Maastricht crematorium: La Grande Suisse, the name dates from 1863, has been serving as a crematorium since October last year. This beautiful crematorium in Maastricht is run in cooperation with Dela and Monuta, the day-to-day management is in the hands of Nicole Starmans.

La Grande Suisse Crematorium is situated in the so-called country estate zone of Maastricht-Meerssen-Valkenburg. Nicole tells us how the municipality wanted to redesignate the area including the national monument and how it came to serve as a ‘Crematorium’ in this process. “The principle of the redesign and renovation was and still is sustainability. The way to use energy economically and effectively has been considered on all fronts. The electric cremator is of course a clear example of this.” Dela and Monuta recognise the importance of sustainability and the positive contribution to climate control. The aim, for example, is for new projects to no longer use gas as an energy source but to use electricity instead.

La Grande Suisse Maastricht Crematorium is an example of an organisation that is completely sustainable. Nicole: “We no longer use gas anywhere in the building, which is more or less obvious for us now. It is about the overall picture. The people who come here do not think that they are actually in a crematorium. It all breathes an atmosphere of tranquillity and that feels good. The cremator does not scare people off either, quite the opposite even. The cremator stands alone in the room, they can just walk around it. We have nothing to hide, everything may be seen. People find this transparency positive, for example, when the next of kin decide to accompany their deceased to the cremator.”

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