Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Grave Matters

Here are a couple of more pictures from my trip to Pere Lachaise Cemetery this April. Good medievalist that I am, I took a picture of Abelard and Heloise's tomb, but unfortunately, it was surrounded by scaffolding. (You can see a better picture here.)



I'm afraid I didn't catch the name of this gentleman, but he certainly looks like a morning person:



And here is the grave of Victor Noir, a French journalist who was shot by Pierre Bonaparte while trying to arrange the terms of a duel. (Some guys will do anything to avoid sitting in front of a blank sheet of paper.) Yes, a certain area is rather prominent, and it's been made more so by women who rub it for fertility.

10 comments:

Meghan said...

I love this post! Must admit that I got excited at the sight of Abelard and Heloise's tomb. I'm jealous!

The realistic effigies like the guy sitting up always creep me out a little. They look too much like they're going to start talking to me.

Jules Frusher said...

It wasn't me what did the rubbing - honest guv!

Susan Higginbotham said...

Meghan, thanks! My husband and I had one of our first dates in a cemetery, so naturally this was very high on our tourist list.

Lady D, methinks you protest too much . . .

Arleigh said...

Oh my, you never fail to make me laugh! Should I change the name of your blog in my links? I still have the 'Reading, Raving and Ranting..."

Lucy said...

You and your forever funny and interesting posts!
You're so lucky to have seen A & H's tomb..I wrote about this couple once in my blog- their story is so interesting. Thanks:)

Susan Higginbotham said...

Thanks, Arleigh and Ms. Lucy! Arleigh, changing the name would be great when you get a chance. I got a wild hair one day and decided I couldn't take the old blog name any longer.

Ms. Lucy, it was a pleasant surprise to find A&H there. I don't know more than the basic facts about them, and I hadn't realized their tomb was where it was.

Christy K Robinson said...

Victor probably gets more action dead than alive.

Aarti said...

Susan, I feel very out of the loop as I didn't know you had a new book coming out! That's wonderful- congratulations :-) I admit I have yet to get my hands on The Traitor's Wife, but maybe I'll do a double buy in August. I like the cover!

Susan Higginbotham said...

Christy, LOL!

Aarti, thanks!

Barbara Martin said...

Visting cemeteries sometimes reveal the most interesting things.