Entering Père Lachaise on a chilly morning, visitors can easily see someone stopping by the tomb of the painter Théodore Géricault - where a bronze statue replicating the famous work “Le Radeau de la Méduse” (The Raft of Medusa) is placed next to the tombstone. This is one of the symbols that shows how art and memory continue to live after death inside this special cemetery.
Located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, Père Lachaise Cemetery is considered one of the special destinations of this city. With an area of about 44 hectares (440,000 m²), this place is not only the resting place of more than one million people, but also considered a living "archive" of French history, art and culture. From names in the world of music, painting, literature to love stories, tragedies and urban legends, Père Lachaise has long gone beyond the concept of a normal cemetery.
“Père Lachaise is not just a cemetery, it is the archive of Paris,” said Anthony Schmitt, a Parisian luxury travel agent. “It preserves the history of the city through the graves of great minds, moments of struggle and the art of the graves themselves. It is a place of cultural significance for Parisians.”
Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is likened to an open-air museum thanks to the large number of sculptures and monuments present throughout its 44-hectare grounds.
Père Lachaise is now the most visited cemetery in the world.
Grave of French painter Théodore Géricault (1791-1824)
Besides Géricault, this is also the resting place of many famous people such as singer Edith Piaf, musician Frédéric Chopin, painter Modigliani, writer Oscar Wilde or singer Jim Morrison - leader of the band The Doors.
History of Père Lachaise
The name Père Lachaise comes from François de La Chaise, a priest and confessor to King Louis XIV, who lived in the area, then known as Mont-Louis, after the king visited the area during a period of turmoil in Paris.
However, when the cemetery opened in 1804, it was not well received by Parisians. According to tour guide Alberto Rigettini, who has been leading English tours here since 2010: “At that time, Parisians often buried their loved ones in their yards or churchyards. This area was far from the center and located in a district considered to have social evils, so no one wanted to be buried there.”
There are about 70,000 graves in the cemetery, many of which are decorated with elaborate sculptures, from busts, reliefs to full-body statues.
In its first year, only 13 people were buried at Père Lachaise. In response, the city government deployed a symbolic strategy: the remains of poet Jean de La Fontaine and playwright Molière were moved here, as a way to build their image. In 1817, the remains of the famous medieval lovers - Héloïse and Abélard - were also moved here, creating a strong media effect.
Abélard was a 37-year-old theologian, and Héloïse was his young student. They fell in love in 1115, had an illegitimate child, and married in secret, before being tragically separated. They both later became nuns, but maintained contact through emotional letters. They were reunited after their deaths, and their shared grave remains the cemetery’s most visited site.
Thanks to these moves, Père Lachaise gradually became more attractive. By 1830, the cemetery had some 33,000 graves; by 1850, the area had expanded fivefold to meet the growing demand.
Once shunned because it was located in a district with social evils, thanks to the local government's strategy, this cemetery has gradually become widely known with the increasing demand for burials here.
Characters associated with collective memory
One of the most visited graves is that of Edith Piaf, the singer known for her distinctive husky voice and the song “La Vie en Rose.” She was born in nearby Belleville and died in Grasse, southern France, in 1963. It is said that her husband drove through the night to bring her body back to Paris so that fans would believe she had died in her birthplace.
Grave of French singer Edith Piaf (1915-1963)
The tombs of Frédéric Chopin and Jim Morrison are also among the most visited. These are global cultural icons, contributing to making Père Lachaise a must-see destination for those interested in modern art and history.
Grave of Polish musician Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
Another figure associated with urban legend is Victor Noir, a young journalist who was killed in a duel with Pierre Bonaparte, a relative of Emperor Napoleon III, in 1870. His death sparked protests against the government and over 100,000 people attended his funeral. He has since become a political icon and a legendary figure. Victor Noir’s tomb was sculpted by Jules Dalou, showing him lying on his back, as if he had been shot.
Urban Legend Victor Noir
According to tour guide Thierry Le Roi, who has worked at the cemetery for more than 25 years, the statue’s lips, boots and genitals are the most worn areas due to frequent touching by visitors. “Some people believe that if you lie on the statue of Victor Noir, with your feet towards the boots and kiss its lips or touch its genitals, you will soon become pregnant,” he said. “Legend also says that if you touch its right foot, you will have a child, and if you touch its left foot, you will have twins.” Although he has never tried it himself, he said: “I have a friend who prayed and then had a child.”
An “open-air museum” with the soul of Paris
Père Lachaise is not only of historical or religious value, but also a unique public cultural space, with a system of paved roads, tree-lined walkways and many exquisite sculptures. The tombs here bear a strong personal imprint, many of which are designed as works of art, reflecting the status, religion, lifestyle and aesthetics of the deceased.
Being buried at Père Lachaise is no longer easy. In addition to the high cost, the cemetery is almost completely full. In the 21st century, demand far exceeds the number of available plots, causing waiting times to last for years. However, this only adds to Père Lachaise’s symbolic value in the Parisian psyche. After visiting the Eiffel Tower or strolling through famous museums, many people choose to stop here to enter the “city of souls”, where the memories, art and love of the deceased continue to be preserved.
