It may sound unusual to recommend a cemetery as a top attraction, but Père Lachaise is no ordinary graveyard. The largest and most famous cemetery in Paris, it’s a beautiful, atmospheric city of the dead — a hilly, cobbled, tree-shaded park filled with elaborate tombs and the graves of some of history’s most famous figures. Peaceful, romantic, and fascinating, it’s one of the most rewarding and unusual places to wander in the city.
A Garden of the Dead
Opened in 1804, Père Lachaise was designed as a garden cemetery, with winding cobbled paths, mature trees, and grand monuments spread across a hillside in eastern Paris. Strolling its leafy avenues feels more like exploring an open-air sculpture park than a cemetery. Today it covers over 100 acres and holds the remains of more than a million people, with countless elaborate tombs and chapels to discover.
Famous Residents
Père Lachaise is the final resting place of an astonishing roll-call of famous names. Music fans seek out the grave of The Doors’ Jim Morrison and the composer Chopin; literature lovers visit Oscar Wilde, whose tomb is famously marked with lipstick kisses (now behind glass), and Marcel Proust; while others pay respects to the singer Édith Piaf, the writer Honoré de Balzac, and the tragic medieval lovers Héloïse and Abélard.
Atmosphere and Art
Beyond the famous graves, the cemetery is worth visiting simply for its mood and its remarkable funerary art. Mossy tombs, weeping statues, grand mausoleums, and quiet, overgrown corners create a uniquely romantic, melancholy atmosphere. It’s also a moving place of memory, home to poignant memorials to the victims of war and the dead of the 1871 Paris Commune.
Finding Your Way
Père Lachaise is large and its layout is a confusing maze, so it’s easy — and rather pleasant — to get lost. Pick up or download a map marking the famous graves before you go, or buy one from vendors near the entrance, as the famous tombs can be tricky to locate. Wear comfortable shoes for the hills and uneven cobbles.
Planning Your Visit
The cemetery is free to enter and open daily, served by the Père Lachaise and Philippe Auguste metro stations. Visit respectfully — it remains an active cemetery where families come to mourn. Allow at least a couple of hours to wander, and go on a bright day to enjoy the play of light through the trees. It’s a peaceful, contemplative contrast to the busy center of Paris.
More Paris guides: explore the full Paris Travel Guides series.
