Nouveau cimetière de la Croix-Rousse

Separated by Rue d’Ypres from its older counterpart, the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse unfolds. Opened in 1871, the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse occupies a larger space than the old cemetery. While the setting may appear unremarkable at first glance, the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse holds a collection of tombs that beckon the curious visitor. Wander through its pathways and discover the artistry of local talents like Salendre and Renard, who have crafted modern masterpieces in stone. One captivating story lies within the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse. It involves Jules Senis, a Spanish Civil War refugee and a tile-laying mason. Senis dedicated the last two decades of his life to creating an extraordinary garden in Lyon called the “Rosa Mir” garden. This whimsical space features columns and crossbeams adorned with thousands of shells and stones, reminiscent of both Gaudi and the Cheval facteur. Senis created this magical place in honor of his mother. Now, he rests within the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse, his contemporary tombstone echoing the unique style of the Rosa Mir garden. The Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse is also the final resting place of numerous notable figures. The lawyer Joannès Ambre, defender of the Gang des Lyonnais, lies here. So does the sculptor Yvan Avoscan, known for monumental works like the “Porte du soleil” on the A7 motorway. The painter Louis Carrand, a precursor to the Impressionists, is buried here. His tomb features a bronze medallion by Georges Salendre. Look for the almost unreadable modern slab marking the grave of Jean-Baptiste Chépier, a weaver turned child labor inspector. Francisque Collomb, Lyon’s mayor from 1976 to 1989, also rests in the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse. His legacy includes the Lyon-Part-Dieu train station, Eurexpo, the Cité Internationale, and the Palais des Congrès. The Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse also holds the remains of oncologist Marcel Dargent, writer Daniel Delafarge, and Victor Fort, a typographer turned socialist deputy. The modernist architect René Gagès, whose work drew inspiration from Bauhaus, is buried here. The Danish opera singer Louise Janssen, renowned for her Wagnerian performances, also rests in the Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse. The journalist Françoise Kramer, who met a tragic end in a car accident, is buried here too. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Philippe Krauss, a republican activist and socialist deputy. Pierre Montel, a Resistance fighter and four-time Secretary of State, has a tomb here that commemorates his three children who died in Nazi camps. Auguste Pinton, a Resistance pioneer and co-founder of Franc-Tireur, also lies here. The engineer Tobie Robatel, known for his steam-powered buses and chemical industry equipment, is also interred here. The sculptor Georges Salendre, whose political commitment led him to create symbolic works, rests beneath a simple tomb of his own design. The ballet star Ruth Schickendantz’s grave is marked by a striking glass monument filled with seasonal natural elements. Finally, the poet Joséphin Soulary, admired by Baudelaire and Sainte-Beuve, has a tomb featuring a bronze bust by Charles Textor. The Nouveau Cimetière de la Croix-Rousse is more than just a cemetery. It’s a tapestry of lives, stories, and artistic expression, woven into the fabric of Lyon’s history.