July 3, 2019 - Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Today wasn't so hurried of day spent with others rushing about the city.  Instead we traveled to the 20th arrondissement to pay homage to those that are buried in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery.  Most notably, of course, is Jim Morrison, founder and lead singer of The Doors, but there are many others of notoriety in their own right that have been or were laid to rest here.  Also of great interest was the area of the cemetery devoted to memorials, especially those from WWII.  Their monuments were of something to behold.  In the photos below, if the deceased was of popular fame, I will describe them.  The other photos will be for showing of characteristics and age.  This was a wonderful place to visit away from the sirens, horns, and crowds of people.

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The 2 photos below are of Heloise, (a French nun, abbess, and writer) and her lover Peter Abelard, dating back to the late 11th century.  Their love story is contained in 7 letters written between the two that remain to this day.  Controversy revolves around whether their remains are contained in this cemetery.  It is said their bones are entwined.  Link:  Heloise and Peter

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I found the below grave a bit intriguing -- with the arms protruding from the top....

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Sodine Colette (1873-1954), French author, who wrote the novella Gigi, which later became a film starring Audrey Hepburn.  Link:  Colette

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Louis Visconti, French architect, who designed the Louvre and Napoleon's Tomb and other great works.  Link:Visconti

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Gioachino Rossini, great Italian composer of opera.  He was initially buried here but his remains were transferred to Italy.  Link:  Rossini

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James Douglas Morrison (1943-1971)

Link:  The Lizard King

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MONUMENTS DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMPS

Link:  Monuments

Mauthausen

Auschwitz-Birkenau

Bergen-Belsen

Buchenwald-Dora

Buna-Monowitz. Auschwitz III

Dachau

Orianenburg-Sachenhausen

Memorial to WWII Resistence Fighters

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Memorial to Victims of Airline Crash in Venezuela and Other Notable Airline Crashes involving French Citizens

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Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), French Stage Actress.  Such a humble gravesite and hidden from view for someone so famously celebrated in life.     Link:  Henriette-Rosine Bernard

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Marcel Marceau (1923 -2007), French actor and mime artist.  Note the white gloves someone left as a memorial and his signature on the grave stone     Link:  Bip the Clown

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We spent over six hours at this lovely cemetery, honoring those at the memorials and giving silent tribute to those we stop at.  It was another lovely day for us weather-wise, so it was perfect to spend the time wandering along the cobbled pathways.

Thanks for stopping by and joining us on our journey through the streets of Paris these past 10 days.  I will only post images from our Thursday wanderings on Facebook, since we will be leaving our hotel room early Friday morning.  

We hope we've inspired travels among those who follow us along these adventures.  We love our days abroad.  

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.