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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The graves of the Vacquerie-Hugo family are a funeral complex located in the Villequier cemetery, now integrated in Rives-en-Seine (Seine-Maritime, Normandy). Made of marble and stone in a neo-Gothic style, they date from the second half of the 19th century. These graves marked the place where the victims of a tragedy that occurred on September 4, 1843 lay: Pierre Vacquerie, his son Artus, his nephew Charles, and Léopoldine Hugo, the daughter of Victor Hugo, drowned during a trip between Villequier and Caudebec-en-Caux. Their memory is honoured by six ogival limestone steles, decorated with leafy tores and marble engraved epitaphs.

The ensemble also includes the tombs of Charles-Amable Vacquerie (the father of Leopoldine), of Adèle Hugo (the poet's wife, who died in 1868), and of Auguste Vacquerie (Charles's brother). The last burial was that of Adèle Hugo, the youngest daughter of Victor Hugo, in 1915. These graves, which bear witness to a tragic and literary family history, were listed as historic monuments on 2 March 2009 for their heritage and memorial value.

The Gothic Revival architectural style, characteristic of the 19th century, reflects the taste of the era for a return to medieval forms, often associated with a romantic and commemorative dimension. The location in Villequier, the scene of the drama, reinforces the link between the monument and the history of the Vacquerie and Hugo families, deeply marked by this event. The marble plaques and inscriptions recall the names of the disappeared, perpetuating their memory in the Norman funeral landscape.

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