"Dead silence…" A guidebook of cemeteries

A new edition of the guidebook of burial places of famous people has been released in France.

This 300-page book published by a French publishing house contains addresses and descriptions of around seven thousand graves with remains of famous politicians, artists, writers, servicemen and athletes.

Presenting the book, its author Bertrand Beiern told in the interview to the “France-Info” radio station that he tried to help readers to answer two main questions: where this or that celebrity is buried and the remains of which famous people lie in this or that place in France.

The author believes that the book will allow readers to enrich their knowledge of the French history and culture. “Sometimes Parisians without even knowing that literally trample on the remains of famous people,” – Beiern said. He quoted the famous poet Rable as an example: his remains rest in Paris’s estate Maret under a rather popular shop.

According to the author, the most visited burial places are Napoleon’s grave in the Cathedral of Invalids in Paris (which is totally beyond comparison) and Pantheon where the most merited sons and daughters of France are buried. 

To pay tribute to the former singer of the famous rock-group “Doors” people visit frequently also Jim Morison’s grave situated at the Per-Lachez cemetery in Paris.

The book mentions the graves of not only famous people, but also animals: for example, of the St. Bernard dog that saved many people who had lost their way in mountains and were dying there. The monument to that courageous animal is erected at the cemetery in Anier in the outskirts of Paris.