Pere Lachaise Cemetery

This morning I walked to Pere Lachaise from my hotel it took about an hour. I love walking the streets of Paris there are so many interesting stores, historic buildings, trees and lovely little parks to peak into this walk also takes me past an outdoor market which the vendors are just setting up there are cheese stalls, fish, meat, bread as well as clothes and bags there is a festive mood as I walk past sellers are calling to one another, horns are tooting as they all try to get their vans full of merchandise in for the days market.

I meet Becky who will be our guide for the cemetery, Becky is an American living in Paris. She has lived her for 30 years. We introduce ourselves to each other it’s a small group I am the only Australian, we have Americans, Germans and Russians our tour will be in English.

As we wander through Becky shares stories of the inhabitants of Pere Lachaise and its history. We visit the final resting place of some famous and not so famous people. This is Paris’s largest cemetery it covers 44hecters. Has over a million inhabitants it was started in 1805.

I am moved by the grave of Chopin, Becky tells us of the reactions she gets from her Polish guests, the grave is maintained by the Polish embassy, Chopins heart was removed on his death as were his wishes it was returned to Poland.

Gertrude Stein is buried here, I am moved by the story of her and her companion of 40 years, Alice B Toklas who is buried with Gertrude but her inscription is on the back of the grave not the front with Gertrude perhaps like in life this represents her manner of being.

At the graves of Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison Becky tells us how they come to be resting here, a group of fans care for Piaf’s grave a local florist provides flowers for free and has done since she died in 1963. At Morrison’s grave crowd control gates have been erected to deter some of the not so appropriate behaviour that’s has occurred over the years since Morrison was buried here in 1971.

After the tour I walk back via the Centre Pompidou I don’t plan to visit but am glad to have seen its hectic architectural style.

Somehow I walk through a Westfield, it feels much like ours at home even many of the brands are familiar.

Shakespeare & Company Bookstore

Full disclosure I love bookstores, when I read out this one and its history I knew I had to visit.

On arrival there is a festival feel. There is a small queue, people playing chess out the front, artists selling originals and prints. I go first into the second hand shop which is the smaller of the two. There is also a cafe, I of course have to buy a book which is stamped with the stores stamp. Then to next door to the main store which feels a bit like I’ve arrived in Hobbiton. There are small rooms nooks and crannies everywhere. The owners allow aspiring writers to work and sleep here they are known as Tumbleweeds they host talks and events this is bookstore heaven. Yes, I buy another book. I also buy two prints from an artist out the front. We chat about her work and my travels, I tell her I am about to walk a Camino in Spain, she has been there and has exhibited a series of work painted in Galicia where I will walk in coming weeks. Fabulous!

Distance Walked 20km

Pilgrims Spotted-None.

Some observations..

There is a 35 year wait for a plot at Pere Lachaise

It cost €0.70 for a wee at Westfield Paris.

Alice B Toklas published two of her own books, one a cook book which apparently includes the recipe for Hash Brownies.

There are a family of foxes that live in the grounds of Pere Lachaise along with feral cats and over 100 species of birds I only saw two cats no foxes and heard many many beautiful birdsongs

There are parts of Pere Lachaise that are very steep.

Tomorrow Musee du Louvre