From a distance, this peaceful resting place by the Seine near Paris looks like any other cemetery—a sea of tombstones, some polished and new and some devoured by time.

There are flowers of remembrance (plastic, ceramic, and real), pictures of loved ones, and heartfelt tributes.

Dora, Panache, Elvis, Milou, Fleur, Sweety, DouDou, Bijou, Oscar, Spikey, Mitsy, Kiki (lots of Kiki’s), Nanette, Tootsie, Whisky, Faust, Drac, and Poupette.

They are all gathered here . . . in one of the oldest pet cemeteries in the world. The Paris Cemetery of Dogs (and other domestic animals) is a dramatic reminder of the cultural traditions that honor our furry, hairy, wooly, and feathered friends—often named our “best friends.”

Oh, I see. The depth of love for pets knows no bounds. This is not news, especially to animal lovers. But the joy of having had a loyal friend and the pain of losing that friend make a visit to this cemetery especially touching. The tributes are consistently emotional. These pets will be remembered forever.

Cimitière des Chiens

The name Cimitière des Chiens is a bit of a misnomer, since the cemetery houses cats, horses, a sheep, a chicken, birds, mice, fish, hamsters, rabbits, and a monkey.

The unofficial “And Other Domestic Animals” was added as a nod to animal equality. The well-kept grounds by the Seine are the final resting place for more than 40,000 pets.

The land was acquired by journalist Marguerite Durand and attorney Georges Harmois, and the grounds opened in 1899, after a law was introduced in France that prohibited throwing dead animals into the river (or into the trash).

Aside from that kind of tragic farewell, pet owners were allowed to bury their pets as long as the grave was 100 meters from the nearest dwelling. But animal advocates Harmois and Durand wanted something more. They wanted a scenic place that would honor pets—such an important part of people’s lives.

Stories of Compassion

The words of the epitaphs, as well as the visuals and objects selected to grace the tombstones, tell the stories of these loyal companions.

To our dear adored Emjie, our great love, who gave us joy and happiness with her intelligence, sensibility, and affection. She was a heart covered with fur. Six kilograms of pure love. We will never forget you.

To my affectionate hen, who lived 16 years, faithful inseparable companion mourned by your mistress who remains inconsolable. To you I was attached. You will never be forgotten. Regretfully, R.O.C.

For the regal collie, Rigadin de Pechinecha—You have beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, intelligence without arrogance, and all the virtues of men without their perversions.

Here rests Brother Bill. A true friend. He has many blue ribbons to his credit.

Here lies Dick, faithful companion in the trenches who was always my only friend. He lived a model life and his leaving plunges me into sadness . . . And so I am all alone, no longer believing in anything.

And a final farewell to Kiki the monkey—Sleep my dear. You were the joy of my life.

Kinshasa de Cabotcove Coon was a cat with the intelligence of a primate. She could drink with her paw. If you find this hard to believe, there are photos on the tombstone to prove her evolved nature.

The imposing statue at the cemetery entrance portrays the legendary mountain rescue dog Barry, who, over the period of his life, saved 40 people from blizzards near the St Bernard pass in the Alps of Switzerland.

The memorial says Barry was killed saving the 41^st person to be rescued. Although this plotline is a film-worthy story, it is apparently untrue. Barry died a natural death at age 14 . . . always a hero.

The Art of the Cemetery

The emotional impact of this cemetery is powerful. For me, also, there are several “Oh, I see” artistic moments.

From the Art Nouveau entrance gates to the artfully sculpted likenesses of those buried, leaning in and peering closely at the detail is rewarding.

And, as with all art subject to the elements, nature adds some beautiful touches. Names embossed in moss, mosaic deterioration, and carvings changing with time like rocks washed by an ocean.

After spending a few hours in the emotional arc of this poignant setting, the cultural traditions surrounding pet lovers give good insight into the idea of love.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

$\"Tombstone$

Lamenting an irreplaceable love
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n

