Paris 2017: Hyper Cacher and terrorism, Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne (94)

'À LA MÉMOIRE DES VICTIMES

DE L'ATTENTAT ANTISÉMITE

DU 9 JANVIER 2015

PERPÉTRÉ DANS LES LOCAUX

DU MAGASIN HYPER CACHER

PHILIPPE BRAHAM 45 ANS

YOHAN COHEN 20 ANS

YOAV HATTAB 21 ANS

FRANÇOIS-MICHEL SAADA 63 ANS

ILS SONT MORTS VICTIMES DU TERRORISME'

Paris 2017: Alexandra David-Néel in Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne (94)

In Saint-Mandé is the Jardin Alexandra David-Néel (1868–1969), whom this plaque calls 'the most famous female explorer in the world', which is perhaps true. But she was certainly born in Saint-Mandé at 57 Cours de Vincennes (now Avenue de Paris), near the entrance to the Hôpital Militaire Bégin. The plaque goes on to say that she made many journeys into Europe and Africa, then Asia, and that she was the first female western explorer to enter the forbidden city of Llasa. The plaque further relates that she died in Digne-les-Bains in her 101th year, which I recorded on my visit to Digne here. The small park, interestingly, has different areas dedicated to maps of the continents of the world.

Paris 2017: Cimetière Nord de Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne (94) #2: J. J. Grandville

 

Jean-Jacques Grandville, the pseudonym of Jean Ignace Isidore Gérard (1803–47), was a caricaturist and illustrator. He is perhaps most remembered for his illustrations of La Fontaine's work.

Paris 2017: Cimetière Nord de Saint-Mandé, Val-de-Marne (94) #1: Juliette and Claire Drouet

This plaque is outside the entrance to Saint-Mandé cemetery (Nord), and explains the reason for the twin tombs here relating to Victor Hugo. Before becoming Hugo's mistress, Juliette Drouet had a relationship with Jean-Jacques (or James) Pradier, from which Claire was born in 1826. Hugo loved her as his own daughter, was inspired by her when writing Les Contemplations, and she grew up in Saint-Mandé but died there in 1846 at the age of twenty. Juliette died in 1883 and, according to her wishes, was buried next to her daughter. The plaque says that Hugo, devastated, could not lead the procession and that it was Auguste Vacquerie who gave the farewell speech.