Tag Archives: France

Bottling the Essence of Your Loved One

One company tries to capture the scent of your loved one who died to create a one-of-a-kind perfume

Scent is a powerful thing. Studies have shown that smell and memory are more closely connected than any of the other four senses. What if you could hold the smell of your loved one in a bottle forever? One French … Continue reading

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The Traditional Funeral Food Superstitions and Customs of France’s Brittany Region

An exploration into the various traditional superstitions and customs surrounding funeral food for the Bretons in France

The Breton people from the Brittany region in northwestern France possess many fascinating traditional superstitions and customs when it comes to food and its significance with deaths and funerals. Brittany’s beliefs about death can be traced back to their Celtic … Continue reading

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French Death Traditions: A Note on the Door

A simple French death tradition calls for the community to leave a word of comfort at the door of the bereaved

The French are not shy when it comes to literary self-expression, for their cultural history, while well renowned for wine and cuisine, also boasts no shortage of creative greats. From Balzac to Jean-Paul Sartre, the country’s great writers have one … Continue reading

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The Catacombs of Paris: Unique Burial Site of Ancient France

The history behind the creation of one of the world’s most famous burial sites

Prior to a 1785 ban on future burials within the center of Paris, an abundance of church cemeteries existed throughout the city. A combination of greed and neglect in performing proper burials led to human remains being placed in church … Continue reading

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Reflections on Life & Death in Auguste Rodin’s “Cathedral”

What the French sculpture says about life, death, and the relationship between our humanity and spirituality

French sculptor Auguste Rodin (12 November 1840 – 17 November 1917) had an ability to explore profound, spiritual themes through ostensibly simple forms – in this case, a pair of two hands. Rodin’s “Cathedral” or “Cathedral Hands” (1908) looks at … Continue reading

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Pierre Christin on Images of Death in Comics

French graphic novelist explains how comic book illustrations affect our perception of death

The French and Belgians love a good bande dessinée (comic book), or, as they’re known more affectionately, “BD.” Historically, the authors and illustrators of their comics have been ahead of the trend in garnering respect for their craft; you could … Continue reading

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