Père Lachaise Cemetery

This is probably the most famous cemetery I’ve ever heard of that isn’t a war memorial. It’s the final resting place of some very famous people and thus draws in an incredible amount of tourists for a cemetery. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re planning to be in Paris!

To get there you can take the Metro to the Père Lachaise Metro station. There is an entrance right there, apparently, though it wasn’t open when Aunt River and I visited. From the Metro station you can walk along the wall of names which is a memorial for the souls lost in the Second World War, until you come to a large half moon courtyard and a set of large doors. Enter, and you’ll find yourself in the cemetery.

You can book tours, but you’re also welcome to visit solo. If you would like to visit someone special before you go, I recommend you either google where they are buried or take a look at a list of people within the cemetery. The list is quite extensive, as are the range professions of people interred there. When Aunt River and I went we made it a point of visited the graves of Abelard and Héloïse, Jim Morrison, Frederic Chopin, and Oscar Wilde. The cemetery is non-denominational, and so there are Jewish and Muslim sections you can visit, as well as a chapel, columbarium or mausoleum, and a crematorium. I don’t know if you can go into the crematorium, though I suspect not.

It was lucky that we had such a short list, as we arrived in the evening, an hour before the site was to close for the evening. The site is beautiful in this hour of lower light, but I would recommend going earlier if you want to be able to have a more leisurely amble about the tombs. Starting at about half an hour before closing there are volunteers who walk the cemetery grounds to usher out visitors before the gate is locked. I suggest you heed their warning and leave.

For the best possible visit I would suggest going in the morning with a list of graves you know you want to see, preferably marking them on a map which you’ve studied as the layout can be a bit chaotic. You might also wish to bring pictures of the graves with you so you have an easier time finding them. I would recommend that the map be physical, but it and the pictures can always be on your phone. In terms of offerings, I believe you are allowed to bring flowers, though as with any grave yard they will be removed after a period. Keep these gifts respectful. A small bouquet of flowers, perhaps. I don’t recommend candles as a fire in such a place could do a lot of damage.

Be sure to bring good shoes, as the graves can be nigh on on top of each other, and the cobble between them isn’t exactly even. You may also wish to bring a water bottle or a small snack if you intend to spend a majority of the day there, though should you do so remember to pack out all of your rubbish. There are washrooms in the cemetery though I’m told they are less than pleasant, and with Covid about I wouldn’t count on them being open. Go before you go!

Remember that it is a cemetery so keep the usual rules for respect. Behave calmly, do not interfere with the graves, and be respectful towards other visitors.

Wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay safe gentle reader.