Visiting a cemetery seems like a strange activity for a tourist, but it’s one of my favorite things to do in Paris!
Cemeteries can be spooky, but they can also be beautiful…and the Paris cemeteries are no exception. These quiet green spaces within the city are more like parks showcasing a variety of sculpture and architecture styles. A walk through one of Paris’s cemeteries is a great break from your hectic touring schedule and the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Plus you might meet a few famous (departed) people along the way.
Several of these incredible cemeteries are easily accessible by tourists and, best of all, many of them are free!
Pere Lachaise is probably the most famous and frequently visited of the city’s cemeteries. The cemetery is located a short distance outside the main city center, but is a quick, easy trip using public transportation. (Check out this blog on how to use the Paris Metro system.) Pere Lachaise is the final resting place of individuals such as Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison.
Another large, well known cemetery is that of Montmartre. Cimetiere de Montmartre is a beautiful cemetery tucked into the hillside and you can find people such as Alexandre Dumas, Dalida, and Edgar Degas buried here.
Cimetiere du Montparnasse is another sprawling, tree filled cemetery near the Catacombs. One of Paris’s famous windmills even still stands on the grounds…without blades, unfortunately.
A smaller cemetery near the Eiffel tower, Passy Cemetery is the final resting place of many individuals including the composer Claude Debussy and the last emperor of Vietnam.
Pere Lachaise, Montmartre, Montparnasse, and Passy are all public cemeteries and are free to visit. You can usually find a map of the most popular graves at the main gate to the cemetery as well as a donation box. Consider supporting the upkeep of these unique spaces with a modest contribution.
The Picpus Cemetery is a bit different. This privately run cemetery is only open for a few hours in the afternoon and costs 2 Euros to visit. Here you can find the grave of the Marquis de Lafayette as well as mass graves containing the victims of the guillotine.
If you think that visiting cemeteries is a strange tourist attraction, don’t forget that some of Paris’s most famous sites are actually tombs!
The Catacombs are the final resting place of more than six million individuals that were moved to the site from several early Parisian cemeteries. (Check out this blog post on how to visit the Catacombs without spending all day standing in line!)
In addition, the Arc de Triomphe and the Pantheon both serve as tombs.
Check out these additional resources for more information on visiting Paris’s cemeteries:
Visiting Paris Cemeteries (Paris Visitors Bureau)
Old Cemeteries in Paris (Atlas Obscura)
Paris Cemeteries (Paris Cemeteries)
