City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris- Interview With Author Carolyn Campbell

Today I am happy to publish an interview with Carolyn Campbell, author of the bestselling book City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris. The informative and entertaining book captures the history, mystery, romance, and the factual elements of the beloved cemetery, along with sumptuous photos from Campbell and contributing photographer Joe Cornish. 

The book highlights 84 of the most impressive luminaries buried in Pere-Lachaise and in chapter 3, Conversations with the Immortals, Campbell has imaginary conversations with some of the more celebrated inhabitants of the cemetery including Jim Morrison, Colette, Oscar Wilde, Piaf, and Chopin. City of Immortals has a practical chapter where three detailed tours are laid out for easy access, plus there’s a detailed map tucked into a pocket in the back cover. There’s also a City of Immortals app which has three different tours you can take. 

Carolyn has graciously agreed to a giveaway of a copy of City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris for an Eye Prefer Paris reader. Be the second person to make a comment about the book in my comments section and win your copy of the book.  Email subscribers, if you go to the bottom of this email, in small print it says “You are subscribed to email updates from I Prefer Paris”. Click on I Prefer Paris, and on the bottom of the post you will see COMMENT in small letters. Click on that to make a comment. 

When did you make your first trip to Paris and what was the experience like? 

In 1981, I was Director of Public Relations at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. During a staff meeting, the conservator who moonlighted as a travel agent said that a cancellation on a charter flight to Paris had left him with a round trip ticket and did I want to go? I only had to pay the tax. Needless to say, I hurriedly made plans for my first trip to France. I stayed in a friend’s home on Rue des Batignolles in the 17th Arrondissement, and quickly learned to navigate the Paris Metro in order to explore the breadth of city. I did copious amounts of shopping; dined on sumptuous cuisine, indulged my expresso and patisserie habit, as well as haunted many museums. I had studied design in art school, so I took an unforgettable trip out to Versailles, plus spent an afternoon with the artist Joan Mitchell at her two-acre estate in Vétheuil near Giverny, Claude Monet's home. The serendipitous visit to Père-Lachaise is pretty much my debut book history. From that moment on, I became a Francophile for life.

How did you find out about Pere Lachaise and after you visited, what made you want to write a book about it?

That same week in 1981, an artist friend at an exhibition opening who knew I was planning to go to Paris suggested I visit Père-Lachaise Cemetery. Oddly, before this, I had never been in a cemetery aside from attending my grandfather’s military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery when I was a child. My friend knew that Oscar Wilde was a literary hero of mine and told me that his ancestor, Sir Jacob Epstein sculpted the monument marking Wilde’s burial place. I had my first destination.

I have had a lifelong interest in history, artist biographies, culture and design. The cemetery tapped into all these passions, so my travel journal reflected them. At the time, there were no scholarly or comprehensive books written in English about the cemetery, with the exception of the not-yet-published, The Architecture of Death: The Transformation of the Cemetery in Eighteenth-Century Paris by Richard A. Etlin. My mentor, the late art critic of the New York Times, John Russell gave me his galley copy of Etlin’s book where he had annotated mentions of Père-Lachaise for my attention. It became my true North on how to approach the subject.

My long career in PR prompted a natural desire to promote and tell the story of this remarkable place. I wanted visitors to Père-Lachaise to have the same enriching experiences I had but without having to spend thirty years researching the subject!  Friends traveling to Paris to whom I lent my draft maps and notes returned with tales of how extraordinary it was to have an entirely new perspective on the funerary symbols and architectural styles on each tomb. They all agreed with my assessment that the cemetery was an outdoor museum of 19^th century design. Many asked, “When will you write a book?”

Angels and Obelisks by Carolyn Campbell

 Aux Morts Monument by Carolyn Campbell 

Winding avenue of architecture by Joe Cornish

Can you please tell us the trajectory and the timeline of writing and producing the book? 

Over the decades, I amassed volumes of interview transcripts along with research notes and drafts of chapter ideas that were, I guess, waiting for the right moment. That moment arrived in 2018 while I was sitting with L.A.-based architecture and design writer Michael Webb on the balcony of his Richard Neutra-designed apartment. He was interviewing me about the genesis of my illustrated map of the cemetery, and the early beta model for my GPS tour app. He asked me, “Why don’t you create a book with all these great images and material?” It was Michael’s generous introduction to his publisher, Gordon Goff that set things in motion. After a whirlwind month of emails and conversations, I was offered a publishing deal. Little did I know of the immensity and the pace of the work ahead? It took me about three furious months to assemble decades of work to meet a spring deadline for a fall launch.

