Intriguing Père Lachaise Cemetery: Graves of Legends

While a trip to a cemetery might not be on top of many people’s must-see places, there are times when it can be an interesting attraction. The Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris (cimetière du Père Lachaise in French) attracts thousands of visitors each year and is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. It is the resting place of many famous people who once lived here, including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Sarah Bernhard and Gertrude Stein.

Usually, I’m not a huge fan of cemeteries, but something about Père Lachaise makes this a different experience. After all, this is probably the closest you will get to rubbing shoulders with so many famous (although dead) people in one place. With over 110 acres (44 hectares), it’s home to many famous gravesites.

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About Père Lachaise

Dating back to the early 19th century, Père Lachaise Cemetery was established in 1804 and spans over 110 acres (44 hectares). Located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, this cemetery is named after Father François d’Aix de La Chaise, who was King Louis XIV’s confessor. With over 300,000 graves and the remains of more than 1,000,000 people, it stands as a testament to the city’s rich history.

The cemetery’s design by Alexandre Théodore Brongniart was inspired by the English garden design featuring winding paths and tree-lined avenues. With over 5,000 trees, it feels more like a large park than a traditional cemetery. Visitors can admire an outstanding collection of 19th-century sculptures, ranging from simple tombs to elaborate mausoleums. Here you’ll find an outstanding collection of 19th-century sculptures ranging from simple to ornate and downright ostentatious. It’s almost like visiting an outdoor museum of Gothic graves, ancient mausoleums, burial chambers and elaborate statues.

The creation of the cemetery was an efficient solution. As other cemeteries in Paris reached capacity, there was a need for additional space to bury the dead. Before that, Parisians were buried in the quarters of the city they resided in during their life.  This cemetery changed that concept. The only criterion for being buried here was a residency in Paris, no matter where. It also became a resting place for people of all faiths and creeds and the first crematorium in France.

Pere Lachaise more than just a cemetery

It might be difficult to believe, but the officials struggled to convince people to choose Père Lachaise as their final resting place. It was outside the city and on a hill, making it unappealing to Parisians. Authorities transferred the remains of French playwright Molière and the famous lovers Abelard and Heloise in the early 19th century to entice them and add prestige to the newly created cemetery. From what we can see today, it worked like a charm.

The cultural importance

The most visited cemetery in Paris is home to many cultural icons. Some of the greatest minds, artists and talent have descended on Paris over the centuries. Thousands flock here each year to pay respects to their heroes and out of admiration for the legacies they left behind. Here you will find French writers, American musicians, Irish poets and other international artists. It’s a collection of famous characters that would make an impressive guest list at any party.

Architectural importance

The Père-Lachaise Cemetery is not just a burial ground but a historical and cultural landmark. Its moss-covered tombs, bronze plaques, and glass walls offer a glimpse into Paris’s past. The cemetery is also home to the Mur des Fédérés, a significant site commemorating the Paris Commune’s combatants.

Famous people buried in Père Lachaise cemetery

Many famous people are buried here, including musicians, poets, writers, actors, painters and other illustrious citizens. Paris always attracted creative types, so many of them lived here at one point or another. For those buried here, death became just the beginning. 

Some of the graves are so popular that the officials had to fence them off to protect them from visitors’ damage. Both Jim Morrison’s and Oscar Wilde’s graves are an example of this. Overly eager fans have caused significant damage to the graves over the years, and they are now protected from further damage. Everyone visiting the cemetery should respect the graves and the people buried here.  

Noteworthy graves

While all the Père Lachaise cemetery graves are interesting and artful, some attract more visitors than the rest. It probably has to do with who the graves belong to more than anything else. However, even those not recognizable today are often some of the most beautiful ones.

• Abelard and Heloise: If you’re interested in reading more about the tragic love story between medieval star-crossed lovers Abelard and Heloise, you might enjoy reading the letters the two wrote to each other as published here.

• Jim Morrison: The lead singer of the Doors, Morrison’s grave is one of the most visited, often surrounded by fans and adorned with fresh flowers. He was just 27, and his death sparked numerous theories. If you enjoy conspiracy theories, you might enjoy reading Jim Morrison’s Death And The Theories Around It.

• Oscar Wilde: The poet and playwright’s grave was famously covered with lipstick marks from admirers, which led authorities to erect a glass barrier to protect it. Wilde was a popular and controversial literary figure in late Victorian England. His unconventional and scandalous lifestyle made him a notorious figure and ultimately led to his downfall.

• Victor Noir: Victor was a journalist killed in a duel in 1870. His body was originally interred in a different cemetery but was later moved here at his widow’s request. Today, Noir’s grave is marked by a life-sized statue of him lying down with a bullet hole in his forehead. It is said that if you touch his statue’s crotch, you will be blessed with good luck and fertility. 

• Edith Piaf: Known as the “Little Sparrow,” Piaf was a famous French singer renowned for her powerful voice and songs like “La Vie en rose.”

• Frédéric Chopin: Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic era, celebrated for his innovative piano compositions and expressive performances.

More note-worthy famous people buried in this famous cemetery in Paris

The list of famous people would take a long time to compile, so here is a quick snapshot of some of the cultural icons you will find buried at Père Lachaise cemetery.

