2011-11-01T23:01:00.001+01:00

This is a curiosity. Does anyone know the story behind this monument dedicated to the dead of World War 1 and what happened to it? (Hint, hint, Philippe and Marie?)

Montmartre division 14

2011-10-31T16:19:00.000+01:00

Renauden

Jules Lefebvre

Andre Robbrechts

Malnou

Malnou interior

Claire Mazza

Unknown, tree grasping stone

Montmartre division 13

2011-10-24T16:19:00.000+02:00

Edouard Nadaud

Cecille Firman

Henri Riviere

Goncourt brothers

Kelly-Leibovich "Miss Bluebell"

Duval

Suzanne de L'Opera

Felix Hinoult

Montmartre division 12

2011-10-17T16:18:00.000+02:00

Elise Pitron

General Travot

Unknown

Montmartre division 11

2011-10-10T16:12:00.000+02:00

Landrin

Rost

Montmartre division 10

2011-10-03T15:44:00.000+02:00

Paul Bernard

Francois-Andre Isambert

Montmartre division 9

2011-09-26T15:44:00.000+02:00

Mario Pollina

Louis Quaglia

Georges Demeny

Benjamin Ball

Pierre Thomire

Theodore Monbine

Jacques Offenbach

Delibes

You haven't been to Paris until you've been to Pere Lachaise

2011-09-23T10:49:00.003+02:00

Montmartre division 8

2011-09-19T15:44:00.000+02:00

Gumery

Joseph Garnier

Jules Noriac

Davrigny

Eight reasons to visit Pere Lachaise

2011-09-18T23:16:00.000+02:00

Auguste Blanqui in division 91

Avenue de Saint Morys

Avenue Transversale 1

Avenue Transversale 1, division 48 in the distance

Avenue Transversale 2, Pinel

Chemin du Dragon, division 19 on the left and 27 on the right

Chemin Laplace, division 24 on the left and 25 on the right

Chemin Monvoisin, division 26 on the right

Montmartre division 7

2011-09-12T15:43:00.001+02:00

Jean Foucault

Unknown

Garcin

Jules Slowicki

Jules Slowacki division 7 Montmartre

2011-09-05T12:20:00.000+02:00

From Montmartre revisited

Jean Foucault division 7 Montmartre

2011-09-03T12:19:00.002+02:00

Jean Foucault

From Montmartre revisited

Garcin division 7 Montmartre

2011-09-01T12:20:00.002+02:00

From Montmartre revisited

Jules Noriac - Division 8

2011-08-29T16:25:00.000+02:00

Jules Noriac

From Montmartre revisited

Unknowns in Division 7 Montmartre

2011-08-27T12:19:00.001+02:00

Unknowns in Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-25T15:10:00.000+02:00

Shuvaloff - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-23T15:09:00.000+02:00

Adams - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-21T15:04:00.000+02:00

Bousquet - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-19T15:05:00.000+02:00

Rohart - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-17T15:05:00.000+02:00

Adolphe Sax - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-15T15:05:00.001+02:00

That's right, that sax:

Henri Murger - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-13T14:58:00.001+02:00

Henri Murger's nook "Scenes de la Vie Boheme" not only gave us the concept the bohemian lifestyle that defined his generation, he also provided the story for one the world's greatest opera: "La Boheme."

Adolphe Adam - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-11T14:55:00.003+02:00

A defective bust is no fitting tribute to the distinguished French composer who wrote "O Holy Night."

Chabouillet-Delpy - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-09T12:16:00.000+02:00

Edward Pouget - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-07T12:15:00.000+02:00

Louise Thouret - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-05T12:15:00.000+02:00

Herbillon - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-03T12:20:00.001+02:00

Miecislas Kamienski - Division 5 Montmartre

2011-08-01T12:20:00.000+02:00

Edgar Degas - Division 4 Montmartre

2011-07-31T12:19:00.000+02:00

The Mystery of Antoine Cierplikowski - Passy Cemetery

2011-07-27T16:43:00.000+02:00

Philippe Landru, the singular expert on who is who and who is where in Paris Cemeteries, recently sent me an email regarding the whereabouts of the incredible bit of statuary that once soared over the grave of Antoine Cierplikowski in Passy Cemetery (division 9).

