Picpus Cemetery

Here is my visit this fall. I think the details are there. You do need to google map it and know exactly the address but we had no problem finding it and it was well worth the trip.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/lafayette-we-are-here/
Once we stepped inside the outer gate, the gate keeper emerged and charged us two Euro and gave us a flyer in English that described the site.

Donna

Not sure about finding the location we were taken there(driven) by an American Francofile who especially loved anything about Lafayette. I believe he even belonged to a Lafayette society in Paris. The cemetery is definitely not on a tourist route.

Anyway. As I remember it , the entrance is really a huge wall with a small entrance to the grounds of the original convent grounds. In other words you never actually see a cemetery until you walk through the entrance. It seems we came at lunch or something and waited about 45 minutes for someone to take our money and let us in. Can't remember how much. There was just another small group waiting. It is not well visited.

But the wait was worth it for us because you really can see the ruthlessness and cruelty of the Reigh of Terror . For example in the chapel the names all the victims who died at the guillotine that was located on the grounds for several months are written along with their occupation age and time of death . If I read it correctly it looks like they did one execution a minute. Pretty chilling. Madame Lafayette's mother , aunt and maybe a sister were beheaded here and their bodies were thrown in a mass pit. I think Madame Lafayette was also scheduled for execution but the American Anbassador intervened, said the Americans would have a hard time accepting the death of a spouse of an American hero.

Also some where in Paris is Lafayette s house that is now a restaurant. Not sure of the name but probably can be googled .

Anyway it is a very different but worthwhile experience if you have someone who knows Lafayette family history and the history of the cemetery

Jennifer

The cemetery is quite easy to find. Just go to number 35 on Rue de Picpus, which happens to be its address. It's through a large green door that may or may not be open. It is open beginning at 2 PM from Tuesday to Saturday. I can't remember now if it closes at 6 or 5.

Never heard of this place, but after looking it up and reading Janet's account I've added it to the list for our next trip to Paris. What a fascinating place to visit! And a Renault dealership right outside....

Hi all, appreciate your help! After reading these responses, my friend and I are even more excited about visiting this historical site. Thank you!

It really is a special place. It does have odd hours though!! 2 pm to 6 pm.

The nearest metro is Nation (or Picpus). Look up the address -- 35, rue de Picpus, Paris 75012 -- on Google maps and then check out street view to see what you'll be looking for.

http://www.parisinfo.com/musee-monument-paris/71410/Cimetiere-de-Picpus

There's also another cool connection -- when the U.S. finally decided to join in WWI, General Pershing and several Americans marched to the cemetery after a ceremony at Les Invalides. Pershing's aide, Colonel Stanton, declaimed at Lafayette's grave, "Lafayette, nous voici!!" (Lafayette -- we are come!)

https://books.google.fr/books?id=FcktAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=lafayette+nous+voici+picpus+stanton+pershing&source=bl&ots=yE9G1H-ShJ&sig=BL_CQX3GOdeXbSrAFJCwJdDqNZI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwif9JyqyYPMAhWF7g4KHVUyAnAQ6AEITzAI#v=onepage&q=lafayette%20nous%20voici%20picpus%20stanton%20pershing&f=false

Also, it's not widely known by Americans, but more people were guillotined at Place de la Nation after the guillotine was moved there than had been killed at PLace de la Concorde.

This TimeOut walking guide speaks a little of that at the end.

http://www.timeout.com/paris/en/things-to-do/paris-walks-the-path-to-purgatory

According to the book "Around and About Paris, the 8th through 12th arrondissements" by Thirza Vallois (expensive but recommended), 1,306 people were guillotined at Place de la Nation (or Place du Trône as it was then) in only two months. (By comparison, around 1,100 were guillotined at the Place du Carrousel and now Place de la Concorde then Place de la Revolution and, including Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, over a period of two and a half years.)

The story of how the burial ground at Picpus was found is also fascinating (the authorities tried to keep it a secret).

Definitely a fascinating place!

Hi Kim, thanks so much for this detailed information. I will check out the references you mentioned. We're very excited about our trip to France!

Hi, we just returned from Europe a few days ago and I wanted to report back on our visit to Picpus Cemetery.

We took the metro and, with the directions provided by other travelers here, easily found the site. Honestly, if you didn't know what you were looking for, you'd probably walk right past the place! Big door, number 35, right across the street from the car dealer. There's construction going on next door that will probably take a while.

The website indicated that the cemetery was closed in September but that's when we were traveling so we took a chance. We arrived early (about 1:15 pm) and accidently caught an employee going through the door. She said that the cemetery would be open at 2 pm.

We found a cafe and had lunch. We went back to the site at 2:30 pm and the door was open. We paid $2 euro to the caretaker and he gave us a brochure in English.

We spent about an hour touring the cemetery and church. There saw about 12 other visitors while we were there.

Well worth the trip. My traveling partner (a former history teacher) was very happy with the site and info provided. Thanks again for your help!

oh that's great!! So glad you gave it a try and were able to visit!! A very special place, and somewhere that not many folks make it to.