Who rests in peace within these weathered walls? I will tell you a story about the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. It stands as one of the Parisian cemeteries outside the city center. It is located in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine.
Let’s step back to 1860. The Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen opened its first section. This part is beyond Rue Adrien-Lesesne. A second section opened in 1872. The Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen has grown over time.
The development of the new part altered the Chemin des Poissonniers. It once marked the border between Saint-Ouen and Saint-Denis. The northeast part of the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen was in Saint-Denis. The current boundaries were set in the mid-20th century. The new route of the street then became the border.
Imagine the First World War. On January 30, 1918, a German bomb struck the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. It was dropped from a German airplane.
Now, it is the night of April 20, 1944. Allied aerial bombardment targeted the La Chapelle depot. The Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen took a hit. The tomb of Alphonse Allais was destroyed.
Many famous people have been buried here in the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. Alphonse Allais rests here. He was a writer. Jenny Alpha is also here. She was the oldest French actress. Mireille Balin is buried in the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. She was a film actress.
Carles Casagemas rests here. He was a painter and a close friend of Pablo Picasso. Georges L. Castelain lies in this ground. He helped create the Société des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. Léo Campion rests here. He was an anarchist and Freemason.
Pierre Chapelle is buried in the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. He was a man of letters and composer. Alexandre Charpentier rests here. He was a sculptor, medalist, cabinetmaker, and painter.
Georges Clère is buried here. He was a sculptor. René Collamarini lies here. He was a sculptor. Maxime Dastugue rests here. He was a painter. Suzanne Dehelly is buried in the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. She was an actress. Germaine Dermoz rests here. She was an actress.
Hector Dufranne is buried here. He was a baritone and singer at the Opéra-Comique. Louis Ganne rests here. He was a composer. Eugène Godard is also here. He was an aeronaut of the Emperor. Lily Laskine rests here. She was a harpist.
Suzanne Lenglen rests here. She was a tennis champion. Louis Leplée is also here. He was a theater director. Charles Lorrain rests here. He was an actor. Raymond Moritz lies here. He was a painter and illustrator.
Antonine Odérieu rests here. She was a miniature painter. John O’Sullivan is also here. He was an Irish tenor. Jean-Baptiste Olive rests here. He was a painter from Marseille. Pierre-Jacques Pelletier lies here. He was a French painter.
Xavier Privas rests here. He was a songwriter. Rafael Ruiz is also here. He was a Cuban double bassist and opera fan. Louis Ulysse Souplet rests here. He was a painter. Jane Sourza is buried in the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen. She was an actress. Jean Tissier rests here. He was a comedian. Suzanne Valadon and André Utter rest here. They were painters.
Today, the Cimetière Parisien de Saint-Ouen is a place of peace. Its history is etched into the stones. Remember the stories of those who rest here. They shaped art, music, and history. Their legacies live on.