I first read about this wonderful sculpture in the Culbertson/Randall book, Permanent Parisians, and when I got my chance to actually visit Passy Cemetery for the first time I searched all over but could find no trace of either the sculpture or the grave itself. (The conservation office wasn't terribly helpful on this one, I'm afraid.)

There the matter rested until Philippe explained what had happened. (If your French is up to snuff you can read about this yourself). If not, here's the story.

Antoine was born in Sieradz, Poland and in 1901 moved to Paris where he became one of the most well-known and creative hairdressers in the city. He became so famous that during the first half of the 20th century he opened a large chain of hair salons in Europe and in the United States.

Although he returned to Poland in the last years of his life, according to his best friend, the sculptor Xavier Dunikowski, his wish was to be buried in Passy Cemetery. But when he died in 1976, he was buried in Sieradz and a fantastic sculpture was created by Dunikowski himself was placed over the grave. (photo right)

(According to Philippe, the family had apparently refused to allow his remains to be returned to Paris, with the exception of his right hand, which was subsequently interred in Passy. It was over this grave that a replica of the Dunikowski statue was placed.)

Unfortunately, the ownership of the Passy grave remained temporary and in 1989 it was purchased by the Lemerre family. In 2004 the Dunikowski statue was destroyed but Antoine's right hand remained interred with the Lemerre family.

So, don't look for Antoine in Passy -- if you want to see the statue you'e going to have to go to Poland.

Pam - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-25T14:42:00.000+02:00

Gautier - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-23T14:43:00.000+02:00

Meurthe - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-21T14:43:00.000+02:00

Hayem - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-19T12:17:00.002+02:00

Camille Bailly - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-15T14:39:00.000+02:00

Daniel Ifla Osiris - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-13T12:16:00.000+02:00

Charlotte Corday and La Chapelle Expiatoire

2011-07-12T00:20:00.012+02:00

Guillotined at the Place de la Concorde on 12 July, 1794, for assassinating Marat, Charlotte's body was dumped into a mass grave near the Madeleine Church. In the early 19th century, those remains were eventually exhumed and placed into niches in Chapelle Expiatoire, dedicated to the memory of those guillotined during the terror.

On the other side of Paris, near what is now the Place Republique, one of the great poets of the late 18th century and an ardent revolutionist, Andre Chenier, was himself guillotined and his body dumped in the mass grave at Picpus. Among his more notable works, Chenier had written an "Ode to Charlotte Corday."

Le noir serpent, sorti de sa caverne impure,
A donc vu rompre enfin sous ta main ferme et sûre
le venimeux tissu de ses jours abhorrés!
Aux entrailles du tigre, à ses dents homicides,
Tu vins demander et les membres livides
Et le sang des humains qu'il avait dévorés!

La vertu seule est libre. Honneur de notre histoire,
Notre immortel opprobre y vit avec ta gloire.
Seule tu fus un homme, et vengea les humains.
Et nous, eunuques vils, troupeau lâche et sans âme,
Nous savons répéter quelques plaintes de femme,
Mais le fer pèserait à nos débiles mains.

Un scélérat de moins rampe dans cette fange.
La Vertu t'applaudit. De sa mâle louange
Entends, bell héroïne, entends l'auguste voix.
O Vertu, le poignard, seul espoir de la terre,
Est ton arme sacrée, alors que le tonnerre
Laisse régner le crime, et te vend à ses lois.

The black serpent, leaving his filthy cave,
Has finally suffered by your hand so sure and brave
The end of its venomous existence so despised!
From the tiger's guts, from his homicidal teeth
You came and drew what he'd devoured from beneath:
The blood and livid members of his victims sacrificed.)

(Virtue alone is free. Honor of our history,
Our immortal shame we live beside your glory.
Only you were a man, your knife did vengeance wreak;
And we, vile eunuchs, cowardly and soul-less cattle.
We can at best complain like women prattle,
But to wield a sword our hands would be too weak

In that mud crawls one scoundrel less.
Hear, lovely heroine, hear Virtue bless,
Hear the august voice of its virile praise.
Oh virtue, the dagger that hope will raise,
Is your sacred arm, when Heaven holds its thunder
And lets crime rule, while laws are cut asunder.

