Genevieve de bois Russian cemetery. Russian cemetery in Paris

The famous cemetery called "Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois" is located in the town of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, 30 km from the southern part of Paris. Along with local residents, immigrants from Russia were buried there. The cemetery is considered Orthodox, although there are burials of other religions. Here 10,000 people from Russia found rest. These are grand dukes, generals, writers, actors, clergy, artists.

In 1960, the French authorities raised the issue of demolishing the cemetery, because the lease on the land was about to expire. However, the Russian government allocated the necessary amount for the further rent and maintenance of the cemetery. In the 2000s, some of the graves were sent for reburial in the Russian Federation.

How did the Russian cemetery appear in Paris?

During the October Revolution, many emigrated from France, leaving only elderly people who had nowhere to run. In April 1927, the émigré committee bought a castle near Paris to organize a home for lonely elderly émigrés. The castle bore the unspoken name "Russian House", in which 150 people lived. Today, here you can find preserved relics of Russian culture and life of White emigrants.

At the very edge of the park adjacent to the castle, there is a small local cemetery, which soon began to be replenished with Russian graves. And later, the dead Soviet soldiers and Russians who took part in the French Resistance movement found their last shelter there.

Church of the Assumption Mother of God

Before the Second World War, the Russians bought out a plot where the construction of the Russian Orthodox Church was completed in 1939. Assumption Mother of God.

The church is the work of the architect Albert Benois, the brother of the Russian artist, who chose the style of Pskov architecture of the Middle Ages for building. The wife of the architect, Margarita Benois was engaged in wall painting, as well as restored the iconostasis. Nun Catherine, who worked in the Russian House and its director, Sergei Vilchkovsky, and the general treasurer of the cemetery, Konrad Zamen, also took part in the construction of the temple.

Subsequently, the architect of the church was buried in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

Mention of the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery in poetry and songs

Many Russian tourists consider it their duty to visit Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, and the creative bohemia from the Russian Federation is no exception. So, the poet and bard Alexander Gorodnitsky composed a song with the name of the cemetery; Robert Rozhdestvensky wrote a poem about the famous cemetery, and the composer Vyacheslav Khripko wrote music to it; Marina Yudenich wrote a novel of the same name.

Loud names on ancient monuments

An incredible number of famous and worthy names are carved on ancient monuments.

Here is a small part of the string of Russian surnames:

• poet Vadim Andreev;
• writer Ivan Bunin;
• architect Albert Benoit;
• Grigory Eliseev, founder of a chain of stores named after him;
• artists Konstantin Korovin and Konstantin Somov;
• General Alexander Kutepov;
• poetess Zinaida Gippius.

Additional Information

The main entrance goes through the church. There is also a shop that sells cemetery maps and guidebooks daily. The first entrance from the bus stop is the service entrance.

How to get there

From any RER C station, the train will take you to Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois train station. Travel time will take ± 30 minutes. From the station you can walk to the cemetery, which is very tiring (walk about 3 km and you need to take care not to go astray ... although modern navigators will help you cope with this task), or take bus number 3, which will take you directly to Orthodox Church.

Geographical location of the attraction.

The cemetery of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is located in France, in the city of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois (fr. Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois). The cemetery can be found on rue Léo Lagrange. The city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois itself is located in the northern part of central France and not far from Paris, only 23 kilometers away. You can get to the town by train.

Climate in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

The city is located in the north of the central part of France, and therefore Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois has very humid and mild winters, rarely when the air temperature in winter drops below + 3.5 ° C. But although the air temperature is not low, nevertheless, it is often chilly, damp and humid outside. And only occasionally there are sunny and warm winter days in the city, during which it is very pleasant to wander through the quiet streets of the city and visit the very quiet and quietest corner of the city - the Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

The history of the creation of the Russian cemetery in the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

In the 1920s, the first Russian emigrants who fled from and from Bolshevik Russia arrived in France. This was the first wave of Russian emigration. Of course, the question arose about what would happen to the elderly who ended up in emigration. It was decided to buy a mansion near Paris and convert it into a nursing home, where elderly Russian people would find peace and comfort, care and guardianship. By the way, aged Russian emigrants themselves called this house "seniors' house". The house was opened in 1927. The founder of the nursing home in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois was a great woman, one of the brightest, most active and merciful Russian emigres of France - Princess Vera Kirillovna Meshcherskaya - the daughter of the Russian ambassador to Japan, and later the wife of Prince Meshchersky.

The history of the house is very old. Once, next to the place where the house stands, there was a barn built by the farmers Berthier de Sauvigny - the owners of the estate. Later they rebuilt an elegant mansion next to the barn - it is now called "Maison Russe". And so, in 1927, the mansion and the park adjacent to the mansion with a cemetery at the end of the park became, by the will of fate, the keepers of the secrets and relics of pre-revolutionary Russia.

The very first residents of this house were such great Russian people as the Tolstoy, Bakunins, Golitsyns, Vasilchikovs ... And in the 30s of the last century, the first Russian graves appeared at the communal cemetery at the end of the park. Superbly educated people who spoke many languages ​​died, who managed to survive in that terrible time and live a decent life in a non-native France, while remaining in their hearts Russian people and loyal to Russia. In the end, an Orthodox church in the Novgorod style was rebuilt next to the cemetery, in which services are still held today. Now there are about 10 thousand Russian graves in the cemetery.

Sightseeing in the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

Of course, the main attraction of the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois is the Maison Russe itself and the cemetery in the depths of the park.

To this day, Maison Russe contains portraits of Russian emperors, their busts, old antique furniture and a royal traveling throne made of wood, upholstered in purple velvet and with a two-headed eagle, books, icons, paintings that the Ambassador of the Provisional Government managed to take out of the embassy in Paris in time. France Vasily Alekseevich Maklakov. Many things and antiques were brought by elderly Russian emigrants themselves. One icon hangs on the walls of this house, which was presented to the founder of this house - Vera Kirillovna Meshcherskaya by the Empress herself - Maria Fedorovna. All these objects of Russian history, its greatness and pride are now kept in the old building of Maison Russe, which is no longer suitable for the elderly. But on the bright day of Easter, everyone can visit the house and go to church.

The nursing home continues to operate. And now there are elderly people in need of care. Of course, there are practically no Russian people among them. They live in an adjacent modern building with the latest medical equipment. Old people here quietly live out their days, for lunch they are served delicious dishes with a glass of red wine, on holidays they are treated to stronger alcoholic beverages, the guests of this house are even allowed to keep pets. Russian women take care of old people, they are called tenderly animatrice - the inspirer. Russian speech is often heard in Maison Russe - inspirers read Russian books and Russian magazines to their wards.

