Following the study carried out by the Apur on outer Paris cemeteries (2006) and in the framework of the one the Apur began in 2010, on cemeteries of the Paris Regional Inter-municipal Funeral Syndicate -SIFUREP-, the Joncherolles Inter-municipal Funeral Syndicate -SICJ- expressed the wish that a more thorough examination of its territory be made.
This study uses results of surveys carried out on cemeteries in member municipalities of the SICJ (Épinay-sur-Seine, Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen and Villetaneuse) and on the inter-communal cemetery itself. This quantitative and qualitative approach permits a better knowledge of aspects linked to the population, what becomes of human remains, providing information on facilities and types of funerals offered, cemetery activity, availability of plots, managing departments and managerial conditions.
The report also gives an opportunity to get to know the architectural, landscaping and environmental qualities of inter-communal cemeteries better and to asses, not only their historical depth but also their integration into the metropolis and their development as enclosed spaces.
The Joncherolles Cemetery is one of the three largest inter-municipal cemeteries in the Paris region and was designed and constructed by the architect Robert Auzelle (1913-1983), a figure internationally recognised for the quality of his reflection on funeral architecture and its place in the context of urban planning. Knowing this heritage better can give guidance when making choices in the future. Similarly, the significant changes underway outside and inside the cemetery are taken into account when defining short and long term actions.
This document is comprised of two parts:
- The first describes the present situation based on the results of the survey on the inter-municipality of the Joncherolles and the history of its remarkable construction.
- The second part proposes a diagnosis of the directions of developments which would allow the SICJ to prioritize its actions and define the necessary missions for the redevelopment and management of the site (project ownership assistance, contractor, public services delegation). The challenge is to recognise and enhance a genuine, metropolitan heritage.
