Père-Lachaise Cemetery

The first time you visit Père-Lachaise Cemetery you sometimes don't realise that it's the largest cemetery in Paris. From first glance at the entrance gate it doesn't tell you much until you enter and explore. I visited with friends and had few "famous tombs" to find but we abandoned the idea earlier and just wandered around and be surprised. Few tombs stand out in relation to its unbelievable funeral monument design. We read up on the history of this cemetery and discovered that it was named after François Charles d'Aix de La Chaise known as Père(Father) Lachaise, Louis XIV's confessor. We entered via Boulevard de Ménimontant, one of five entrances. This entrance is distinctive with its semicircle portal with two pylons in Neoclassical style. There's an information boards to the left after entering (near the tombstone of Legru and Lhenoret) that list the names and plot numbers of famous residents of this cemetery. This cemetery is one of the most visited in Paris and it pays to read up its history before visiting. The most famous graves are plenty including Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Frédéric Copin, Abelard & Heloise, to name a few. There's so much more to discover at this "open museum". It's mostly accessible to wheelchairs and prams. There's public lavatory near the entrance gate to the right hand side as you enter.
Antoine - 2 weeks ago

Père Lachaise Cemetery is a truly unforgettable place. We visited this historic cemetery twice — every time we were in Paris — and it left a strong impression on us each time. The atmosphere here is impossible to describe with words. It feels special and unique both in rainy and sunny weather, each time revealing a different mood and beauty. Walking through it feels calm, emotional, and deeply atmospheric. This is definitely a place worth visiting at least once when you’re in Paris — highly recommended.
Zlata - a week ago

A good site to visit in Paris. There are many interred here who have influenced and inspired you — even if you don’t know it yet. During peak tourist season there are a number of friendly attendants to provide maps and directions. Toilets are in the south. Some accessibility concerns: many ways are cobbled and some steep, although there is a slope going around the whole cemetery.
Carl Fulghieri - 3 months ago

A very old, interesting, and wonderful cemetery. Walking through the cemetery gives you a tour of both history and art. I highly recommend it. It would be easy to spend an afternoon here.
Dr Robert Nash - a month ago

Of my 5 visits to Paris, I’ve been here 3 times. This most current visit was the quickest as it started to rain as soon as we entered. Our biggest mistake was not taking a photo of the map as soon as we entered. We ended up bumping into a couple of Americans with a map so we ended up getting a snap of theirs. We didn’t really have a solid plan. All I knew was that I wanted to see Jimmy and that’s it. We ended up on quite the adventure finding Jimmy. It seemed like we walked in circles. The great thing about this cemetery is that there are so many famous people interred here. And many notable families. With that said, you’ll see some elaborate tombstones. You do see a few employees walking the grounds. They all walk around during closing time, ringing their bells to let you know they’re about to close so you better skidaddle or you’ll be locked in. I’m going to do a walking tour the next time I’m in town so I can cover more ground. I’m always so overwhelmed when I’m there It is however super sad to see the graves that are clearly unattended, sometimes looking like they’ve been abandoned.
julie demdam - 2 months ago