Walking along the park alley, you can see the Orthodox Church, which was painted by Albert and Margarita Benois. Services are still held in the church. And next to the church there is a small house in which a weary traveler can always drink hot tea with a bun and relax. The house is decorated with the inscription "Relax, hide from the bad weather and prayerfully remember the one who thought about you."

And then comes Russia, a small corner of Russia in France. On the right, in the chapel, is buried Gali Khagondokova, the daughter of a tsarist general. In emigration, she was not lost - she opened her own fashion house, successfully married a Frenchman and opened many hospitals and rest homes for French soldiers.

The cemetery is distinguished by the fact that next to the family graves there are the graves of servants, governesses, servants of the Russian family. Cossacks, Kornilovites, Don artillerymen, cadets, General Alekseev and his Alekseevites, they are all buried next to each other, they did not part even after death.

The grave of Rudolf Nureyev stands out from the general background of the graves - a chest covered with a luxurious purple veil with a gold pattern. Every year, every day, visitors and pilgrims try to break off a piece of this blanket as a souvenir - therefore, the grave of Rudolf Nureyev has to be restored frequently. And they buried the Muslim Nureyev at an Orthodox, or rather a Christian cemetery by special permission.

In 1921, a monument to the participants of the White movement was erected at the cemetery by General Kutepov and Russian émigrés. No one is forgotten - General Denikin and the first volunteers, participants in the Don campaigns, General Wrangel, ranks of cavalry and horse artillery, General Kolchak and all the sailors of the imperial fleet, chieftains and all the Cossacks ....

Buried there are Andrei Tarkovsky and his wife, bard and writer Alexander Galich, poet Vadim Andreev, the Benois wife, who painted the church next to the cemetery, the first Nobel Prize winner, writer Ivan Bunin, sisters Marina Vlady, Arctic explorer Alexander Ivanovich Varnek, Metropolitan Evlogii, the widow of the admiral of the Russian fleet, the Supreme ruler of Russia, the leader of the White movement, Alexander Kolchak, Sofya Kolchak and their son - Rostislav Kolchak, Matilda Kseshinskaya is a ballerina, Mikhail Latri is the grandson of I.K. Aivazovsky, Tatyana Evgenievna Melnik-Botkina - she was one of the last who saw the emperor's family alive, the actors Mozzhukhins, Princess Obolenskaya, Romanov Gabriel Konstantinovich and his princess, the adopted son and godson of Maxim Gorky Peshkov Zinovy, the Ryabushinsky family, the wife of P. Stolypin - Olga Stolypina, the Stavrinsky family, the Yusupov and Sheremetyev family, the writer Teffi, and many many other Russian people.

To date, thank God, the fate of the cemetery has already been decided. The Russian government recently transferred money to the treasury of the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois for the maintenance and rent of Russian graves. Until that time, the municipality of the city planned to demolish the Russian cemetery, since the lease terms for the graves had already expired and no one looked after the burials, which made it possible to make a decision to demolish the cemetery to meet other social needs of the city.

Excursions from the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

In the city, besides the Russian nursing home and the Russian cemetery, it is worth visiting the grotto of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, a park with animals, the library of Honore de Balzac.

Visiting the quiet town of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, of course, you shouldn't miss excursions around the capital of France, Paris.

In Paris, it is worth visiting the Montparnasse area - the cream of the imperial Russian society - writers, poets, philosophers, artists, actors - were often found there.

Of course, what is Paris without the Louvre and Versailles, without the residence of King Fonteblo? It is also worth visiting the Chantilly castle, which stands on an island and is surrounded on all sides by water. The palace of the famous Nicolas Fouquet - the Minister of Finance of Louis XIV of the Sun King, whom the king himself envied, for which he sent his finance minister to life imprisonment.

You should definitely walk through the historic center of Paris. See the splendor, splendor and inviolability of the Gothic, expressed in the Palais de Justice, the Chapelle Chapelle and the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.

A visit to the European Disneyland and Aquaboulvar will be very joyful for children. But at the same time, it must be remembered that children under 3 years old are not allowed in Aquabulvar.

And be sure to see all of its bridges across the Seine in Paris and take a boat cruise, seeing all the sights located on the left and right banks of the famous river.

Places for entertainment and shopping in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

Shopping, of course, is worth doing in the capital of France in Paris. Here shopping has become an art. Everything here is subordinated to the wishes of the guest. What does he want to buy? What does he want to get? What does he want to see?

There are separate trading houses, small boutiques, and famous Parisian flea markets. And practically all of this is on one street - boulevard Haussmann.

Fashion houses or haute couture are represented on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne, Rue du Cherche-Midi and rue de Grenelle, Rue Etienne Marcel and Place des Victoires. As for the Champs Elysees, yes, there used to be many boutiques and shops here, but now there are more restaurants here, so it's worth visiting the Champs Elysees not only with a sightseeing tour, but also with a desire to eat and drink.

Flea markets in Paris are located around the old city gates.

Many places, streets, houses in Paris are associated with the history of Russia. When visiting these memorable places, do not forget to bow and honor the memory of our ancestors. Every Russian, having visited France, must first of all visit the places of Russian, Orthodox France - the Montparnasse area, the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois with its Russian nursing home and the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

France, environs of Paris, Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

The high society of RUSSIA, military heroes, scientists, industrialists, elite and intelligentsia of the Russian society, thrown out of their native spaces as a result of an artificially created human cataclysm that broke the fate of millions of honest and decent people, found their last shelter in this cemetery. As a result, our bitterness towards each other, insolent youth who do not recognize the authorities, the decline of morality, spirit, morality. Devastation, poverty, destruction undertaken by the inhabitants of modern Russia (the people who spit on their history), uncleanness (look at our courtyards and dilapidated buildings and public places decorated with obscenity, transport).

So someone rested in the cemetery:

The burials are located in special areas:

1. Burials in the crypt of the Holy Dormition Church

2. Burials at the military sector 1939-1945 Burials of warriors, including the Don artillerymen, cadets, Kornilovites, Kolchakites, Drozdovites, Alekseevites, Markovites COSSACKS, Denikinians, Wrangelites.

3. Families of RUSSIANS who shared the fate of the defenders of the Motherland in a foreign land.

HOW TO GET (COME, GET) TO VISIT THE CEMETERY OF SAINT-GENEVIEW-DE-BOIS

The town of Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois is located about 30 km south of Paris.

The cemetery is located in the vicinity of Leo Lagrange Street and Jacques Duclos Avenue.

There, at one time, a nursing home was opened for Russian emigrants,
1. Travel from Paris by public transport

There are two ways to get to the cemetery from the center of Paris: metro + minibus or direct bus.
It is preferable (less fussy) to go by bus.

Route scheme

First option... The bus departs from the Place Denfert-Rochereau (you need to get to the metro station of the same name):

Travel time is 45-50 minutes. The fare is 3.90 euros. Paris passes are valid (the cemetery is located in the 5th tariff zone).

