In a nutshell
- Don’t skip a stroll through Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris — it’s one of the most atmospheric places in the city.
- We’ll show you what makes this place so special, which graves are the most famous (Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, Oscar Wilde & more), and what else you can see there.
- We’ve put together a cemetery map with a suggested route so you can find the highlights without wandering aimlessly.
- Want a guided tour of Père Lachaise? We really recommend the small-group tour — it’s the best way to make sure you don’t miss anything.
What Do You Need to Know About Père Lachaise Cemetery?
- Père Lachaise is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world and the most visited in France.
- The cemetery is located in the 20th arrondissement, in the Parisian neighborhood of the same name, Père Lachaise, and covers 44 hectares.
- Père Lachaise was built in 1804.
- The cemetery only feels eerie in winter. In spring and summer, it’s actually quite peaceful and relaxing.
- There are now over 70,000 graves at Père Lachaise — including the resting places of celebrities from across the centuries.
- The graves don’t necessarily look like what you might expect, though — the majority are impressive mausoleums.
What Can You See at Père Lachaise Cemetery?
Père Lachaise Cemetery is no ordinary cemetery — it’s a vast park. So there’s seriously much more to explore than “just” graves:
- 70,000 graves, the majority of which are mausoleums
- Cemetery allées with over 4,000 trees — including a 43-foot maple tree
- Columbarium with decorated urn graves
- Graves of over 250 famous personalities
- Many different memorial statues
- Wall of the Fédérés — a symbol of the people’s struggle for freedom
- The oldest crematorium in France
By the way: Père Lachaise Cemetery is a great stop on a bike tour through Paris — and it pairs really well with a visit to the Atelier des Lumières nearby.
Père Lachaise Cemetery Map Paris
To help you find your way around, we’ve marked the most important graves and points of interest at Père Lachaise on a map.
And so you don’t end up wandering for hours, we’ve also mapped out a suggested route for you.
You can pull up the route in our order on Google Maps so directions appear in real time on your phone. That’s exactly what we did.
The Most Famous Graves at Père Lachaise Cemetery
These are the most famous graves among the 250 celebrity burial sites at Père Lachaise Cemetery Paris. We’ve marked all seven on the cemetery map above.
Grave of Jim Morrison
The grave of Jim Morrison is the most visited grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery. Jim Morrison was the lead singer of The Doors. He died in Paris in 1971 and became part of the 27 Club — a group of artists who all died at the age of 27.
In the past, parties were often held at his grave. Because this disturbed the peace of the cemetery and led to some real excesses, the grave was guarded by security for a time. These days, a small fence has been placed around it to keep things under control.
Grave of Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin was a Polish-French composer. His most famous work is Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2.
Chopin moved from Warsaw to Paris in 1831. He continued to compose but earned his living as a piano teacher. He died in Paris in 1849 and was buried at Père Lachaise.
Grave of Jean de la Fontaine
Jean de la Fontaine was a French writer best known for his fables. “The Raven and the Fox,” for example, is still read in French schools today.
La Fontaine’s grave is actually empty. He died in 1695 and was originally buried at Père Lachaise, but his remains were later moved to the Paris Catacombs.
Grave of Victor Noir
Victor Noir was a young journalist who was shot in 1870 at just 22 years old by a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte.
His tomb depicts Noir lying down. Now brace yourself. Due to the bulge in his trousers, the grave has become a symbol of fertility — the statue’s crotch area is heavily worn from constant touching. Still, it’s a fascinating spot to visit.
Grave of Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf was a French singer. You probably know her greatest hit, “La vie en rose.”
Her real name was Édith Giovanna Gassion. When she rose to fame as the Little Sparrow of Paris, she took the stage name Édith Piaf — piaf being the French word for sparrow.
When we visited the cemetery, this was the liveliest spot — about 15 people had gathered, and her songs were playing in the background. Really lovely, actually.
Grave of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde was an Irish writer — the author of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Canterville Ghost,” among others. He was arrested in 1895 for homosexual conduct and spent two years in prison.
After his release, Oscar Wilde fled to Paris, where he died in 1900 in poverty and solitude. His gravestone at Père Lachaise features a winged figure inspired by his poem “The Sphinx,” commissioned by a close friend.
Since 2011, the stone has been protected by glass panels because visitors had covered it with red lipstick kisses. Today, kissing is strictly prohibited here — anyone caught doing it can face a fine of up to €9,000. Truly wild.
Grave of Gaspard Ulliel
Gaspard Ulliel was a celebrated French actor who passed away in 2022. His grave is one of the newest celebrity burial sites at Père Lachaise and, just like those of Jim Morrison and Édith Piaf, is constantly adorned with pictures and flowers.
Guided Tours of Père Lachaise Cemetery
Instead of exploring Père Lachaise on your own, you can also join a guided cemetery tour.
That way, you’re guaranteed not to miss any important grave, you won’t get lost in the sprawling grounds, and you’ll pick up a ton of fascinating stories along the way.
These are the tours we really love:
Père Lachaise Small-Group Tour: A two-hour tour where you visit the most famous graves and also learn a great deal about the cemetery’s design and architecture.
Tour of the Famous Graves of Père Lachaise: A two-hour walk through Père Lachaise focusing on its celebrity graves — you’ll get the full story on the lives and deaths of everyone buried here.
Ghost Tour of Père Lachaise: A two-hour guided tour where you explore the cemetery’s famous graves and hear plenty of ghost stories along the way. Great fun if you’re up for something a little spooky.
Frequently Asked Questions About Père Lachaise Cemetery Paris
How big is Père Lachaise Cemetery?
The cemetery covers 44 hectares — that’s more than 50 soccer fields, so it’s seriously large.
Which is the most visited grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris?
The most visited grave at Père Lachaise is the grave of Jim Morrison.
At one point, it even became a gathering spot for parties where music from The Doors was played at full volume. The Paris police put a stop to that and have since banned it.
How much time should you plan for a visit to Père Lachaise Cemetery?
Plan for about two hours for your visit to Père Lachaise in Paris. It’s better to give yourself more time than less — some graves can be surprisingly tricky to find, even with a map.
Are strollers allowed in Père Lachaise Cemetery?
Père Lachaise Cemetery is accessible with a stroller. That said, some paths are quite uneven and the lanes between graves can be very narrow.
We had our youngest in a carrier and our older one walked. Honestly, the cemetery isn’t exactly the most kid-friendly activity, but it worked out fine for us.
If you’re also traveling to Paris with children, check out our detailed article with tips for a family vacation in Paris with kids.
What does a grave at Père Lachaise cost?
A permanent grave at the famous Père Lachaise costs around 13,500 euros. That’s a lot of money — and the waiting list is endless anyway.
