'Grave' start to another magnifique day in Paris

The grave of Doors lead singer Jim Morrison.

Today was lovely but I knew it would be because, if I was grumpy the day before, I do my very best not to repeat it!

This morning, I had a reason to get up in good time and start my day. I booked a GuruWalk of the Pere Lachaise cemetery.

A GuruWalk is a free walking tour of a certain area of a city or a local landmark. The tour itself is free but the guide gets paid at the end by the participants on a tip basis. If you enjoyed the tour, you give a good tip. If you didn’t, you pay accordingly.

The tour is guided by local professionals and the ones I’ve done are really good. Mickey (one of my heart sisters) found free walking tours in Lisbon when I was there last time and we tried a couple. They were great. I did one in Casablanca and now one-and-a-half here in Paris (it would’ve been two but I got lost). First thing I did was research how to get there. The metro (subway system) in Paris is super easy to navigate. I plotted my subway route (lines and stations) and took pictures as a reminder. I also have a great subway map.

After breakfast, it was time to set off.

There was no problem getting to my destination. My trains were on time and the transfer was quick and easy. After getting off my last train, a short walk took me to the meeting point. There were five of us and our guide, Tetiana, a transplanted Ukranian who’s been living in Paris for several years and likes cemeteries. The memorials, the history, the beauty. She’s a really good guide because, in addition to taking us to see some of the more famous residents (and sharing their stories), she took us to graves of lesser-known residents but who had unique graves and told their stories. We visited the graves of Colette (a fascinating life), Chopin, Oscar Wilde and, of course Jim Morrison. Colette and Chopin had graves that are barrier-free because visitors treat them with respect. Oscar Wilde has a glass barrier because of damage to the monument (his penis was broken off and people left red lipstick kisses on him, which damaged the granite when cleaned).

Jim Morrison's grave has a fence around it but it hasn’t deterred people from leaving items on his grave and damaging it. They chip at his grave to get a souvenir, leave garbage around it and put chewed gum on a tree that’s close to it. Honestly, I found it disrespectful.

Then there are graves with stories — an older man who fell in love with a very young girl, married her and was castrated by her uncle for seducing her at a young age. He became a monk and she a nun, although her heart wasn’t in it. She did fight for nun reform in such things as giving nuns beds instead of sleeping on the floor.

Graves that are not maintained are quietly cleared away and the plot resold. You can still apply to get buried there but it will cost you more than 20,000 Euros.

The last thing I’ll share, which I absolutely love, is that if you have no desire for a final resting place and a marker, you can have your ashes scattered at the Pere Lachaise cemetery at the Jardin de Souvenir. There is a common area to leave flowers or plants, and then lawn that is fenced off on either side where cremated ashes can be scattered into the grass. If I didn’t already have a plot with My Favourite Husband, this would be something I’d consider doing for myself.

After the tour, I rode the metro back to my original starting point as my next plan was to tour Sainte Chapelle. I had bought a combo ticket yesterday and, with the chapel closed, I needed to return and tour today. Sainte Chapelle was built in the 1200s for King Louis XI. The lower palace was for servants and soldiers, and the upper palace for the royal family and invited guests. It has one of the biggest stained glass collections in the world and was also home to some of the biblical relics, including the Crown of Thorns (although that artefact was moved to Notre Dame. Side note: it survived the fire).

The cathedral is incredibly beautiful and I’m very glad that I visited. On my way out, I spied a sign that said there was a concert in the chapel the next two nights. The concert was sold out but, with the incredible scenery and the spectacular acoustics, listening to classical music in this setting would be a gift. From Sainte Chapelle I did what tourists do (Parisiennes would not be caught dead doing this in these temperatures): I sat at an outdoor cafe, froze my body parts off and pretended that I’m cool. Cold, yes, cool not. As I finished my hot chocolate, it began to drizzle and I needed a warmer jacket and my umbrella if I was going to continue my adventures. I headed back to my hotel where I got sucked into the warm cocoon of my bed and napped.

I woke up a short time later and I decided I really wanted to go back to Sainte Chapelle and see a concert there. Yes, it was sold out but I’m nothing but persistent, so I tried different websites before I finally broke down and called. And scored a ticket! The gentleman on the other end of the line said to me, “You do realize the concert is starting in 30 minutes.” I told him I was a five- minute walk away and he laughed and took my name. When I picked up my ticket and walked into the chapel at the entrance to the front half of the seating area, he spied me, asked if I was Cindy, and then proceeded to seat me in the second row from the front. Heavenly!

Photos and video were forbidden during the one-hour performance but let me say this: even if you’re not a fan of classical music, the absolute beauty of the soaring notes that came from the violin and the alto (viola) would give you goosebumps (well, that and the fact the chapel isn’t heated). Mozart, Bach, Handel, Paganini … the beauty of the notes the two gentlemen played came to life and danced in the air before softly floating and settling into the architecture around them. I’m blessed and grateful that I scored a ticket because this performance will stay with me forever. At the end, I made the walk back to my hotel. It was still raining and I had no desire to sit and dine alone in a restaurant tonight. Besides, I was wet and cold. Luckily for me, there is a patisserie at the bottom of my hotel. I picked up a sandwich, a sweet and a drink and came upstairs to reflect on my day. It truly was a great day and I’m grateful that I have the time and ability to see and do new things in this city and create new memories. On that note, bonne nuit and my heart full of love for each of you from the girl under the Paris sky (who dreams about the stars she’s witnessed in the Sahara sky).