The interval of the bus: every half hour, from 6:30 a.m. up to 20 hours. 30 min., On weekends the movement starts at 8 o'clock. 00 minutes

Before boarding, you should ask if the bus goes to Semeteri Ryus (Russian cemetery). The official name of the stop in the cemetery area is Lier.

Second option- metro + minibus. You need to go by RER (high-speed train) to the station St. Genevieve des Bois (yellow line, 5th zone). There is a minibus (nivette) from the station to the cemetery area. The stop is the same as for buses ("semeteri ryus" or "Lear"). Once you reach the train station in Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois, you will need to either walk to the cemetery (about half an hour) or take a bus. You need any bus, from 001 to 004, that goes past the Mare au Chanvre stop. You will also have to walk a little from this stop, but the locals can give directions (the Russian cemetery in French is "simetier ryus").

Back drive from the same place, but on the other side of the road. Be sure to ask where the bus is heading. Otherwise, you can go not to Paris at all, and not to the RER station in the town. However, there is a bus to another station - Massy-Palaiseau, but it takes more than an hour.

A visit to the cemetery takes, if you examine all the graves, at least 1.5-2 hours.

More detailed route description.

By metro on the lines "5" or "10" you need to get to the station "Austerlitz Station" ("Gare d'Austerlitz"), then change to the "electric train" (RER) of the "C4" or "C6" lines. The RER line in the city starts underground, so you can simply go to it from the metro station. Naturally, before boarding the RER, you need to purchase a ticket - its estimated cost to Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois will be 5 euros. The desired direction is determined by the final destination of the train (direction) and is encrypted with four letters, for example, LARA. An information board with a diagram installed on the platform will help to decipher the direction of the train. After boarding the train, it is advisable to track the names of the stations that you are passing from the window.

So, we are in Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois. The exit from the "train" is on the left side in the direction of the train. Without crossing the railway tracks, you need to go to the round station square and find the bus stop for bus number 104. The bus runs on a schedule, which you will have to familiarize yourself with here, and the fare to the cemetery will be 1.5 euros. The ticket is purchased from the driver.

The desired stop is called PISCINE, this is the 14th bus stop, counting from the station. Each stop has a stand with its name, the stand is clearly visible from the window, and the bus has a route map. True, some stops can be missed by the driver, so you need to pay more attention here. It is best to write the name “PISCINE” or “orthodoxe cimetiere” (Orthodox cemetery) on a piece of paper and show it to the passengers (or the driver). You will be helped to get off at the desired stop.

After you get off at the PISCINE stop, cross over to the diagonally opposite section of the intersection. Further - according to the arrow of the road sign, you need to walk 150-200 meters to the cemetery gate.

The stop of the return bus is exactly opposite the stop at which you exited on the road to the cemetery. Nearby there is a billboard with a schedule - do not be too lazy to go up to it and roughly orient yourself with the time of arrival of the bus, so as not to get bored on the bench, looking at the cars passing along the highway. The situation with RER trains is much simpler - they run every 10-15 minutes.

And the last thing. If you are lucky enough to meet a group of compatriots who have arrived by sightseeing bus, it is possible that they will take you to Paris.

2. Access by car

RUSSIAN CEMETERY

SAINT-GENEVIEW-DE-BOIS(France)

The Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois is public and located a few kilometers south of Paris. In 1927, Princess Vera Kirillovna Meshcherskaya (1876-1949) reserved part of the cemetery for the burial of Russians who emigrated to France after the 1917 revolution.
Many soldiers and Cossacks of the White Army are buried in the cemetery, in particular Colonel Nikolai Ivanovich Alabovsky (1883-1974), commander of the Markovsky regiment Abram Mikhailovich Dragomirov (1868-1955), General Pyotr Petrovich Kalinin (1853-1927), General Nikolai Nikolaevich Golovin (1875 -1944), General Alexander Pavlovich Kutepov (1882-1930), General Nikolai Alexandrovich Lokhvitsky (1867-1933), Cossack General Sergei Georgievich Ulagai (1875 (77) -1944) ...
There are also several monuments erected to the glory of the White Army: a monument to the Russian veterans of Gallipoli, in memory of General Mikhail Gordeevich Drozdovsky, in honor of Alekseev's division, a monument to the Don Cossacks.
The cemetery is decorated in Russian traditions (Orthodox crosses, pines and large birches on the territory). Here, under 5,220 gravestones, lie about 15,000 Russians and French of Russian descent.
On the territory of the cemetery there is the Russian Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God (Notre Dame de la Dormicion), which was consecrated on October 14, 1939 by Metropolitan Euloge, who currently rests in the church crypt.

Albert Benois - the building of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Russian Cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois near Paris (he and his wife M.A. Benois painted this temple)

The temple was built in the style of the Novgorod churches of the 15-16th century. Inside, to the right of the iconostasis, there is a plaque commemorating 37 generals, 2605 officers and 29,000 Cossacks who were British prisoners of war in the spring of 1945 and who were tortured during the “massacre of the Cossacks in Lienz” in Austria. The British decided to deliver their prisoners of war to Stalin and killed 300 recalcitrant prisoners, including women and children. Many Cossacks decided to commit suicide with their family and horse, others were given to the Soviet Union and almost all were destroyed. Several surviving Cossacks were amnestied by Khrushchev in 1955.
After the visit of Vladimir Putin in 2000, the Russian Federation, together with France, participates in the maintenance of the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

Official representative,
special correspondent
Orenburg military
Cossack society in France
Pascal Gerard
Paris, May 29, 2014

July 16, 1921
the Gallipoli obelisk was solemnly opened; it resembled both an ancient mound and the cap of Monomakh, crowned with a cross. On a marble plaque under the two-headed Russian eagle it was written: “God rest the souls of the departed. The 1st Corps of the Russian Army to its brothers-soldiers who, in the struggle for the honor of their homeland, found eternal rest in a foreign land in 1920-21 and in 1854-55, and to the memory of their Zaporozhian ancestors who died in Turkish captivity. "
The Gallipoli monument was destroyed by an earthquake on 23 July 1949. Its reduced copy as a tribute to the memory of all the participants of the White movement in Russia by the fortieth anniversary of the opening, it was decided to install in the Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, where by that time many members of the movement had found their last refuge. And as once the stones, now the money for the construction of the monument was collected by Russian people, already scattered around the world.

In this cemetery, 15 thousand Russians are buried in 5220 graves, which gives reason to call the whole cemetery "Russian". Among the emigrants buried in the cemetery, there are many Russian military men, representatives of the clergy, writers, artists, artists ... Looking at the tombstones with Russian names, I felt a lump roll up to my throat ...
In the summer of 1993, only a large wooden cross was installed on the grave of Andrei Tarkovsky. Opposite this cross is a hill covered with a real kilim carpet - the grave of Rudolf Nureyev, who was buried six months ago. Later, in 1996, this woven carpet on his grave will be replaced with a luxurious mosaic carpet.

