Rudolf Nureyev’s Tomb

Ever since I began mosaicing I have wanted to visit Rudolf Nureyev’s Tomb.

I saw a photo of it in a Kaffe Fassett book on Mosaicing and it has been on my wish list ever since.

Rudolf Nureyev was a Soviet born Ballet dancer and choreographer.

He was born in Russia in 1938 and defected to the West in 1961 at the age of  23.

He died of AIDS in Paris in 1993 and his funeral was held in the foyer of the Paris Garnier Opera House.

He is buried in the Russian Cemetery in a town on the outskirts of Paris

called St- Genevieve-des-Bois.

It takes about 45 mins to get there by train.

From Paris catch the RER train on the (yellow) C6 St Martin d’Etampes line to St- Genevieve-des- Bois.

We caught the train from the St- Michel Notre Dame station.

From St- Genevieve-des-Bois  you catch a 104 bus going to ZI Croix Blanche, stop at Parc Pierre, which is very close to the cemetery. Our bus driver very kindly dropped us off directly at the front.

It’s a really beautiful little cemetery, very quiet and peaceful and we were virtually the only ones there.

Nureyev’s grave features a tomb draped in a mosaic of a Kilm oriental carpet.

It was designed by his friend, Ezio Frigerio, who was the set designer for many of Nureyev’s choreography sets.

The mosaic is predominantly made up of red, gold and blue smalti mosaic tiles.

If you are in Paris, you are interested and you have the time… it’s well worth the visit.

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed and it will certainly be an adventure!

Here’s the link to the cemetery map

It’s open between 8am – 7:30 pm in the Summer and between 8am – 5pm in the Winter

8, rue Léo-Lagrange 91700
Ste-Geneviève-des-Bois