Père Lachaise Cemetery

Père Lachaise Cemetery
See Oscar Wilde’s tomb, visit the flamboyant burial site of Molière and pay your respects at the three World War I memorials.

Père Lachaise Cemetery is a vast and prestigious graveyard with several war memorials and notable burial sites. Its 108 acres (44 hectares) of grounds serve as the final resting place of some of the most legendary names in history, from Oscar Wilde to Jim Morrison. Walk through the pretty floral gardens and inspect the range of graves, from lavish and elaborate mini-chapels to simple headstones.

The highlight of the cemetery is the tomb of Irish writer Oscar Wilde, who left England for Paris to avoid the shame of his conviction for “gross indecency.” Read his poem about mourning inscribed on the grave alongside a naked angel. Until 2011, visitors had a strange custom of applying lipstick and kissing the tomb. Now look at the messages written in lipstick on the glass barrier protecting the tomb.

As you stroll down the paths, admire the layout of this shrine that has been turned into an English park. See all types of designs in the tombs, including Gothic graves, Haussmanian plots and mausoleums. Inspect the impressive tombs to find the names of the rich and famous, such as Frédéric Chopin and Édith Piaf.

Discover the three World War I memorials in this large plot of land. See the eerie Memorial to the Dead and its many naked angels.

The cemetery has an enormous waiting list for graves, in addition to strict rules stating those hoping to be buried here must have lived or died in Paris. Note that certain tombs contain entire families with dozens of bodies, as space is at a premium. The site is named after the confessor of King Louis XIV. It dates back to 1804, after Napoleon declared that everyone has the right to be buried, regardless of religion or race.

Père Lachaise Cemetery is in the 20th arrondissement, 2 miles (3 kilometres) east of Paris’ city centre. Take Line 2 of the metro to the Philippe Auguste station beside the main entrance to the cemetery. The Père Lachaise and Gambetta metro stops are also nearby.

La Dépendance
1K Paris
Villa Beaumarchais
Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit


Top Père Lachaise Cemetery Hotel Deals

Hotel Reseda
Hotel Reseda
3 out of 5
2 Avenue Du General De Gaulle, Bagnolet, Seine-Saint-Denis
Hotel Reseda
Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera
Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera
3 out of 5
152 Avenue Ledru Rollin, Paris, Paris
Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera
Les Patios du Marais
Les Patios du Marais
26 Rue des Gravilliers, Paris
Les Patios du Marais
Les Jardins du Marais
Les Jardins du Marais
4 out of 5
74 Rue Amelot, Paris, Paris
Les Jardins du Marais
Acacia Hotel
Acacia Hotel
30 bis avenue Parmentier, Paris
Acacia Hotel
Hôtel Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallery by Sofitel
Hôtel Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallery by Sofitel
5 out of 5
22 24 Rue Faidherbe, Paris
Hôtel Paris Bastille Boutet - MGallery by Sofitel
Campanile Paris Est - Porte de Bagnolet
Campanile Paris Est - Porte de Bagnolet
3 out of 5
28 Avenue du Général de Gaulle BP 311, Bagnolet, Seine-Saint-Denis
Campanile Paris Est - Porte de Bagnolet
Hotel Paradiso
Hotel Paradiso
4 out of 5
135 Boulevard Diderot, Paris, Arrondissement de Paris
Hotel Paradiso
Hôtel Castex
Hôtel Castex
3 out of 5
5 Rue Castex, Paris, Paris
Hôtel Castex
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.