French Funeral Rituals

While visiting the Catacombs and cemeteries in Paris this week, I began to wonder about long standing funeral rituals done by the French, if there were any at all. After doing some research, I found a few. A common tradition I found mostly in smaller towns was that the families of the deceased will place a book and pen on or near their front door. The book is typically covered with a black cloth. When people pass by, they can write their condolences in the book. In larger towns, this book is in the funeral home. Also in small towns, the deceased in laid out in their home for close friends and family to visit. In larger towns, the body is laid out at the funeral home. Another tradition I found was that at the end of a funeral, the family of the deceased would stand in a row and shake hands with those who attended to give their thanks. Often, the immediate family members of those who have passed will prepare food and drinks at their home following the ceremony. In small cities, it’s common to walk behind the hearse to the cemetery because the church is usually close to the cemetery. After learning about the cemeteries and the history of the Catacombs, it was interesting to learn about these additional traditions in France!