Ivry Cemetery (cimetière parisien d'Ivry) is one of the extramural cemeteries of Paris, located in the neighbouring town of Ivry-sur-Seine in Val-de-Marne, less than 500 metres outside Paris's intramural area. As well as a green space, it is a refuge for wild flora and fauna and bears the QualiPARIS label.[1]
It is made up of two enclosures separated by the rue Paul-Andrieux. The north enclosure opened in 1861, covering 7.69 hectares, with a western part bought in 1897 to become the separate Kremlin-Bicêtre Cemetery. The south enclosure was set up in 1874 and covers 20.69 hectares. In total the two enclosures contain 48,000 concessions split into 47 divisions, with 240,000 burials between 1861 and 2007 and still receiving 1,000 burials a year. It has 1800 trees, making it a green space under ecological management.[2]
Since 2015 it has been mechanically weeded, with no more chemical weedkiller used.[2] Plants have been grown up the cemetery walls[2] and some paths grassed over.[2] Nesting boxes and hedgehog shelters were installed by the ville de Paris's environmental services.[2] Tawny owls, hedgehogs, bats, foxes, hawks and woodpeckers were recorded at the cemetery late in 2016.[2] Fruit trees were planted to feed bees and birds.[2]
- ^ (in French) "QualiPARIS, la qualité au quotidien".
- ^ a b c d e f g (in French) Lucille Metout, « Ivry : le cimetière parisien regorge de vie sauvage », Le Parisien 10 November 2016