I have to say, I love the neighbors in my part of Paris. Just around the corner, on Rue de Bruxelles in the 9th, is the building where Emile Zola lived, wrote "J'accuse", and eventually died. He is buried very nearby, in the Cimitière de Montmartre. Just a short walk away at 54 Rue des Abbesses is one of Vincent Van Gogh's residences, and Max Ernst lived at 75 Rue Lepic.
Picasso. Pissaro. Utrillo. Renoir. Dali. Toulouse-Lautrec. Modigliani. Degas. Valadon. Matisse. They all lived and worked in Montmartre. Composer Erik Satie lived on Rue Courtot. Writers Jean Cocteau, Apollinaire. Singers Dalida and Edith Piaf. The list of brilliant creatives is long and distinguished.
And whether or not they actually lived in this part of Paris during their lifetimes, their final resting places may be here in the cemetery: Alexandre Dumas, fils. Sacha Guitry. Gustave Moreau. Nijinsky, the famous Russian ballet dancer. Offenbach. Stendhal. François Truffaut. Berlioz.
So much talent, so much creative energy in one little corner of this city.
Maybe, just maybe, I belong here, too. Or, I will. Someday soon.
