Cover image: Flowers at Josephine Baker cenotaph
© Entrée to Black Paris

The fanfare surrounding Josephine Baker's induction into the Pantheon continues!

The metro station Gaîté (Line 13) now bears Josephine's name.

Métro Gaîté - Josephine Baker
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The station is at the end of the street where Josephine gave the last performance of her life at the Bobino Theater in the 14th arrondissement.

The Mairie (town hall) of the 5th arrondissement, located across the square from the Pantheon, has hung a photo of her on its gate.

Josephine Baker photo at the Mairie of the 5th arrondissement
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The Pantheon itself is honoring Josephine with huge banners bearing multiple images of her on the portico.

Pantheon banners
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A 26-panel exhibition of Paris Match photos featuring various aspects of her life is being displayed on the gate through February 13, 2022.

Photo exhibition - title panel
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When I visited the Pantheon a few days ago, a Spanish-speaking tour guide was standing in front of the title panel with a large group of people gathered around him.  He talked about Josephine for about 15 minutes BEFORE going on to talk about the history of the square and the building!

Tour guide (center) and group
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Inside the Pantheon, Josephine's cenotaph can be found in Vault XIII in the crypt of the building.  Access the crypt by descending the spiral staircase to the lower level of the building.

Directions to crypt
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Spiral staircase to crypt
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To find the cenotaph, follow the visual guide provided at the "Visiting the Crypt" table near the crypt entrance.

Guide for visiting the crypt
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Route to Vault XIII
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Route to Vault XIII (detail)
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Walk straight down the center aisle until you get to a flight of four stairs in front of you and a curved flight of eight stairs to the right.  Take the curved stairs up and turn right into a large semicircular aisle.

Stairway leading to Vault VIII
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Cross the aisle, which houses a small collection of books and a reading area. 

Reading room bookshelves
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Enter the corridor in front of you.  There will be an opening at the right. 

Enter this hallway and look for Crypt XIII (the first room on the right).  You will see the names "Maurice Genevoix" and "Josephine Baker" engraved in the wall to the left of the door.

Vault XIII inscription
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When you enter the crypt, Josephine's cenotaph is on the right.  On the day I visited, a single red rose and a second bunch of flowers lay atop it.

Josephine Baker cenotaph
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Before leaving the Pantheon, be sure to stop by the bookstore, where you'll find a huge display of publications and other items that feature Josephine.

Bookstore display
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Josephine Baker - 100 Images for a Legend
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Josephine Baker commemorative coins
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Josephine Baker postcards
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To learn more about the Pantheon, read our 2014 blog post entitled "Black Pantheon."