Buried in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery:
Bulgakov Sergey Nikolaevich, Russian philosopher, theologian, economist, priest of the Orthodox Church,
Bunin Ivan Alekseevich, writer, first Russian laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature,

October 22 was born IVAN ALEKSEEVICH BUNIN (October 22, 1870 - November 8, 1953), the first Russian writer - the Nobel Prize laureate, 1933 The writer was born in Voronezh. He spent his childhood at the Ozerki family estate. From 1881 to 1885, Ivan Bunin studied at the Yelets district gymnasium, and four years later he published his first poems. In 1889, Bunin worked as a proofreader for the newspaper Orlovsky Vestnik, where he met Varvara Pashchenko. Parents are not happy with their relationship - in love Varvara and Ivan in 1892 were forced to leave for Poltava. In 1895, after a long correspondence, Bunin met Chekhov. The creations of this period are the collection of "Poems", "Open Air", "Leaf Fall". In the 1890s, Bunin traveled on the "Chaika" steamer along the Dnieper and visited the grave of Taras Shevchenko, whose work he loved and subsequently translated a lot. A few years later, he wrote an essay about this journey, "On the Seagull", which will be published in the children's illustrated magazine "Shoots" on November 1, 1898. In 1899, Bunin married the daughter of the Greek revolutionary Anna Tsakni, but the marriage did not work out. After a while they part, and since 1906 Bunin has been living in a civil marriage with Vera Muromtseva. Bunin was awarded the Pushkin Prize three times. In 1909 he was elected an academician in the category of fine literature, becoming the youngest academician of the Russian Academy. In February 1920, Bunin left Russia and emigrated to France. In emigration, Bunin creates his best works: "Mitya's Love", "Sunstroke", "The Case of the Cornet Elagin" and, finally, "The Life of Arseniev." These works became a new word both in Bunin's work and in Russian literature in general. In 1933, Bunin became the first Russian writer to receive the Nobel Prize. Ivan Bunin died in his sleep on the night of November 8, 1953 in Paris. Buried in the cemetery in France, Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.

Galich Alexander Arkadevich, playwright, poet, bard,

Alexander Arkadyevich Galich (Ginzburg) (10/19/1918 - 12/15/1977), was born in Yekaterinoslavl (now - Dnepropetrovsk), spent his childhood in Sevastopol, before emigration he lived in Moscow.
Graduated from the theatrical studio. K.S. Stanislavsky (1938). Actor, poet, playwright. Author of about 20 plays and film scripts. Laureate of several domestic and international prizes, laureate of the Stalin Prize, State. USSR Prize (1987). Since 1955, a member of the Union of Writers of the USSR, expelled from the joint venture and from the Literary Fund in 1971, reinstated in 1988. Since 1958, a member of the Union of Cinematographers (expelled in 1972, reinstated in 1988). Since 1972, Orthodox.
In June 1974 he was forced to leave his homeland. For a year he lived in Oslo, where he recorded the CD "Cry in a Whisper". He joined the NTS (People's Labor Union), worked at the radio station "Freedom" from 1975 in Munich, at the end of 1976 in Paris, led the section of culture.
At the end of 1976, he removed the document. film "Refugees of the XX century". I wanted to write a book about NTS.
He performed in Israel, USA, Western Europe.
On December 3, 1977 he gave his last concert in Venice.
He died in Paris and is buried in the Russian Orthodox cemetery in Sainte-Genevieve des Bois near Paris.
In 1988, the decisions on the exclusion of Galich from the UK and the joint venture were canceled, and a commission on literary heritage was formed.

Gippius Zinaida Nikolaevna, poetess,

Zinaida Gippius - Russian poet and writer of the "Silver Age" era
November 20, 1869 - September 9, 1945

Zinaida Nikolaevna Gippius was born on November 20, 1869 in Belyov, Tula Region, into a German noble family of a lawyer. Due to her father's work, the family often changed their place of residence, and the girl studied in many schools.
Since childhood, Zina was fond of poetry and painting, she loved horseback riding. In 1888, Gippius met her future husband Dmitry Merezhkovsky. In the same year, she began to publish her poems and novels in the Severny Vestnik.
Gippius stood at the origins of Russian symbolism. Together with her husband, they founded the Religious and Philosophical Society in St. Petersburg.
Later, collections of stories by Gippius on philosophical themes were published - "The Scarlet Sword", "Moon Ants". In 1911, the novel "Devil's Doll" was written.
The poetess also writes essays, most often under the pseudonym Anton Krainy, although he also uses other names Lev Pushchin, Comrade Herman, Roman Arensky, Anton Kirsha, Nikita Vecher.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Gippius and her husband emigrated to Paris and in the subsequent collection of poems sharply condemned the new system of Russia. In emigration, she continues to engage in creativity, as well as active social activities.
Zinaida Gippius died in Paris on September 9, 1945. She was buried next to her husband in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

