Consider this: a place of rest opened in 1867. It replaced Bagneux’s old cemetery. That place was near the church at Place Dampierre. We are standing at Cimetière communal de Bagneux.
This communal cemetery of Bagneux is often overlooked. It is overshadowed by the larger Parisian cemetery of Bagneux. Yet, it has its own stories. It is separated from its large neighbor by a wall. The Cimetière communal de Bagneux exists and is often missed by visitors.
The Cimetière communal de Bagneux has distinct old and new sections. It may not be full of extravagant monuments. However, a visit here is worthwhile.
Jean-Baptiste Fortin a geographer was buried in the old communal cemetery. When the grounds were redeveloped his remains moved to an ossuary here. This ossuary is in the new Cimetière communal de Bagneux.
Look for the war memorial. It commemorates the battle led by the Comte de Dampierre. He fought against the Prussians on October 13 1870. The Comte and many soldiers died here. Many French and Prussian military graves are a testament to the battles. They tell of the harshness of war in 1870.
The monument was erected in 1874. It stood on the old market square of Bagneux. In 1937 it was moved to the Cimetière communal de Bagneux. This happened during the redevelopment of the square. Locals and the mayor initiated the monument. Architects A Metz and A Lalanne designed it. Entrepreneur Lebegue constructed it.
Notice the tomb of Larroque. It features two stone bas-relief medallions. In the Barbeau chapel is a plaster bust. This bust depicts Louis-Antoine Barbeau. He was a plaster merchant.
Pause by the grave of Jeanne Moyaux. She was murdered by her father at age four in 1877. The crime made headlines then. Jeanne is buried here in Cimetière communal de Bagneux.
Several notable people are buried here. Architect Louis-Charles Boileau rests here. He designed the Bon Marché department store and the Hotel Lutetia. His son Louis-Hippolyte Boileau is also buried in the family tomb. He designed the Togo and Cameroon pavilions for the 1931 Colonial Exposition.
Also interred is Théodore Tissier. He was President of the Council of State and mayor of Bagneux. His son Pierre Tissier president of the SNCF is also here.
The writer Léo Corvisier rests here. He was the author of verses and a novel. Architect Georges Hannotte is also interred here. Janine Jambu a member of the French Communist Party is buried here. She was the mayor of Bagneux. Albert Petit a former mayor of Bagneux rests near the cemetery entrance. A bronze medallion adorns his tomb.
The Cimetière communal de Bagneux is accessible. You can reach it by bus. Take bus 128 to the Hôtel de Ville de Bagneux stop.