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French Funeral Traditions & Rituals
A picturesque country with a mild, oceanic climate, France is one of the world’s premier tourist destinations and a “melting pot” of people from all over Europe, Northern Africa, Central […]
A picturesque country with a mild, oceanic climate, France is one of the world’s premier tourist destinations and a “melting pot” of people from all over Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Predominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant, France has one of the largest Muslim populations in Europe: Over 5 million Muslims currently reside there, mostly in Marseille in southeastern France, as well as in the cities of Paris and Lyon.
Because of their cultural and ethnic diversity, the people of France follow many different traditions and rituals around death and mourning, depending largely on their religious affiliation and where in the country they live. Below are a few examples of French traditions from the past and modern times.
- Long Ago in Rural France, Some Graves Were Marked with Mysterious Stone Towers with Lanterns at the Top
- In Many French Towns, Those in Mourning Leave a “Funeral Book” on Their Doorstep So Friends and Family Can Leave Messages of Support
- After the Closure of Paris’ Cemeteries in 1785, the City Built an Underground “Empire of the Dead” to Hold the Bones of Bodies That Were Displaced
- The Breton People of Northwestern France Have Some Unique Beliefs About Food and Death