Olga Glebova-Sudeikina, actress,
Zaitsev Boris Konstantinovich, Writer,

Boris Konstantinovich Zaitsev (January 29, 1881, Oryol - January 28, 1972, Paris) - Russian writer and translator, one of the last major figures of the Silver Age.
Father Konstantin Nikolaevich Zaitsev is the director of the Guzhon Moscow paper mill, from the nobility of the Simbirsk province. He spent his childhood in the village of Usty in the Zhizdrinsky district of the Kaluga province (now the Duminichsky district of the Kaluga region). He received his primary education under the guidance of governesses. In Kaluga he studied at the classical gymnasium (1892-1894; did not graduate, in 1902 he passed an exam in ancient languages ​​at the 6th Moscow gymnasium as an external student). He graduated from the Kaluga Real School (1894-1897, additional class - 1898). He studied at the chemistry department of the Moscow Technical School (1898-1899, expelled for participating in student riots), at the Mining Institute in St. Petersburg (1899-1901; did not graduate), at the law faculty of Moscow University (1902-1906; did not graduate).
He began to write at the age of 17. In the fall of 1900, in Yalta, he met A.P. Chekhov. At the beginning of 1901 he sent the manuscript of the story "Uninteresting Story" to Chekhov and V. G. Korolenko. In the same year he met L. N. Andreev, who helped him at the beginning of his literary career, introduced him to the literary circle "Wednesday", led by N. Teleshov. In July 1901 he made his debut with the story "On the Road" in "Courier". In 1902 or 1903 he met I. A. Bunin, with whom he maintained friendly relations for many years.
He lived in Moscow, often visiting St. Petersburg. Member of the Moscow Literary and Artistic Circle (1902), participated in the publication of the magazine "Zori" (1906), which had existed for several months, since 1907, a full member of the Society of Lovers of Russian Literature, also a member of the Society of Periodicals and Literature Workers.
In 1904 he visited Italy, lived there several times in 1907-1911. During the First World War, he lived in Pritykin with his wife and daughter Natalia. In December 1916 he entered the Alexander Military School, in March 1917 he was promoted to officer. In the brochure "Conversation about the War" (Moscow, 1917) he wrote about the aggressiveness of Germany, pursued the idea of ​​war to a victorious end. In August 1917 he fell ill with pneumonia and went on vacation to Pritykino, where he lived until 1921, occasionally visiting Moscow. In 1922 he was elected chairman of the Moscow branch of the All-Russian Union of Writers. He worked at the Writers' Cooperative Shop.
After the revolution he perceived tragically and the subsequent civil war, when the writer's nephew and stepson were killed, he was arrested for active participation in Pomgol (organizing aid to the hungry), then he almost died of typhus, Zaitsev and his wife left Russia forever.
In June 1922 Zaitsev and his family moved to Berlin. He worked actively in the magazines "Sovremennye zapiski" and "Link". In September 1923 Zaitsev and his family moved to Italy, in December they left for Paris, here he later lived for about half a century. In October 1925 he became the editor of the Riga magazine Perezvony, in 1927 he published his works in the Parisian newspaper Vozrozhdenie.
The spring of 1927 was marked by a trip to Mount Athos, which resulted in the appearance of travel sketches under the same name "Athos".
From 1925 to 1929 in the newspaper "Vozrozhdenie" and "Days" the first part of the diary entries "Wanderer" was published. These records are dedicated to life in France.
In addition, Zaitsev was engaged in the selection of materials for the literary biography of I.S.Turgenev, A.P. Chekhov, V.A.Zhukovsky, which were subsequently published.
Zaitsev traveled a lot in France, these travels were reflected in essays about such French cities as Grasse, Nice, Avignon.
In the early years of World War II, Zaitsev again turned to publishing his diary entries. A series of new diary entries "Days" was published in the newspaper "Vozrozhdenie". After France was occupied by Germany in 1940, there were no publications by Zaitsev in Russian editions. During these years, Zaitsev in every possible way refused to draw his own conclusions about political troubles. But he continues to work, so in 1945 the story "King David" was published.
In 1947 Zaitsev worked for the Parisian newspaper Russkaya Mysl, in the same year he was elected chairman of the Union of Russian Writers in France. This position remains until the end of his life.
In 1959 he began to cooperate with the almanac "Bridges" in Munich, corresponded with BL Pasternak.
1957 - a difficult year in Zaitsev's personal life, the writer's wife suffers a stroke, Zaitsev spends all days near his wife's bed, continuing to work on the genre of everyday diary entries.
The years of emigration were fruitful years of Zaitsev's work, more than 30 books in Russian were published, about 800 texts in periodicals.
Abroad he collaborated in emigrant publications ("Modern Notes", "Renaissance", "Russian Thought", "New Journal" and others). For many years he was the chairman of the Union of Russian Writers and Journalists. One of the founders and member of the "Icon" society in Paris (1927). In the 1950s. was a member of the Commission for the Russian translation of the New Testament in Paris. In 1962 he was nominated by R.V. Pletnev for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Books:
Far edge, 1915
Travelers, Paris, "Russian Land", 1921
St. Nicholas, Berlin, "The Word", 1923
Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, Paris, 1925
Golden Pattern, Praha, 1926
Athos. Travel Sketch, Paris, 1928
Anna, Paris, 1929
The life of Turgenev. Biography, Paris, 1932
House in Passy, ​​Berlin, 1935
Gleb's journey. Tetralogy:
1. Zarya, Berlin, 1937
2. Silence, Paris, 1948
3. Youth, Paris, 1950
4. The Tree of Life, New York, 1953
Moscow, Paris, 1939, München, 1960, 1973
Zhukovsky. Biography, Paris, 1951
Chekhov. Biography, New York, 1954
Quiet Dawns, München, 1973
Far away. Articles, Washington, 1965
River of Times, New York, 1968
My contemporaries. Essays, London, 1988
The life of Sergius of Radonezh
Buried in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery.

Ivanov Georgy Vladimirovich, Russian poet, prose writer, translator,
Izvolsky Petr Petrovich, Russian public and statesman, chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod,
Kokovtsov, Vladimir Nikolaevich, Count, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Empire,
Kolchak Sofia Fedorovna, widow of A. V. Kolchak, admiral of the Russian fleet, Supreme ruler of Russia, leader of the White movement,
Korovin Konstantin Alekseevich, painter,
Kutepov, Alexander Pavlovich, general, one of the leaders of Bely

movement,

“Based on the biography of Kutepov, our children and grandchildren will learn how to serve the Fatherland. Whoever Kutepov was - whether a junior officer in peacetime and in war, a regiment commander in the period of revolution and anarchy, a corps commander or an army commander in a civil war - he always and everywhere was an example of an officer, chief and loyal servant of Russia "
General E.K. Miller

Kshesinskaya Matilda Feliksovna, ballerina,
Lifar Serge, choreographer,
Lvov Georgy Evgenievich, prince, head and minister of the Provisional Government,
Dmitry Merezhkovsky, poet,
Mozzhukhin Ivan Ilyich, movie actor,
Nekrasov Viktor Platonovich, Writer,
Nureyev Rudolf Khametovich, ballet dancer,
Obolenskaya Vera Apollonovna, princess, member of the resistance movement in France, beheaded in the Berlin prison Plotzensee,
Olga Preobrazhenskaya, ballerina,
Prokudin-Gorsky Sergei Mikhailovich, photographer, chemist, inventor,
Alexey Remizov, Writer,
Romanov Gabriel Konstantinovich, prince of imperial blood, great-grandson of Emperor Nicholas I,
Romanova Irina Alexandrovna, grand duchess,
Serebryakova Zinaida Evgenievna, Russian artist,
Somov Konstantin Andreevich, painter,
Stolypina Olga Borisovna, wife of P.A.Stolypin, the prime minister of Russia, assassinated in 1911,
Tarkovsky Andrey Arsenievich, film director,

“Does death frighten me? - he reflected in Donatella Balivo's documentary dedicated to his work. - In my opinion, death does not exist at all. There is some kind of act, painful, in the form of suffering. When I think about death, I think about physical suffering, not death itself. Death, in my opinion, simply does not exist. I don’t know ... Once I dreamed that I died, and it looked like the truth. I felt such liberation, such incredible lightness that, perhaps, it was the feeling of lightness and freedom that gave me the feeling that I had died, that is, freed from all connections with this world. Anyway, I don't believe in death. There is only suffering and pain, and often a person confuses these - death and suffering. Do not know. Maybe when I come across this directly, I will become scared, and I will reason differently ... It's hard to say. "
Today is the Day of Remembrance of the director who has become a legend - Andrey TARKOVSKY!

