Picture of the Day – Cemetery in Vincennes

November 13, 2022 /

My cousin and I didn’t go to any of the famous cemeteries in Paris when we were there in September, but we did happen upon this walled in cemetery on the same street as our hotel in Vincennes. Knowing nothing about it, we didn’t explore and see if we could find any famous people there. Looking at this picture, that fourth grave has a lot of flowers, perhaps a recent addition? I like the calm of cemeteries, and these multi person tombs are lovely. But somehow it feels strange to explore too much, so we just looked around for a few minutes and then got on our way. I did a little Google search, and it looks as though the cemetery is bigger than it appeared to us, and would probably have been a good place to visit for perhaps 1/2 hour, to see the monuments and so on. I wonder if I will ever be back in Vincennes? Probably I will go to Paris again, but unless I go with Carey and we stay at her timeshare, I think Vincennes is unlikely. I do like this picture though.

12 Comments

  • Elisabeth

    November 13, 2022 at 2:31 pm

    Whenever I think of cemeteries, I think of my brother’s apartment in Copenhagen. The trail to get from his home to the public transit literally took you right through a cemetery. It felt so peaceful and beautiful to walk through this spot daily for several weeks. There were benches where people would sit to eat their lunch, and there was a steady stream of foot traffic. It felt strange in some ways, but also so, so natural in that setting. There didn’t seem to be any fear of vandalism or the like, and it felt like it brought life to a place that, well, represents the cessation of life.
    This summer we went to a HUGE cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. It was enormous. We didn’t get out to explore or even take pictures, but it was so beautiful.
    One famous cemetery was on my list when I was in Paris but we didn’t make it in the end…another time?!

    • J

      November 13, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      Yes, cemeteries are so peaceful and I like the idea that people might treat them somewhat as a park. I wasn’t sure whether that was kosher or not, so didn’t stay long. We also had a cemetery or two on our list to visit while in Paris, but we didn’t get to them either. We did a lot of walking while there, which I do not regret, but it is not the fastest mode of transport, so we didn’t get to everything we would have wanted.

  • San

    November 13, 2022 at 3:43 pm

    We have a couple of nice, spread-out, almost park-like cemeteries in Sacramento. I’ve seen people even jog there. I always felt “odd” about that, but strolling through a cemetery is definitely calming (at least during daylight – ha!). So many (buried) stories and histories.

    • J

      November 13, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      I never know exactly where the line is, not sure I would jog in a cemetery. I live in Northern California, and most of the cemeteries here are like that, spread out with flat grave markers. Might make for a nice jog.

  • NGs

    November 13, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    There was a time in the US when it was common to hang out in cemeteries. People would hold picnics and visit their loved ones. In many cases, it was because there weren’t really green spaces and parks and when there were illnesses afoot (pandemics aren’t just a 2020 thing!), people would want to socialize outside and cemeteries were good places to do it. I always think about that when we discuss how disrespectful it is to jog/take photos/hang out in cemeteries. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/picnic-in-cemeteries-america

    • J

      November 13, 2022 at 7:56 pm

      I like that aspect of it, the hanging out with loved ones! I don’t like that it might be because there aren’t better places to go. Nice link, very interesting. Thank you!

  • Ally Bean

    November 14, 2022 at 11:00 am

    I enjoy exploring in cemeteries, respectfully of course. I lived in a college dorm that had the same name as an adjacent cemetery. Odd as it sounds going to the cemetery to walk/study was popular. Not macabre at all. I’m intrigued by the size of the tombstones in your photo. They look beautiful and expensive.

  • Jenny

    November 14, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    This is a beautiful photo! About San’s comment- I think the general consensus is that walking in a cemetery is fine, but running or jogging is not. It seems like that could be disruptive to people who are there visiting gravesites, or just trying to have a peaceful time.

    • J

      November 14, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      Agreed! I sort of wish we had looked around a bit more at this beautiful cemetery. We were trying to get to our next place though…tough part of a beautiful area like Paris and her outskirts, is that you have to pick and choose.