Paris Has A Very Famous Gravesite – Very “Hands On!”
When I visited the Pere Lachiase Cemetery in Paris recently, I was caught off guard by one grave site…because it appears to have been “over touched!”
This is the grave of Victor Noir, a 19th-century political journalist, who was shot in a duel by Prince Pierre Bonaparte in 1870, and Noir became a symbol of the imperial injustice and a martyr for the Republic.
Noir’s gravesite includes a very realistic depiction of the man – and that’s where the story takes a strange turn.
The dead Victor has an under-belt bump that has become a fertility beacon!
Victor Noir’s grave has become a “must see” for women who rub his girth to prevent infertility!
After a century of this activity, you can clearly see how that part of his body has been rubbed to a shiny glow, while the rest of his body presents the greenish tone of oxidized bronze.
According to Wikipedia:
“Myth says that placing a flower in the upturned top hat after kissing the statue on the lips and rubbing its genital area will enhance fertility, bring a blissful sex life, or, in some versions, a husband within the year. As a result of the legend, those particular components of the otherwise verdigris (grey-green oxidized bronze) statue are rather well-worn and shiny.”
Atlas Obscura reported that in 2004, when a fence was erected around Victor Noir’s tomb to deter fertility-seekers from carnally touching the statue, women were so offended that a few noisy protests were staged in the cemetery, enough to have the fence torn down!
I had no idea this grave was there, I just happened upon it and was “curious” about the reason for the rubdown…
The grave site is now one of the most famous in the cemetery, along with the grave site of Jim Morrison:
You can see my tour of the entire Pere Lachaise Cemetery here, including video of the Morrison grave, by clicking here:
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Let me know if you’ve seen this grave!
Categories: Art, Exotic Travel, Memoirs, Paris, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir, Uncategorized
How interesting! Thanks John.
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Oh my, how interesting. Is Oscar Wilde buried in this cemetery as well? I have always wanted to visit. Now I have one more grave to look out for. (But not to touch)
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Yes, I link to my tour of the whole cemetary and show Wilde’s as well as Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison!
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I would love to visit this cemetery…..not in the need for the infertility aspect, just looks interesting.
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Thanks for the comment…I had no idea this one existed, but the place is packed with famous graves, like Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf and so many more! It’s a fascinating place but if you go, get a map!
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Jim Morrison’s grave has always been on my must see list. Can’t wait to finally go!
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Haha, that is just so odd…..
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It’s a popular spot at the cemetary, and people DO rub the grave for “fertility” good luck! Thanks for commenting!
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People are funny…
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Good old Victor! I bet he has been enjoying looking down on all that ‘attention’!
Great to see such an old tradition continuing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, I knew nothing about it when I walked by, but had to followup after seeing it…glad I got a bunch of pics when I was there!
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Love it, John. Shared on Twitter. 🙂
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Thanks Pete! I appreciate that!
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