“Art exists only because the world is badly arranged,” he said…. No, it is not conceived, not badly created, but it is arranged right now, when we ourselves have taken on its design…. And the task of art - he considered - is a return to the origins, to true harmony ... With his films - which were REFLECTIONS OF THE HIGH - he tried to comprehend this harmony ... Each of his films became a masterpiece, an example of real, pure philosophy - the striving for Wisdom ...
He died in Paris on December 29, 1986. The director's funeral took place at the Russian Cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois in the vicinity of Paris.
Hundreds of people came to the courtyard of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, where they were serving the funeral service for Andrei Tarkovsky. On the steps of the church, Mstislav Rostropovich played Bach's sublimely strict "Sarabanda" on the cello. His gravestone, made by Ernst Neizvestny, bears the inscription - "TO THE MAN WHO SEEN THE ANGEL".
LIGHT MEMORY TO THE GREAT DIRECTOR!

Teffi (Nadezhda Lokhvitskaya), writer,
Sheremetev Alexander Dmitrievich, Russian philanthropist and musician, grandson of Nikolai Sheremetev and singer Praskovya Zhemchugova,
Felix Feliksovich Yusupov, prince, organizer of the assassination of Rasputin. Buried with his wife Yusupova Irina Alexandrovna, Russian Grand Duchess, great-granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I and niece of Nicholas II,
and many, many others ...

Tombstone of Alexander Galich

The grave of Andrei Tarkovsky and his wife Larisa

Headstone on the grave of Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Zinaida Gippius

Headstone at the grave of Rudolf Nureyev. At first glance, it looks like a real carpet, but in fact it is made of mosaics ... Rudolph collected carpets. And the design of the carpet on the grave repeats the design of one of his favorite carpets.

Tombstones to General Drozdovsky and his Drozdovsky

Headstones on the graves of the Cossacks.

The Russian government has allocated almost 610 thousand euros to pay off debt for the lease of land plots in the Russian cemetery in the French Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois. The corresponding order was published on October 1 on the official portal of legal information, ITAR-TASS reports. We are talking about the transfer of a voluntary contribution from Russia to the state treasury of the French Republic to the account of the municipality (city hall) of the city of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois (department of Essonne) in the amount of the indicated amount.
These funds will be used to repay the debt for the lease of 480 sites in the cemetery "A" (Russian sector) in order to renew the expired lease concessions in favor of the relatives of those who are buried there.
The Ministry of Finance was instructed to allocate the necessary funds from the budget for the current year, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation was instructed to draw up the necessary documents and transfer money.
The cemetery in Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois is called the most Russian place of the “big” Paris. In the 1920s, in this suburb of the French capital, at the expense of Princess Vera Meshcherskaya, a Russian home was opened for elderly Russian nobles who fled from the revolution and were deprived of their livelihood. At the same time, the first graves with Orthodox crosses appeared at the local cemetery, and a little later a small church was built. Over time, Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois became the focus of the Russian emigration.
Among the emigrants buried in the cemetery are many prominent military men, clergymen, writers, painters, and actors. In particular, the writer Ivan Bunin, the photographer Sergei Proskudin-Gorsky, the prime minister of the Provisional Government, Prince Georgy Lvov, the widow and son of Admiral Alexander Kolchak, and many other participants in the White movement are buried here. Already in a later era, bard Alexander Galich, director Andrei Tarkovsky, were buried in the Russian cemetery.
In 2008, the Russian government has already allocated more than 600 thousand euros to pay off debt to France for the lease of land in order to prevent the demolition of the cemetery. And this is very gratifying: the manner of destroying cemeteries and pre-revolutionary memorials, inherent in the Soviet era, is gradually being replaced by the traditional approach to venerating the graves of our ancestors. After all, it was not for nothing that the great Pushkin wrote:
Two feelings are wonderfully close to us
In them, the heart finds food:
Love for the native ashes,
Love for fatherly coffins.
Russian line

Russian corner of the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery this fall:

Original post and comments on

By underground to Gare d'Austerlitz station
Then take the RER train to Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois (about 20 minutes).
Bus number 4 runs from the station square to the cemetery, stop "PISCINE".

The Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery appeared thanks to the Russian seniors' house, founded in 1927. From that moment on, the Russian Parisians began to be kept on it. By 1952, there were about 2 thousand graves, among them - represented by the White Guard movement, clergy, writers, artists and artists.

On the territory of the cemetery, there is the Russian Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God, erected in 1938 according to the Benois project.

Ivan Alekseevich Bunin
Russian writer and poet Ivan Alekseevich Bunin was buried together with his wife Vera Nikolaevna Muromtseva-Bunina. Bunini was born in Voronezh in 1870, began to write from his gymnasium years, but the first literary opuses were not successful with critics. Recognition came with the release of the poetry collection "Leaf Fall", then there were "Antonovskie apples", "Mr. from San Francisco", "Light Breath" and other works. During the October Revolution, Ivan Bunin lived in Moscow, he refused to accept Soviet power. In 1918, he and his wife moved to Odessa, and in 1920 they went to France. In 1933, Ivan Bunin was awarded the Nobel Prize. He died in 1953 in Paris, the monument erected on the grave was made according to the drawing of the artist Alexandre Benois.

Rudolf Nureyev
The great dancer Rudolph Nureyev is buried in the Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery. In 1961, during a tour of the Kirov (Mariinsky) Theater troupe in Paris, KGB surveillance was organized for Nureyev, he decided not to return to the USSR, having made the legendary "leap to freedom" in the hands of the French police.
Having lived in Europe for 32 years, Rudolf Nureyev performed, toured and loved. He was credited with novels with Yves Saint Laurent, actor Anthony Perkins, dancers and conductors. In 1984, Nureyev began to suspect about his terrible diagnosis, a blood test confirmed HIV. He danced while he was strong enough. Nureyev died in Paris on January 6, 1993.

Andrey Tarkovsky
Andrei Tarkovsky can be called a cult director and screenwriter, from under his "pen" came "Andrei Rublev", "Stalker", "Solaris", "Mirror" and other films. In 1980, Tarkovsky came to Italy to shoot the film "Nostalgia" and never returned to the USSR. At home, his films were banned, his name was not mentioned in print. In 1985, Tarkovsky was diagnosed with lung cancer, in 1986 he died in Paris.

Teffi (Nadezhda Alexandrovna Lokhvitskaya)
Russian writer and poetess Teffi is the author of the stories "The Demonic Woman" and "Ke fer". She wrote satirical poems and feuilletons, earning the nickname "the first Russian comedian" and "queen of Russian humor", after the revolution Teffi emigrated. She died in 1952.

