Historic, Vintage, Cool (Paris)

By Karen Beishuizen

I have this thing for anything historic, vintage or cool. Especially when it comes to hotels, restaurants, diners, cafes and music venues. I want to show you landmarks around the world which are Historic, Vintage and Cool.

We stay in Paris!

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris, at 44 hectares (110 acres). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited cemetery in the world. It is located in the 20th arrondissement and was the first garden cemetery, as well as the first municipal cemetery in the city.

The cemetery of Père Lachaise opened in 1804 and takes its name from the confessor to Louis XIV, Père François de la Chaise.

To walk around the cemetery, be prepared to wear good shoes as the paths combined are 15km / 9 miles long. There are signs indicating the names of the cobbled streets.

The cemetery‘s winding cobblestone paths and lush greenery provide a peaceful backdrop for the elaborate tombs, mausoleums, and monuments that honor the lives and legacies of some of history‘s most remarkable figures.

The main entrance is at the intersection of Boulevard de Ménilmontant and Rue de la Roquette. The gate is adorned with winged hourglasses, torches, and floral garlands, and is closed by a heavy double-leaf door.
Once inside you can get a free cemetery map to make your way around and find all the graves.

There are between 300,000 to 1 million graves: from simple markers to headstones to mausoleums.

Many famous people are buried here:

Honoré de Balzac, Sarah Bernhardt, Frédéric Chopin, Colette, Olivia de Havilland, Marcel Marceau, Molière, Édith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, Richard Wright, Jim Morrison, Gaspard Ulliel, Gilbert Bécaud, Karel Appel, Claude Chabrol, Isadora Duncan, Laurent Fignon, William Temple Franklin (Benjamin Franklin’s grandson), Jean-Luc Godard, Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Thierry Mugler, and many more…

Jim Morrison’s grave is more than just a burial site—it’s a landmark of rock history, bringing thousands of fans to Paris every year. His grave has become a canvas for graffiti, a shrine for offerings, and even a stage for impromptu performances from devoted fans. Engraved on Morrison’s tombstone is the Greek phrase “KATA TON DAIMONA EAYTOY.” This has been widely translated as “True to his own spirit”.

Fans from across the world make pilgrimages to pay their respects, leaving behind flowers, poems, and sometimes more unconventional offerings like bottles of whiskey or lit cigarettes. Some visitors even attach chewing gum to nearby trees—an unusual tradition symbolizing rebellion and freedom.

For more information, check out Père Lachaise’s website: HERE

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