Les Cimetières de Paris | The treasures of the Passy Cemetery

Exploring Paris’s cemeteries–(Montmartre,  Montparnasse,  Passy,  Père Lachaise, and  Picpus)–can be a rewarding task. Artists, statesmen, and industrialists abound in these cities of the dead. Additionally, memorials, historical relics, and works of art make such trips all the more fascinating. With enough time, Paris’ cemeteries will reveal their treasures to any visitors. Given that most visitors are on a strict schedule, a cemetery map will save valuable time when  conducting a tour of the cemetery’s highlights. However, most maps only point to the general area in which the tomb is located. This leads to aimless wandering and frustration which can be minimized with prior knowledge of a tomb’s design. Therefore, I hope that these articles will serve as a useful tool for visitors to Paris’ cemeteries as well as  a guide to those interested in learning more about some of the most famous and interesting sites in Paris.

Cimetière de Passy was established in 1820, and is located at  2, Rue du Commandant Schœlsing, just a few blocks away from the Trocadero. It may be the smallest of Paris’s major cemeteries, but with  2,600 graves it is also the most  densely  populated. Of note is the sculptural group honoring soldiers killed during World War II on its outer wall, the 1934 pavilion/visitor’s center designed by Berger, and the three 1935 bas-reliefs by Janthial that adorn that building.

The cemetery’s architecture and monuments:

The Second World War memorial sculptural group on the  cemetery’s  outer wall:

The cemetery’s entrance:

Janthial’s 1935 bad-reliefs:

Passy’s famous residents:

The painters, Édouard Manet and Berthe Morisot (his sister in law)  are buried together:

The composer, Claude Debussy is buried in a simple tomb:

Tombs with interesting art and designs:

Views of the cemetery:

The Eiffel Tower is visible in this panorama of graves:

On a visit to Trocadero and Eiffel Tower, don’t forget to check out the Passy Cemetery as well! Stay tuned for this ongoing series on Paris cemeteries.

The Cemeteries of Paris:The Treasures of  the Père Lachaise Cemetery Part IThe Treasures of the Père Lachaise Cemetery Part IIThe Treasures of the Montmartre CemeteryThe Treasures of the  Montparnasse CemeteryThe Treasures of the Passy CemeteryThe Treasures of the Picpus Cemetery