Alexander Galich
Bard, poet, playwright and screenwriter Alexander Galich was buried in the Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery in 1977. The real surname was Ginzburg, and Galich was an abbreviation made up of different letters of the surname, name and fatherland. In 1974, Galich was forced to emigrate from the USSR, in the same year all of his works were banned. In recent years, he lived in Paris, where he died in an accident, according to another version, it was a planned murder.

Other famous people buried in the cemetery:

Architect and artist Albert Benois
Poetess Zinaida Gippius
The owner of the famous shops Grigory Grigorievich Eliseev
Russian painter Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin
Ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya
Poet Yuri Mandelstam
Vera Obolenskaya, member of the resistance movement
Princess Irina Romanova
Artist Zinaida Serebryakova
Representatives of the Yusupov and Sheremetyev family

Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois. France.

The Cimetière communal de Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois is located at rue Léo Lagrange in the French city of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois in the Paris region, which is why it is sometimes also called “ Russian cemetery near Paris". Previously, the station and the town were called Perray-Vaucluse (PERRAY-VAUCLUSE - Station du Perray du côté d'Epinay-sur-Orge)

The cemetery is predominantly Orthodox, although there are burials of representatives of other confessions there. It owes its existence to the Russian Seniors' House, founded in April 1927 by Princess V.K. Meshcherskaya. Pensioners La Maison russe, and then compatriots from Paris, began to be regularly buried here since 1927. By 1939 there were about 50 burials, by 1952 - about 2000. Among the buried emigrants, there are many military men, representatives of the clergy, writers, artists, artists - only about 15 thousand people immigrants from Russia (5220 burials), which gives reason to call it "Russian". For many Russians, it is a place of pilgrimage.
Since 1960, local authorities have systematically raised the issue of its demolition, arguing that the land is needed to meet public needs. According to French law, any burial is preserved only until the expiration of the lease of the land. For Russian burials, this period expired in 2008, until the Russian government intervened in the situation and allocated 692 thousand euros for the maintenance and repayment of debt to France for the lease of 648 cemetery plots.
In the 2000s, the ashes of several famous personalities, originally buried in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, were reburied in Russia.

What is Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois for Russian emigrants?

Andrey Dmitrievich Shmeman, long-term head of the Znamensky parish and Chairman of the OKO.

“Every year there are more and more graves near and dear to us at the Russian cemetery in Sainte-Genevieve des Bois. Every year, the traditional trip of the members of the General - Cadet Association to pray at these graves and to be a little with those who have lived and worked in the Association so recently - acquires a new meaning, becomes a sad, but also pleasant need.
On this day, gathering near the temple, under the native birches, as if involuntarily, in front of your mind's eye, you recall the life of your departed friends and somehow look back more strictly and more demandingly at your own life path.
The ways of the Lord are inscrutable - only He knows whom we will miss on this day for next year, but the fact that someone will not be there again, and the fact that his place will forever remain empty gives our trip and bypassing the cadet graves, real and deep meaning.
This year, all our thoughts involuntarily rushed to the dear friend, member of the Management Board, who so suddenly and prematurely left us in June last year - Shura Russakovich. He, like no one else, always inspired this our annual trip and therefore he, it was him that we missed so much this year. It all seemed that he would come and go with us to go around the graves with the singing of Eternal Memory. It was he who first led this touching detour a few years ago - we started it this year from his grave!
Few of us gathered yesterday. The late date, which coincided with Trinity, prevented many from being together on this day, as always. But those who were, they experienced many sad, but also joyful moments associated with the fact that somehow especially clearly this year the feeling of our friendship, our solidarity, our belonging to one big and strong family, in which all of us, and even those who have left us, remain merged into one ETERNAL WHOLE! "
(Bulletin of the OKO N70 of July 1, 1959, based on materials provided by the OKO)

Military and Cossack memorials
Military unions, regimental associations of the Russian Imperial Army and the White Guard, Cossacks, cadets and other organizations abroad have built their own memorials and monuments on their sites. The most famous are the following:

• Monument to the Gallipoli, the Leaders of the White Army and General Kutepov

As a result of the Great Exodus from Russia in 1920, the 1st Army Corps of General L. Wrangel ended up in Gallipoli. Several hundred officers, Cossacks and cadets, who were buried in a special place where the Monument was unveiled on July 16, 1921, died from earlier wounds and diseases in this Turkish city. After the departure of troops from Turkey, it collapsed over time, especially after the 1949 earthquake, and by 1960 it actually turned into ruins. In memory of their fighting friends resting in a foreign land, as well as instead of the old destroyed by time, this pantheon was restored on the Gallipoli site on the model of the original and solemnly consecrated in 1961.

Restoration of the Monument Consecration in 1961. Today view of the Gallipoli site

consecration of the grave to General Kutepov
The symbolic grave of General Kutepov

• Major General M. Drozdovsky and the ranks of the Drozdovsky division

One of the most legendary units of the White Guard, about which it was written in the book of AV Turkul "Drozdovtsy on fire". The association has its own section, where officers are buried, headed by their division commander. The gene is also remembered here. MG Drozdovsky, since the place of his secret burial in Sevastopol has not yet been found.

Drozdovsky uch. in the 1950s. the central part of the funeral service for Drozdovites
wreaths and flowers for Drozdovites
view in 1961 modern view

• General M. Alekseev and the ranks of the Alekseev division

The Chief of Staff of the Headquarters, the founder of the "secret anti-Bolshevik" organization, which eventually turned into the Volunteer Army, his white partisans and all the youth who stood up to defend the Fatherland.

Photo in the 50s Memorial to Alekseevtsa modern view

• Cossack necropolis and monument to Ataman A.P. Bogaevsky

Located in depth, after the Drozdovsky, Gallipoli and Alekseevsky sites.

Don Cossacks were the most, for a long time there were cadres of even many regiments and divisions. Association of the Life Guards kaz. His Majesty's regiment in Courbevoie exists to this day (!). In addition to the Don, all the Cossack troops of the Russian Empire and foreign unions are present here. Kubanians, Tertsy, Astrakhanians, Urals, the big village was Orenburg, headed by the ataman himself, gene. Akulinin ... The main holiday, the Pokrov, was traditionally celebrated here. Here are the victims of "decossackization" in the Days of Cossack sorrow. The Great Cossack Tragedy in Lienz is also remembered here ...

