Cimetière d’Oullins

Beneath the rustling leaves of plane trees, lies Cimetière d’Oullins. This isn’t just a cemetery. It’s a repository of Oullins’ stories, etched in stone and whispered by the wind. Cimetière d’Oullins sprawls across 25,000 square meters. It holds over 4,000 concessions and 280 columbarium niches. Established in 1821, Cimetière d’Oullins has grown over time. A significant expansion occurred in 1928. Another happened in the 1940s with the acquisition of 10,000 square meters from the Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin school. The cemetery is more than just a resting place. It’s a living testament to the lives that shaped Oullins. Wander through its paths, named after flowers and trees. You’ll find the Allée des Souvenirs, the main pathway. It serves as a gathering place for commemorations, a poignant reminder of shared history. The cemetery reflects changing practices. With cremation on the rise, the city installed columbariums. Three “wells of remembrance” offer a final resting place for ashes. Cimetière d’Oullins is the final resting place of prominent figures. Joseph-Marie Jacquard, inventor of the Jacquard loom, rests here. So does Edmond Locard, a pioneer of forensic science. His 1910 laboratory in Lyon was the world’s first. He’s considered a founder of criminalistics and a champion of international police cooperation, an idea that contributed to the creation of Interpol. The Locard family tomb holds other notable figures. Eugène Locard was an engineer who helped build the La Mulatière and Perrache viaducts in Lyon. His son, Arnould Locard, was a geologist and malacologist. He published extensively on Lyon’s geology and mollusk fossils. Cimetière d’Oullins also holds the remains of François-Barthélemy Arlès-Dufour, a prominent figure in the textile industry. He played a key role in industrial development, including the Lyon-Paris railway and the Suez Canal. He also co-founded the International and Permanent League of Peace. A champion of human rights, he added his wife’s name to his own after marriage. He supported Julie-Victoire Daubié’s quest to become France’s first female baccalaureate holder. He also founded and presided over the Association for the Progressive Emancipation of Women. He even convinced Empress Eugénie to award the Legion of Honour to the painter Rosa Bonheur. As you leave Cimetière d’Oullins, carry with you not just the stories of the departed, but the enduring spirit of Oullins itself.