Émile Zola, Tomb in the Cimetière de Montmartre, Paris
The tomb of Émile Zola is a grave located in the Cimetière de Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, designed in the Art Nouveau style by architect Frantz Jourdain. The plot sits in the 19th division of the cemetery, in one of the older and more shaded sections of the grounds.
Zola died in 1902 from carbon monoxide poisoning in his Paris apartment, under circumstances that were never fully explained, and his body was first buried in the Cimetière de Montmartre. In 1908, his remains were transferred to the Panthéon, but the original tomb was kept in place and his family continued to rest there.
The tomb in the Cimetière de Montmartre features a bronze portrait bust sculpted by Philippe Solari, unveiled in 1904, which gives the site a personal and solemn presence. Visitors regularly leave flowers and handwritten notes there, treating the grave as a place to honor someone who stood openly for truth and free expression.
The grave is well signposted within the Cimetière de Montmartre, and maps are usually available at the main entrances to help with navigation. Visiting on a weekday or outside peak season allows for a calmer walk through the grounds.
Although Zola's remains were moved to the Panthéon in 1908, the tomb in the Cimetière de Montmartre was never demolished, because his wife and children stayed buried there. This means Paris has two memorial sites for the same writer, which is something most visitors do not realise.
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