Cossack area, necropolis ... a monument to the Cossacks Ataman VVD Bogaevsky Chairman of the Government VVD

• and civilian pilots
• memorials and some individual burials

State Duma deputies

• Aleksinsky Grigory Alekseevich 16.9.1879 - 4.10.1967

Place of Orthodox pilgrimage
On the days of commemoration of the soldiers of the Russian Army, military and Cossack holidays, as well as various memorable dates (see the calendar of memorable dates), divine services are held at the memorials with the participation of representatives of Orthodox, military-patriotic, youth, sports and veteran organizations abroad. Fragments of history:

• 1953, July 6

Day of Cadet Sorrow - Commemoration Conducted. Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich and all brothers and comrades, cadets of Russia, who lay down on the battlefield and died in the world.
The celebration was led by Vel. Prince Gabriel Konstantinovich with his wife Irina Ioanovna. Sincerely, while singing the choir, Father Alexander Ergin served a requiem at the grave of Boris Prikhodkin. After a short speech by the oldest of the present cadets, General Rakitin from Tiflis, the Drozdov poet Genkin recited poems dedicated to the memorable day *.

Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois

Here the cadets rest in eternal sleep ...
Grave ... Cross ... Green grass ...
Here they were sung for the last time,
Cadets, farewell words.

They left ... Then others will leave ...
I don't know, here at my native crosses
The memory of Russia will live forever
And about the cadets of the Russian corps.

Unbearable labor humps our shoulders,
A series of boring days drags on sadly
And I feel that all the cadet sorrow
I cannot convey in words.

And I'm sad that, in the hour of the sad funeral
The military salute will not sound here,
As soon as the stepsons of the motherland will gather,
And they will sing "eternal memory" to the departed.

• 1957, general memorial service

On June 23rd, the traditional “Day of Cadet Mourning”, the Union of Russian Cadet Corps in its entirety, with families and friends, made a trip to the cadet graves. This year, in view of the large number of people who wished to take part in the trip, we had to use auxiliary transport. At 12 o'clock after the Liturgy in the Church at the cemetery, Father Alexander Yergin served a general funeral service with the proclamation of eternal memory to the slain Emperor Nicholas II, Sovereign Chiefs, August cadets, educators, teachers and all Russian cadets for the Faith, Tsar and Fatherland to the fallen on the battlefield and those who have passed away in the world. After the end of the service in the Temple, all those who took part in the trip, with the Procession of the Cross, went to the graves of Vel. Prince Gabriel Konstantinovich, General Alekseev and Colonel Prikhodkin, for whom short lities were served, ending with the singing of "Kol Slaven". The chairman of the SRKK, Colonel Shpilevsky, in a short speech pointed out the significance of the "Day of Cadet Mourning". The noble initiative of the late Grand Duke, the activities of the First Chairman of the SRKK, gen. Alekseev and his assistant Colonel Prikhodkin should be the guiding line in our work aimed at strengthening the forces of the cadet movement. The behests of our leaders are the sacred duty of every Russian cadet and the guarantee of fraternal unity for achieving success in the tasks we have set. At the end of the official part, a common meal was organized in the church fence. On this day of remembrance, our friendly family was blessed with the presence of the Patroness of the Yaroslavl kad. corps, which is part of the Union, Princess Irina Ioannovna and the Honorary Chairman of the Union General Leith. Stogov. At 18.00, the "Day of Cadet Mourning" was over and all those who took part in the trip returned to Paris. ("Kadet". Information magazine SRKK. Paris, 1957. Editorial archive)

• 1958 "Day of cadet sorrow", in memory of the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich and the laying of the monument

"Day of Cadet Mourning" this year is scheduled for June 15, the date of the death of the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich - June 2, 1915 (old style). This year, the trip takes on special significance, as it is part of the cycle of the planned celebrations on the date of the centenary of the birth of the Grand Duke. The solemn laying of a monument to Russian Cadets and a memorial service for the late August Inspector General of Military Educational Institutions in Bose will take place at the "Cadet area". On this significant day, all Russian Cadets must take part in the traditional trip and thus honor the memory of the Unforgettable Father of the students of the cadet corps. ("CADET" Information magazine SRKK. Paris. 1958)

Cadets, necropolis ... memorial plaque Monument to the director of the corps Rimsky-Korsakov

• 2011, 90th anniversary of the founding of the Gallipoli Society and the Great Exodus from Russia. Photo…

Orthodox Church, commemoration of the "Gallipoli"
90th anniversary of the Gallipoli Society

Memorial service at the monument to the Clergy led by Vladyka Michael passing near the Russian church Russian House

Assumption Church
It also houses the Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God, founded in April 1938 and consecrated on October 14, 1939, a month and a half after the outbreak of World War II. The Assumption Church was built according to the project of A.A. Benois in the style of the Pskov architectural school of the 15th-16th centuries. The architect Benoit and his wife Margarita also painted the church frescoes. Albert Benoit is buried in this cemetery.

Church of the Assumption 1991, archive photo V.Zhumenko Iconostasis and painting inside
view of the church in 2016 view from the side of the cemetery, 2016 About Vladyka Methodius

How to get there from Paris?
You can visit in the following main ways:

• By public transport: by train (RER) to the railway station, then by local bus or by bus from Paris (route on the Ile de France)

The road to the Russian cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-de-Bois
Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois station from Paris
Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, railroad RER station from Paris
bus to Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois

• Sightseeing bus (as part of a tour operator group). The day in your program is fixed, and the excursion itself is "group" with all its "charms"
• or by minibus, individual (or small group) with a Russian guide (from the hotel)

Useful advices and personal experience of visiting, FAQ's.

• Where to buy flowers, candles, wreaths?

Flowers are sold on the territory of the cemetery, there is a large selection. You can also buy candles at the local church. Wreaths must be ordered in advance, but you can also choose ready-made ones. Ribbons, for example, "From the administration of the city of Yekaterinodar to the Kuban Cossacks who died in a foreign land" definitely need to be ordered in advance at home, and wreaths or bouquets of a combination of flowers from your region can be purchased on the spot.

• Weather, how to dress, personal experience of visiting in bad weather

The weather in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois usually matches the weather in Paris itself. In summer, usually, there are no problems. But in winter, autumn and spring there is a sharp difference in the weather in the capital and here. First of all, it sometimes rains in spring and autumn. If you leave the hotel and it is sunny, then when you find yourself in these parts you may find yourself in a pouring rain or light and prolonged, but extremely unpleasant. In spring and autumn, it is better to take an umbrella or raincoat with you just in case. The raincoat was seen only once, when there were veterans of the French army of Russian origin :-). Surprisingly, it may even have snow in winter. It happens extremely rarely, but it is also better not to exclude such a possibility. For those who travel on their own, this must be borne in mind. And for those who come with a group tour by bus, too, because in the rain, those who have forgotten an umbrella at the hotel will not be comfortable and they will certainly be limited in the amount of what they see. This is not Paris, Arabs do not sell umbrellas here. Better to watch the weather forecast for two weeks (gis meteo and other sites)

Rare snow in winter