Cimetière du Père Lachaise aka: Père Lachaise Cemetery

one of the most serene, quiet places in paris. an entire city of monuments housing the dead. there is something very magical about this place.

One of my favorite places to walk in Paris. It offers a very poetic perspective on life. Some of the neo-classical sculptures are absolutely shunning (for example, see Madame Henriette-Adélaïde Raspail’s site (née Trousseau, 1799-1853) which displays work by Antoine Etex (1808-1888, bas-reliefs pour l’Arc de triomphe de l’Étoile) {nota bene DCD fans}).

Permission was officially denied to hold a recital of piano music by Erik Satie. So just imagine listening to his Gymnopedies as you stroll along . . .

and when you sit down to rest, bring out some poetry by Gérard de Nerval and Paul Eluard to quietly recite . . . they are both there, and probably would be quite honored by your presence! (A friend suggested setting up camp overnight, to get a feel for the afterlife ;-)

« A la fin tu es las de ce monde ancien. » -Guillaume Apollinaire

He has came, come, and went… like a lingering kiss… only in memories. I want to visit him… talk to him, confide in him and ask him “Am i doing okay?” “Is this my destiny”
I dont want to follow in someones foot steps. I just want to be my own. Writing. I miss the music. Live. Between. I miss long nights of drinks and outrageous quantities of coke. I miss the partying. I miss the love. But most of all, i miss the drugs.

And it reminds you of a city. Jim Morrison even receives mail! But in addition to Jim Morrison, many people are buried here: Sarah Bernhardt, Oscar Wilde, Jane Avril (of Moulin Rouge fame), Balzac, Abelard & Heloise, Chopin, Moliere, and Victor Noir, whose claim to fame among Paris women is that rubbing the effigy on the top of his tomb guarantees fecundity. Specifically, rubbing the - uh, - well, you can figure it out. Worth going to—and one of the cheapest thrills in Paris. Wear comfortable shoes and don’t forget to get a map at the news kiosk; they’re free.

Most people come here for Jim Morrison’s grave (made less interesting by the removal of the bust…) I admit that’s about all I saw the first time I came here. It’s fairly non-descript… there’s a cryptic Greek phrase (it translates “he created his own demons”) on his tombstone, placed there by his estranged father. The first time I was there, someone had written “hello, I love you” in lipstick on his headstone. There were some other less tastelful “gifts” left. And all over the cemetery is Doors-related grafitti (Jim—> this way, “I came back for you, love Pam”, “God bless junkies”, “we should see the gates by morning, we should be inside by evening”, etc). But there is much more to Pere Lachaisse than Jim (as I discovered on my second trip). The above-ground crypts are interesting (and disturbing at times, since many of them have been broken into), the statues are eerily beautiful, Oscar Wilde, Chopin and Heloise and Abelard are here, among other notables, and there are several interesting WWII memorials. Buy a map for about 2 Euro outside the gates. The cemetery is right across the street from the Pere Lachaisse metro stop.

... although that certainly is the main attraction (and we STILL had a difficult time finding it!) Come here for the final resting places of musicians, writers, historical figures (Heloise and Abelard, for example) and some really touching Holocaust/WWII memorials. Oh, and Jim Morrison.