Edouard Cahen - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-11T12:17:00.000+02:00

Drossner-Goldschmidt - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-09T12:17:00.000+02:00

Henri Aboulker - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-07T12:18:00.002+02:00

Amson - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-05T12:19:00.002+02:00

Gustave Levy - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-03T12:19:00.001+02:00

Feldman - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-07-01T14:32:00.000+02:00

Jacques Rouche - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-06-29T12:18:00.001+02:00

Victor Brauner - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-06-27T14:27:00.001+02:00

See - Division 3 Montmartre

2011-06-25T12:18:00.002+02:00

Pays - Division 2 Montmartre

2011-06-23T14:24:00.000+02:00

Halphen - Division 2 Montmartre

2011-06-21T14:23:00.000+02:00

L'Enfant - Division 2 Montmartre

2011-06-19T14:22:00.000+02:00

Porlier - Division 2 Montmartre

2011-06-17T14:19:00.005+02:00

Albert Lejoint division 1 Montmartre

2011-06-15T12:07:00.002+02:00

Theodore Champion division 1 Montmartre

2011-06-13T12:07:00.002+02:00

Princess Soltikoff - Division 4 Montmartre

2011-06-12T14:49:00.002+02:00

Fernand Desmoulins division 1 Montmartre

2011-06-08T12:08:00.001+02:00

Laurecisque division 1 Montmartre

2011-06-05T12:16:00.000+02:00

Victor Hugo on his deathbed - by Nadar

2011-03-27T12:00:00.001+02:00

Ritti Division 27

2011-02-27T12:20:00.009+01:00

Division 27 of Pere Lachaise

2011-02-25T12:21:00.004+01:00

Honore Daumier Division 24

2011-02-23T12:21:00.001+01:00

Mery Taournel Division 24

2011-02-21T12:22:00.004+01:00

Tanska-Hoffman Division 26

2011-02-19T12:22:00.002+01:00

Pere Lachaise Division 25

2011-02-17T12:22:00.010+01:00

Claude Chabrol and Mano Solo Division 10

2011-02-15T12:22:00.001+01:00

l-r: Claude Chabrol and Mano Solo

Arman Division 11

2011-02-13T12:23:00.002+01:00

Ken Sazaki Division 11

2011-02-11T22:19:00.005+01:00

Chopin Division 11

2011-02-09T12:24:00.002+01:00

Vivant Denon Division 10

2011-02-07T12:24:00.001+01:00

Henri Viet Division 11

2011-02-05T12:24:00.005+01:00

Ponchard Division 11

2011-02-03T12:23:00.002+01:00

Paul Baudry Division 4

2011-02-01T12:23:00.003+01:00

Susie admiring Paul Baudry

Alfred Musset Division 4

2011-01-27T12:25:00.001+01:00

Add caption

Gretry Division 11

2011-01-25T12:25:00.005+01:00

Vivant Denon Division 10

2011-01-23T12:25:00.003+01:00

Vivant Denon

Antoine Reicha Division 7

2011-01-21T12:26:00.005+01:00

Antoine Reicha

Thomas Couture Division 4

2011-01-19T12:26:00.004+01:00

Thomas Couture

Ledru-Rollin Division 4

2011-01-17T12:26:00.009+01:00

Ledru-Rollin

Ernest Baroche Division 4

2011-01-15T12:27:00.008+01:00

Killed in Tonkin (Vietnam)

Ernest Caillat Division 2

2011-01-13T12:27:00.009+01:00

reportedly designed by Hector Guimard, designer of the Paris Metro entrances

Pere Lachaise 2011

2011-01-06T12:20:00.000+01:00

Light drizzle and overcast skies accomplished little in keeping me from Pere Lachaise this New Year's Day. A stolen camera and cheap replacement, along with tourist crowds everywhere in the cemetery did prevent me from photographing many places on my list to re-document. But these few images will give you a little idea of who and what I saw that day:

Bennett/Tsouloukidze/Mattan - Passy div. 11

2010-11-09T20:43:00.000+01:00

Edouard Manet - Passy div. 4

2010-10-31T21:11:00.000+01:00