Writers and poets

• Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette: A celebrated French writer known for her novels exploring female sexuality and independence. Her famous works include “Gigi” and “Chéri.”
• Alfred de Musset: A French poet and playwright associated with the Romantic movement. He is known for his emotional and introspective poetry and the play “Lorenzaccio.”
• Molière, La Fontaine: Molière is one of France’s greatest playwrights, famous for his comedies such as “Tartuffe” and “The Misanthrope.” Jean de La Fontaine is known for his fables, which are still widely read and appreciated today.

• Victor Hugo: One of France’s most famous writers, known for his novels “Les Misérables” and “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.” His works often address social issues and human rights.
• Marcel Proust: A renowned French writer best known for his seven-part novel “In Search of Lost Time” (“À la recherche du temps perdu”), which explores themes of memory and time.
• Guillaume Apollinaire: A French poet known for his avant-garde and surrealist works. His poetry collections include “Alcools” and “Calligrammes.”

• Honoré de Balzac: A prolific French writer who produced a vast series of novels and stories known as “La Comédie Humaine,” which provides a detailed portrait of French society in the 19th century.
• Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas: Gertrude Stein was an American writer and art collector, famous for her modernist works and for hosting a Paris salon that included many leading artists and writers. Alice B. Toklas was her partner and writer, known for “The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook.”
• Jean de la Fontaine: A French poet renowned for his fables, which convey moral lessons through stories of animals with human characteristics.

Painters and performers

• Eugène Delacroix: A prominent French Romantic artist known for his dramatic and expressive use of colour. His works include “Liberty Leading the People” and “The Death of Sardanapalus.”
• Amedeo Modigliani: An Italian painter and sculptor famous for his portraits and nudes characterized by elongated faces and figures. His unique style and tragic life story have made him an enduring figure in modern art.
• Camille Pissarro: A French impressionist painter known for his landscapes and rural and urban life scenes. He is considered one of the fathers of the Impressionist movement and played a key role in its development.
• Georges Seurat: A French painter and founder of Neo-Impressionism. He is best known for pioneering the pointillism technique, as seen in his masterpiece “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.”

• Théodore Géricault: A French Romantic painter known for his powerful and dramatic works, including “The Raft of the Medusa.” His art often depicted scenes of contemporary events and human suffering.
• Marcel Marceau: The world-renowned French mime artist known for his silent performances as “Bip the Clown.” His grave is a tribute to his significant contributions to the art of mime.
• Simone Signoret: A celebrated French actress who won an Academy Award for her role in “Room at the Top.” She is remembered for her powerful performances and contributions to French cinema.
• Allan Kardec: The founder of Spiritism, a philosophical doctrine about the afterlife. His grave attracts visitors who leave messages and tokens of appreciation for his work.
• Yves Montand: An iconic French actor and singer who starred in films like “The Wages of Fear” and was known for his charismatic performances both on screen and on stage.

Other celebrity graves

• Baron Haussmann: A 19th-century architect and urban planner who transformed Paris with his extensive renovation projects, including the creation of wide boulevards, parks, and modern sewage systems. His work gave Paris much of its present-day layout and grandeur.
• Georges Haussmann: Often confused with Baron Haussmann, Georges Haussmann was a French civil engineer and town planner who played a key role in executing the ambitious urban redesign of Paris during the mid-19th century, making it one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

• Mur des Fédérés / The Communards’ Wall: A significant historical site within Père Lachaise, it commemorates the 147 combatants of the Paris Commune who were executed here in 1871. This wall symbolizes the struggle and sacrifice of those who fought for social justice and is a place of remembrance for political activists and historians.
• Princess Vera Obolensky: A Russian aristocrat and a heroine of the French Resistance during World War II, is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery. She was a significant figure due to her brave efforts and sacrifice in the fight against Nazi occupation.

Visiting Paris’ largest cemetery

A visit to Père Lachaise is a unique experience that blends history, culture, and art. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as there is much to explore across the largest park within Paris’s city limits. For first-time visitors, a free map is available on the cemetery’s official website, which helps in navigating the streets of Paris within the cemetery.

The cemetery is easily accessible by public transport. It is a short walk from the Philippe Auguste (Line 2) and Père Lachaise (Lines 2 and 3) Metro stations or from the Philip Augustus stop (Bus 71). The main entrance, Porte Principale, is located on Boulevard de Ménilmontant, across from Rue de la Roquette.

The cemetery is less spooky on a sunny day, and you can appreciate the details of the many artistic finishes on the graves. You don’t have to be a dark tourist to add it to your itinerary. It is like a giant park that can be explored for hours. Most of all, it makes for an interesting stop while in Paris and is one I highly recommend.

You can stroll along the many roads or cross between the rows of graves in any direction. For a better idea of which spots you want to visit, check out the graves ahead of time to help you plan which ones you want to see. You can download a map of the cemetery on the city’s official website. The entrance to the cemetery is free. It’s open all year round.

final thoughts on visiting the Pere Lachaise cemetery

The Pere Lachaise cemetery is definitely not your average tourist destination. However, it’s one that offers a different way of learning about the past and the history of Paris. It’s also an opportunity to pay your respects to some of the most influential and prominent figures that once lived here. Ready to experience Paris differently? Make sure to stop by the most famous cemetery in the world. I promise it will be an experience like no other.