Welcome back!

 OK, so I'm welcoming myself back, that's true.

I've closed down my pariscemeteries dot com website and hope to post that information here as well as all future blog posts. So stay tuned!

Ciao for now,

Steve

Postcard from Paris: Caillat in Père-Lachaise D2

This lovely monument was designed by Hector Guimard, who also designed those wonderful, whimsical art nouveau entrances to the Paris Metro.

D2 along Avenue de la Conservation. Photo c. 1900.

monument in 2006

Postcard from Paris: the old Communards in Père-Lachaise D76

This one is a bit of a puzzle. A number of sources mention three of the graves represented here: Prudent-Villers (far left), Mortier (next to Prudent and Clement (far right) but not the name of the grave with the bust of a man.and to make matters worse, the bust in the postcard is missing.

However, there is a possible answer to this tiny mystery. In Moiroux's 1908 guide to the cemetery he mentions the grave of French painter and former communard Louis-Ernest Pichio (d. 1898) as being near this very location.

Pichio, also known as "Picq", was perhaps most famous for his painting of the summary execution of 146 communards at this very spot on May 28, 1871.

photo by Pierre-Yves Beaudouin, wikimedia

by Pichio

This blog has moved to my website

Well, the big news is that I've finally moved my Paris Cemeteries blog to my Paris Cemeteries website. Duh. About time, I know.

You can find out more and subscribe right here:

http://www.pariscemeteries.com/news-1/

So, after this post says adieu to blogger. Life is short, go to paris.

A bientôt!

Postcard from Paris: Avenue Principale in Père-Lachaise

I have a number of vintage postcards of various views of Avenue Principale  in my collection but wanted to share this one since it shows the Avenue before the center portion was dug out.

When the cemetery was first opened in 1804 this portion was quickly filled with graves, all of which are now long gone, either lost or removed to the ossuary. It is quite possible that the three pieces of stone or marble in the near center portion of the grass might be old headstones.

Also you get an idea of what the original view of the top of the hill -- where the chapel now sits -- from the main gate was like. Today the view is obstructed by trees and overgrowth above the Monument aux morts sculpture in the center of the photo frame.

this shows the avenue after it was dug out, probably c. 1920s

this shows the avenue in 2016

C. P. Arnaud and Père-Lachaise

Marie Beleyme's latest article on her blog focusing on the early history of Père-Lachaise Cemetery examines C. P. Arnaud's lovely 1816 map of the earliest burials. She's created a wonderful interactive feature using Arnaud's map that provides popup photos of each gravesite.

You can learn more right here (and work on your French at the same time) - or copy and paste the link:

http://perelachaisehistoire.fr/promenons-nous-au-pere-lachaise-en-1816/

Women of Paris

Just a few of the many incredible people you'll find in the cemeteries of Paris.