Luckily, the team at Goff Books and I were both in California so there were no time zone issues. Our production effort was brisk and well-coordinated. I wanted a small book with fewer than 200 pages, including 100 color illustrations, plus the map. We all agreed to a soft bound format for budget and ease of carrying in the cemetery. I splurged adding a silk ribbon as a book mark. The design process went smoothly as well, but editing 30 years and thousands of images; both mine and my colleague, landscape photographer Joe Cornish was daunting. The familiar phrase,  “killing your darlings” comes to mind. Organizing, editing, then polishing the manuscript was a joyous reliving of my encounters with the many wonderful souls I had met in and out of the cemetery.

However, I had not predicted the monumental task of the “Conversations” that make up the heart of the book. I had written three, had a few rough drafts and was thinking of adding one more. Following a brainstorming session with Gordon and Michael who became the editorial advisor, we decided on eight. I was already familiar with the lives of the artists and writers in Père-Lachaise, so I enthusiastically set to work crafting my exchanges with the additional creative spirits.

The final layout of the book went off to the printer for production; I signed-off on the proofs; the book went on press; we met the deadline, and launched a publicity campaign. All our efforts paid off when City of Immortals made the bestseller list.

What were some of the surprising and most fascinating things you learned when you were doing your research? 

My favorite discovery was that we have the 19th century architects to thank for moving away from the Christian-dominated imagery of macabre sadness and a frightful place filled with dead bodies, to the pantheistic view of a cemetery that reflects a more peaceful concept of a sweet rest. After all, the earliest interpretation of the word cimetière was “a place where one sleeps.” Étienne Louis Boullée, one of the most admired architects of the period, and the mentor of Alexandre-Thèodore Brongniart, who designed Père-Lachaise, was a proponent of the pre-Romantic celebration of the divinity in nature. Brongniart carried out this concept in his revolutionary garden-style plan that has stood as a model for cemeteries worldwide.

It was a privilege and an advantage interviewing many individuals who had a personal connection to Père-Lachaise whether having worked there with knowledge of the fascinating backstory of the cemetery, or scholars who studied funerary history, and friends or family who knew an artist buried there. It was my good fortune to have met several people directly associated with the legendary band, The Doors. Two of those individuals who were at the private burial of Jim Morrison shared with me exclusive never-before-published information. I’ve included those details in my conversation with Morrison in the book.

Oscar Wilde tomb by Carolyn Campbell

Arbelot tomb in Division 11 by Carolyn Campbell

Romantic section by Joe Cornish

You layout out three different tours in your book. Can you please tell us how you designed the tours and how they differ? 

The fold-out map in the back pocket complements the tomb descriptions and images featured in the book, as well as the details in my GPS Tour App. I celebrate 84 cultural icons found in the cemetery’s 97 divisions. Entering the 20’ tall main gates on Boulevard Menilmontant, Tour One provides the ideal introduction to the cemetery and is designed to impress with its sweeping cobblestone Avenue Principale. It covers a large portion of the oldest area, the Romantic Section, which is part of the original sixteen-acres of the cemetery founded in 1804. However, visitors will come across many graves from the 20th century amidst the older tombs. I focus on 27 popular grave sites in this tour, including Colette, Théodore Géricault, Frédéric Chopin, Jim Morrison of The Doors, Rosa Bonheur and Heloïse and Abelard.

Tours Two and Three cover the central and northern sections of the cemetery, respectively.

Each tour offers a unique experience on several levels, literally. For example, Tour Two covers some of the steepest areas in the cemetery (it was formerly called Mont Louis and, yes, it is considered a mountain), so visitors should take that into consideration when gauging their hiking abilities and time available. In Tour Two, visitors can commune with 34 luminaries such as Honoré de Balzac, Eugène Delacroix, René Lalique, Marcel Marceau, Molière and Georges Méliès.

It is important to tour at a reasonable pace, so one can explore as much of the area as your heart desires and your feet can endure. The entire cemetery currently covers 107 acres. Tour Three, with entry gates near Avenue Gambetta (the northern-most part of the cemetery) starts out as a level area then slopes toward the other divisions, so you can walk downhill through the ages. There visitors will find the final resting places for 24 paragons of cultural history, including Sarah Bernhardt, Isadora Duncan, Amedeo Modigliani, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein and Oscar Wilde.

I love the cover photo. Who is that mysterious woman? 

The figure of the seated woman, a variation on the classic la Douleur (grief) is by sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias and marks the tomb of French government architect Antoine Gaëtan Guérinot and his wife Jeanne Amanda Roberts Guérinot.  It is located on Chemin du Puisard, behind the large chapel in Division 55. 

