Cimetière du Nord

Cimetière du Nord is a burial ground with around 14,000 plots spread across 8 hectares north of Rennes. The landscaped grounds contain memorial stones and monuments in various styles.

This cemetery was established in 1794, following a royal order from 1776 that required burial grounds to move outside city limits. The relocation came from health concerns that were pressing in that era.

The entrance gate with its Tuscan columns shapes how visitors first experience this place. The 1828 architecture shows how Rennes wanted to express dignity and order in its burial grounds.

The grounds are open during regular hours for visitors and are located near the northern residential areas. Guided tours are available to learn about the local history through the people buried here.

Visitors place bottle caps on Canon Joseph Thébault's grave in a custom whose origin remains mysterious. Others collect soil from Dame Philippe Hélène de Coëtlogon's resting place, using it for folk remedies.

Location: Rennes

Inception: 1790s

Official opening: 1794

GPS coordinates: 48.12522,-1.68045

Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:44