The parents association here at the school is awesome - they have guided tours and wine tastings and market trips with cooking classes. It's a great way to meet people and see Paris. I signed up for the "Women of Pere Lachaise" cemetary tour. because I like cemeteries - they are fascinating peeks into history.
I apologize that I cannot remember all of the details - we spent over 3 hours there and it was very cold, wet and rainy. Please feel free to Google the details and post any pertinent info that you find in the comments section! I hope you enjoy this slice of Paris.
I apologize that I cannot remember all of the details - we spent over 3 hours there and it was very cold, wet and rainy. Please feel free to Google the details and post any pertinent info that you find in the comments section! I hope you enjoy this slice of Paris.
The actress above was obsessed with Napoleon. So much so that she wanted to have his child. The only problem was that he died two years before she was born. She decides on the next best thing and proceeds to have children by one of his top generals and even by his illegitimate son - Alexander Wescla (sp), of the Polish mistress mother! Talk about issues - she had three sons by three different men, all directly connected or related to Napoleon. She died at an early age of tuberculous but she was a world renowned famous actress and even traveled to the US to perform.
The picture below is the largest grave/mausoleum in Pere Lachaise. It is of a Russian countess who was quite the toast of Paris and an eccentric woman. When she arranged for her burial she was quite concerned with being alone and afraid so she put six million rubles in a bank in Paris and stipulated in her will that if a young man would spend 365 nights and 366 days in her mausoleum to keep her company, at the end of the time period he would receive the money. Mind you, she died in 1818 - and no one has been able to stay more than one night. Young men come running out, screaming in terror. So now the gravesite has the reputation of being the gateway to Hell.
Although the tomb above is a family tomb, the wife's story is the interesting one. Her husband rose through the ranks of Napoleon's army to become a general. However, when he was just a lowly sergeant, he married one of the washer women who followed the troops and did the laundry (among other things!). Once he attained the status of a general, Napoleon made him an aristocrat. His wife became close friends with Josephine but she didn't let the money, fortune and fame go to her head. The lady had a reputation of being a straight shooter, a tell it like it is woman. She went on to have 14 children to survive infancy! Unfortunately she outlived all of her kids. A play was written with her as the inspiration for the main character who is the voice of common sense - I am sorry that I cannot remember the names but feel free to look it up!