Toussaint

Toussaint is November 1st every year (similar origins as Halloween <-- All Hallows' Eve, All Hallows <-- All Saints, All Saints = Toussaint). In France, it is a jour férié (no school, no work) where you pay respect to all the saints including those unrecognized. From what I saw it manifests itself in the visiting of loved ones' final resting spots and the laying of fresh flowers.

A vendor selling Toussaint flowers right outside the cemetary, for those who forget.

Walking up to the cemetary, it was a lovely autumn afternoon.

A view of one of the Lorient cemetaries.

French cemetaries are decidedly different from the ones I've seen in America. Generally each of the tombs that you see here is for an entire family, ideally generations of the same family. And, because they've had to be doing this much longer than Americans have, final resting quarters are somewhat more cramped. It was depressing to see signs up saying that the rent for a lot hadn't been paid and that one should address their queries to the townhall in order to avoid the loss of the spot. I'm not sure what then happens to the tomb/people within.