Père Lachaise Cemetery

The grand, tree-lined avenues and cobblestone lanes of the Père Lachaise Cemetery make a dramatic backdrop for a walking tour, and the faded headstones and aging monuments harbor centuries of history. With more than 110 acres (44 hectares) to explore, visiting with a tour guide is the most convenient option, and most small-group or private tours stop at all the highlights, including Jim Morrison’s grave.

• Admission to the Père Lachaise Cemetery is free.

• The cemetery is wheelchair accessible, although some areas may be difficult to access without assistance.

• Cemetery maps are available for free from the information office at the Boulevard de Ménilmontant entrance.

The Père Lachaise Cemetery is located in Paris’ 11th arrondissement, around 3 miles (5km) east of downtown Paris. The cemetery has four entrances; the main entrance is on Boulevard de Ménilmontant, close to the Philippe Auguste metro stop (line 2). Other entrances are situated close to the Père-Lachaise (lines 2 and 3), Gambetta (line 3), and Alexandre Dumas (line 2) metro stations.

The cemetery is open year round and is busiest in summer, when group tours descend on to the most popular sites. To avoid the crowds, time your visit for the early morning or aim for 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m., when most tours break for lunch.

Père Lachaise is the resting place of renowned composers, writers, artists, actors, singers, dancers, and even the immortal 12th-century lovers Abélard and Héloïse. One of the most-visited grave sites is that of rock star Jim Morrison of the Doors, who died in an apartment on rue Beautreillis in the Marais in 1971. Others include Oscar Wilde, Maria Callas, Chopin, Marcel Proust, Modigliani, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, and Georges Haussmann—the man who laid out Paris's magnificent 19th-century boulevards.

The Père Lachaise Cemetery became a burial ground in the early 19th century. To take advantage of ample space on the city's outskirts, Parisian officials organized many reburials of famous people here. This elevated its status and the cemetery soon became the burial ground of choice for notable figures.

The pianist Frédéric Chopin, poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, and The Doors lead singer Jim Morrison are some of the famous people buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery. Famous French people include Marcel Proust, author of a 3,000-page masterpiece, and the architect Charles Garnier, who designed the Paris Opera House.

Yes, guided tours of Père Lachaise Cemetery are available year-round. Walking tours and small-group tours often spend a couple of hours here, discovering the famous graves and hearing the stories behind the tombs. Other sightseeing options include haunted tours that focus on more macabre stories, and self-guided audio tours.

Yes, you can take photos inside Père Lachaise Cemetery. Some visitors come here for precisely that reason, often lining up to catch a snap in front of Jim Morrison’s grave. Oscar Wilde’s tomb is said to be the most beautiful (and kissed), and its lipstick-covered wall is a quirky photo opportunity.

Grab a cemetery map when you enter, and plan a route before you start to walk. Private tours let you customize your itinerary, so you can head straight to the graves that interest you most. For the grave of Jim Morrison, follow the mostly American crowds.

Like all Paris attractions, Père Lachaise Cemetery is especially busy in the summer months. To avoid the worst crowds, the shoulder season months of May and September are quieter. Whatever month you visit, go earlier in the morning; the attraction is open from 8am and there are rarely lines to enter.