CIMETIÈRE DE PASSY / A SECRET PLACE
At Trocadéro roundabout, there’s an extremely tall and long stone wall. For the past three years I lived in Paris, I wondered what was behind the wall. Finally, I decided to walk against the wall and look for an entrance. I finally came to an entrance, and I was very surprised at my finding. It was a cemetery! I’ve never imagined nor have heard of anyone talking about a cemetery at Trocadéro. I walked in of course.
When I first traveled around France, one thing which exceptionally impressed me was the cemeteries. They had so much more character than those well planned cemeteries in the States. It is also interesting how one family shares one grave by stacking the coffins under a tomb or a mausoleums.
Compared to Pere-Lachaise, the most well known cemetery in Paris where tourists can have a guided tour, this place was completely empty. While I was walking around the cemetery, I almost forgot that I was in Paris. I was at Trocadéro, the most visited place in Paris by tourists, yet I didn’t see a single tourist here.
A view of the Eiffel tower.
I sat down on a bench for a while and enjoyed the rare calmness. Then I was happy to have found this secret place for myself : )