Nineteenth-century architects and sculptors utilized the grieving female figure as one of the most prominent characters in this theater of stone. Statues of women often represented the seven virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, faith, hope and charity—powerful examples of how women embody some of the deepest qualities of the human condition.

If someone only had two hours to visit, what do you recommend they see? 

Visitors with limited time should be strategic with their destinations.  I suggest looking at the list and plan one’s must see tombs in advance. On my first visit, I entered through the side gate across from the nearby Père-Lachaise Metro stop.  In my quest to find Wilde, which on that first visit I did not accomplish, I had no idea that he was at the far north end of the cemetery. I got thoroughly distracted by the immensity of this 107-acre labyrinth, plus I became intoxicated with a world of funerary art and history where renowned artists, writers, actors, filmmakers, and musicians rested. Armed with a small, photocopied map from the cemetery guard, I meandered and eventually got lost which, honestly, was half the fun. A two-hour visit may not afford that luxury so, as I suggest, plan ahead.

Personally, I always come back to and highly recommend Tour One. In particular, make sure to stroll through Division 11 off Avenue DeLille. It includes a hilly, tree-lined path overlooking a bucolic part of the Romantic section leading to the graves of composers Vincenzo Bellini, Luigi Cherubini, and Frédéric Chopin.

Come fortified. Have your coffee and meal in advance as eating on site is frowned upon. Map out what area has the highest concentration of tombs you want to visit and keep an eye on the time. Don’t worry if you don’t achieve your goals, I guarantee you will have a memorable adventure.  Plus, Père-Lachaise will always be here; awaiting its next visitors.

Do you plan to write about other cemeteries in the future? 

Honestly, I have been so busy with my book tour, which moved onto Zoom due to COVID-19, I only have been writing essays about Père-Lachaise. However, over the years I have become an avid taphophile (cemetery lover), and visited many other cemeteries in my travels, including Mexican cemeteries in the Yucatan, Highgate in London, Mount Auburn in Cambridge, Mass., Rock Creek and Oak Hill in Washington, D.C. and in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Forever and Forest Lawn cemeteries.

Click here to purchase City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris

https://cityofimmortals.com/

Carolyn Campbell by Marcel Wepper

Chopin at dusk All Souls Day by Joe Cornish

Female grieving figure by Carolyn Campbell

Gericault by Carolyn Campbell

I am thrilled to launch my Emily in Paris Video Tour today. The video stars moi and is directed and filmed by my partner Vincent Gagliostro. In the almost 25-minute video you get to experience seeing many of the locations where the show was shot, the fascinating history of them, and you will receive insider scoops about Paris. An added bonus is you can watch my onscreen singing debut in the video, singing a verse from a classic French song. 

The price to watch the video is $12. Click here to send $12 to my Paypal account, and after I receive your payment, I will then send you the link to watch it. I request that you don’t share the link with anyone else. Please note that any order received after 10pm Paris time, I will send the link to the video the next morning. 

 

Comments

[Krissy]

I enjoyed visiting this cemetery, and would love a copy of this book!

[Ross Jenkins]

Great interview. The book sounds lovely. I would be thrilled to visit.

[LuLu LoLo]

Looking forward to obtaining a copy of "City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris". I have often visited Pere-Lachaise making pilgrimages to certain grave sites for myself and for friends and have marvel at the many gravesites I encounter. I find visiting cemeteries inspiring and are always on my travel agenda.

[Alan Konyer]

I have visited Paris a few times and did a photo tour of the Marais with you. Never have visited the cemetery, but this book would be a terrific companion.

[Harriet Welty Rochefort]

I live only minutes from the Père Lachaise and visit it almost daily. There is always something new to discover and I am are that in Carolyn's book I will find even more with her book as my guide.

[Shirley Kern]

Richard, this was an excellent interview with Carolyn Campbell about her book City of Immortals: Pere-Lachaise Cemetery Paris. In 2012, I came to Paris and visited Pere-Lachaise cemetery. It was a overwhelming experience, like Carolyn says, you need to spend a lot of time there to take it all in. Ms. Campbell's book sounds wonderful because it seems to include everything needed to experience Pere Lachaise as its architects planned for it to be. I would love to be awarded Carolyn's fascinating and stunning work of art.

[Kathy Mooney]

I adore this cemetery. We spent the day there roaming the lanes. Most moving was way in the back were all the memorials to the deceased in all the different Nazi camps.