Cultural Traditions that Honor our Best Friends . . . in Surprising Ways<\/h2>\n
From a distance, this peaceful resting place by the Seine near Paris looks like any other cemetery\u2014a sea of tombstones, some polished and new and some devoured by time.<\/p>\n
$\"Paris$
A resting place to honor our friends
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
There are flowers of remembrance (plastic, ceramic, and real), pictures of loved ones, and heartfelt tributes.<\/p>\n
$\"Trinkets$ <\/a>
Many ways to say I love you
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
It is only when you move closer that the hints of another world appear.<\/p>\n
Dora, Panache, Elvis, Milou, Fleur, Sweety, DouDou, Bijou, Oscar, Spikey, Mitsy, Kiki (lots of Kiki\u2019s), Nanette, Tootsie, Whisky, Faust, Drac, and Poupette.<\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
Elvis . . . “Your mother will never forget you.”
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
They are all gathered here . . . in one of the oldest pet cemeteries in the world. The Paris Cemetery of Dogs (and other domestic animals) is a dramatic reminder of the cultural traditions that honor our furry, hairy, wooly, and feathered friends\u2014often named our “best friends.”<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Sleeping in peace
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Oh, I see.<\/strong> The depth of love for pets knows no bounds. This is not news, especially to animal lovers. But the joy of having had a loyal friend and the pain of losing that friend make a visit to this cemetery especially touching. The tributes are consistently emotional. These pets will be remembered forever.<\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
Argos seems to live on.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Cimiti\u00e8re des Chiens<\/h4>\n
The name Cimiti\u00e8re des Chiens<\/em> is a bit of a misnomer, since the cemetery houses cats, horses, a sheep, a chicken, birds, mice, fish, hamsters, rabbits, and a monkey.<\/p>\n
The unofficial \u201cAnd Other Domestic Animals\u201d was added as a nod to animal equality. The well-kept grounds by the Seine are the final resting place for more than 40,000 pets.<\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
An equal opportunity cemetery
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The land was acquired by journalist Marguerite Durand and attorney Georges Harmois, and the grounds opened in 1899, after a law was introduced in France that prohibited throwing dead animals into the river (or into the trash).<\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
A proud history
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Aside from that kind of tragic farewell, pet owners were allowed to bury their pets as long as the grave was 100 meters from the nearest dwelling. But animal advocates Harmois and Durand wanted something more. They wanted a scenic place that would honor pets\u2014such an important part of people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n
$\"Carved$
Carved in memory
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Stories of Compassion<\/h4>\n
The words of the epitaphs, as well as the visuals and objects selected to grace the tombstones, tell the stories of these loyal companions.<\/p>\n
$\"Tennis$
Arry . . . Enough said
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Tales of love . . .<\/p>\n
To our dear adored Emjie, our great love, who gave us joy and happiness with her intelligence, sensibility, and affection. She was a heart covered with fur. Six kilograms of pure love. We will never forget you.<\/em><\/p>\n
To my affectionate hen, who lived 16 years, faithful inseparable companion mourned by your mistress who remains inconsolable. To you I was attached. You will never be forgotten. Regretfully, R.O.C.<\/em><\/p>\n
$\"Carved$
Beloved Bibi\u201413 years of intimate tenderness
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Poetry and philosophy . . .<\/p>\n
For the regal collie, Rigadin de Pechinecha\u2014You have beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, intelligence without arrogance, and all the virtues of men without their perversions. <\/em><\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
None of the perversions of man
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Practicality and truth . . .<\/p>\n
Bijou was not very large but he had good teeth.<\/em><\/p>\n
Here rests Brother Bill. A true friend. He has many blue ribbons to his credit.<\/em><\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
“He loved only me.”
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The pain of death . . .<\/p>\n
Here lies Dick, faithful companion in the trenches who was always my only friend. He lived a model life and his leaving plunges me into sadness . . . And so I am all alone, no longer believing in anything.<\/em><\/p>\n
And a final farewell to Kiki the monkey\u2014Sleep my dear. You were the joy of my life.<\/em><\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
Farewell Kiki
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Some of the stories challenge the far edges of the imagination.<\/p>\n
Kinshasa de Cabotcove Coon was a cat with the intelligence of a primate. She could drink with her paw. If you find this hard to believe, there are photos on the tombstone to prove her evolved nature.<\/p>\n
$\"Grave$
The intelligence of Kinshasa de Cabotcove Coon
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The celebrities of the cemetery include<\/p>\n
\n
the original Rin Tin Tin, who was found by an American soldier during WW I in France and who went on to become an American film star (the dog, not the soldier)\n
$\"Rin$
Celebrity sighting: the tomb of film star Rin Tin Tin
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div><\/li>\n
the racehorse Troy Town<\/li>\n
honored police dogs and military dogs<\/li>\n
Napoleon\u2019s dog Moustache<\/li>\n
Drac, the dog of the Princess of Romania from 1941\u20131953 (Loyal companion during tragic times. Precious friend in exile.)<\/em><\/li>\n
a white horse and a lion (named Tiger) belonging to the founder Marguerite Durand. (Tiger\u2019s naming convention perhaps mirrors the dog named Kitty found a few rows over.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
$\"Statue$
Barry, the St Bernard hero
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The imposing statue at the cemetery entrance portrays the legendary mountain rescue dog Barry, who, over the period of his life, saved 40 people from blizzards near the St Bernard pass in the Alps of Switzerland.<\/p>\n
The memorial says Barry was killed saving the 41^{st<\/sup> person to be rescued. Although this plotline is a film-worthy story, it is apparently untrue. Barry died a natural death at age 14 . . . always a hero.<\/p>\n}
$\"Gates$
Art Nouveau entrance gates to the Paris pet cemetery
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The Art of the Cemetery<\/h4>\n
The emotional impact of this cemetery is powerful. For me, also, there are several \u201cOh, I see\u201d<\/strong> artistic moments.<\/p>\n
From the Art Nouveau entrance gates to the artfully sculpted likenesses of those buried, leaning in and peering closely at the detail is rewarding.<\/p>\n
$\"Two$
Russian royalty dogs\u2014Marquise and Tony
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
Many of the tombs are stone doghouses or free-form sculptures.<\/p>\n
$\"Doghouse$
Cathouse or doghouse\u2014you be the judge.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
And, as with all art subject to the elements, nature adds some beautiful touches. Names embossed in moss, mosaic deterioration, and carvings changing with time like rocks washed by an ocean.<\/p>\n
$\"Cat$
Worn by time
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
After spending a few hours in the emotional arc of this poignant setting, the cultural traditions surrounding pet lovers give good insight into the idea of love.<\/p>\n
And it becomes clear that love lives beyond death.<\/p>\n
$\"Tombstone$
Love lives on in memory.
\u00a9 Meredith Mullins<\/p><\/div>\n
The Cimiti\u00e8re des Chiens<\/a> is at <\/em>4, pont de Clichy, Asni\u00e8res-sur-Seine.<\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/a><\/i>\u00a0on this post below, or inspire insight with your own\u00a0OIC Moment\u00a0<\/em>here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":30394,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,211],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-heritage-culture","category-paris-mappoints"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30367"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30558,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30367\/revisions\/30558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oh-i-see.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}