Victor Noir was a young French journalist shot dead in 1870 by Prince Pierre Bonaparte. His funeral drew over 100,000 mourners and became a powerful anti-imperial protest.

In 1891, a life-size bronze statue by Jules Dalou was placed on his grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, showing Noir as he supposedly fell—hat beside him, trousers notably bulging.

Over time, the statue took on unexpected symbolism. A popular legend claims that touching Noir’s lips, feet, and groin brings fertility, love, or marriage. Women leave flowers in his hat and sometimes return with babies in tow. The repeated touching has polished these areas to a bright shine.

Attempts to fence off the statue in 2004 were met with public protest, and the barrier was removed. Today, Victor Noir’s grave continues to attract visitors seeking romance or simply curious about one of Paris’s strangest and most sensual legends.