Paris Cemeteries: Not Just for Dead People

Now that warm weather is here in Paris, it’s time to get out and enjoy the sunshine!

We all know that Paris’ parks are lovely, but they can get a bit crowded during the summer months. To find a quieter place, with shady paths, greenery, and even a bit of art and history, try visiting a Paris cemetery.

Squeamish? These cemeteries are spacious and welcoming, with nary a skeleton in sight.

The grandest of all Paris cemeteries, of course, is Pere Lachaise. In the 20th arrondissement, with easy access off metro lines two and three, Pere Lachaise has English gardens, tombstones in all styles, and lots of famous dead people. I’m sorry to announce that Oscar Wilde’s grave, traditionally covered with lipstick kisses of adoring admirers, has been surrounded by plexiglass to protect it from the eroding qualities of the lipstick. Also, vandals broke of the penis off the avenging angel atop the tombstone. It remains unfixed. Don’t laugh.

Pere Lachaise is situated on a hill, and the views are captivating. Toilets are located near the entrances. Summer hours are 9:00 till 6:00.

Montparnasse Cemetery, in the 14th arrondissement, is the second largest after Pere Lachaise. It is also verdant and cool, with benches lining the paths, and some whimsical tombstones.

I read a book recently about Paris in the 40’s, and Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir had an enormous influence on literature, philosophy, and even politics during that decade. I knew they were committed partners for life, but until I saw their grave, I did not know that they were buried together. Seeing their grave gave me a deeper appreciation of Paris and its history. Also, mad respect for people that stuck together for five decades even though they never put a ring on it.

The Montparnasse Cemetery has toilets near the entrances. They are clean and well-stocked. Summer hours are 9:00 till 6:00.

The Montmartre Cemetery, in the 18th arrondissement, has only one entrance, on Avenue Rachel under the Rue Caulaincourt viaduct. It is the third-largest cemetery in Paris, and was constructed in a former gypsum quarry which was the site of a mass grave in the French Revolution.

Hours are 9:00- 5:30 in the winter, till 6:00 in the summer.

​The Montmartre Cemetery has toilets, but I’d wait till I got home if I were you. Nas-ty.

The small Saint Vincent Cemetery, located on a hillside in Montmartre, has a different vibe than the three previously mentioned cemeteries. It has olive trees instead of shade trees, and the hillside location, next to the Montmartre vineyard, evokes a Mediterranean atmosphere.

Summer hours are 9:00 till 6:00.

The crown jewel of Parisian cemeteries, however, might be Picpus Cemetery. Located in the 12th arrondissement, it is a private cemetery and is open daily except Sunday from 2-5 p.m., with a 2 Euro admission. The cemetery was originally a mass grave for citizens executed during the revolution by guillotine. Their families later bought the land and converted it into a formal cemetery. Today only their descendants can be buried there. Except for General Lafayette, who somehow sneaked in. An American flag flies over his grave, and visiting Americans leave notes and tokens in his memory. Some leave cash. Not sure why.

The cemetery is separate from the garden, where there are benches, shade trees, chickens, beehives, and an astounding variety of rose bushes. Bring a book or a snack, and refresh yourself in the quiet.

Green space is scarce in Paris. Get it where you can.

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