A Visit to Père Lachaise: Paris’ Largest Cemetery

I love Halloween – it’s my favourite holiday. But being a Halloween enthusiast in France is a difficult feat because Europeans do not harbour the same love for the holiday as North Americans do. Basically, they don’t celebrate All Hallows’ Eve (gasp!). I decided to embark on my own spooky adventure by spending the big day at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where the likes of Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf, and Jim Morrison are buried.

Getting to the cemetery by metro is easy. Depending on which side of the park you wish to start on, you have the choice between Station Père Lachaise, Philippe Auguste, or Gambetta. Once inside, take a look at the map as the park is separated into several divisions. Here’s a look into the cemetery’s highlights:

As I walk into the cemetery, I can smell fall for the first time since my time in Paris this autumn – it’s a peaceful and welcome change from the Parisian hustle and bustle. I start my visit at the entrance close to Jim Morrison’s tomb, so I decide to follow the crowd. I specifically follow a group of tourists armed with six packs – they look like they know where they’re going.

Once there, they pay tribute to the Doors singer by cracking open their beers. Not far, a group of students visiting the tomb are getting schooled on Morrison’s life – they have no idea who he is, nor do they appear to be dazzled by the sixties. Candles and flowers surround the grave while fans have left their personal items all around (including chewing gum on the infamous “gum tree”).

I then walk to Édith Piaf’s tomb, which is another popular site (the demographic of fans is quite different here!). The space is tight and a little difficult to maneuver. The La Vie en rose singer’s grave is adorned with beautiful flowers and the lyrics to one of her songs: “Dieu reunit ceux qui s’aiment.”

I continue my visit by making my way to Gertrude Stein’s grave, which was hard to spot at first – I’m one of her only visitors that day, it seems. I pay my respects to the Paris-based American writer and head to see Molière’s, which again, is tucked on a small street and hard to find at first glance.

I end with Oscar Wilde, which unfortunately now has that glass barrier covering it. This hasn’t stop devoted fans from adding their lipstick-stained kiss to the site. It isn’t too crowded when I arrive, but then again, the cemetery is about to close. I leave as the sun starts to go down which adds to the cemetery’s eerie atmosphere.

While it does feel strange to gawk and snap photos of the graves of those who once lived, there’s also a sense of “paying your respects” that comes along with it. In other words, this adoration becomes proof that their influence lives on.

Have you been to Père Lachaise? Let me know below!

Happy Halloween!