Père Lachaise Cemetery – Not Only for Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde!
The Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France is a bit of a shrine for a lot of people, especially those who are big fans of rock and roll, dead singers and literature. I checked out this famous ‘dead end of town’ on a Rail Europe trip through France, the Netherlands and Germany. The Cemetery is located on the eastern side of central Paris, on the Right Bank. You can take the chaotic metro there and there is a station literally next door to the cemetery. That’s assuming you don’t arrive alive here after a circuit of the Arc de Triomphe!
Firstly, Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, is buried here. You know the guy who was one of the infamous 27 club, who died at this age where many musicians tend to leave the planet!
Jim’s grave is actually pretty understated, as shown below. I had to take this photo over a barricade, as for some reason, Jim’s headstone seems to be a magnet for vandals who like trashing the dead’s final resting place.
Another famous person who is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery is Oscar Wilde – the famous Irish writer. His grave is somewhat more flamboyant, like Oscar was himself. There is a glass fence around his grave site so people can write all sorts of things there, from inspirational quotes to insults!
Other notable grave sites here include the singers Maria Callas and Edith Piaf.
However all of these famous dead people’s head stones didn’t grab my attention as much as the one I came across below, which I found completely bizarre. I have no explanation for this one!
I spotted this strange grave site whilst trying to find Jim Morrison’s and Oscar Wilde’s tombs.
Note, the outside of the tomb probably mimics what is inside! It’s like art imitating death!
More Père Lachaise Cemetery Stuff
Read more at Meet Me At Père Lachaise: a guided tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery.
See more at my list of French Swear Words, Slang and Expletives!
Looks like you’re in the dead part of town…
Yes, literally!
Glad I read your post. I did not know about this place and all the graves are eye-catching. But why do people have to write insults?!
Who knows!
I honestly don’t like visiting cemeteries. But this one’s an exception. Long live the forever 27 club.
This is one of my favorite cemeteries – so many interesting gravestones! The unknown grave at the bottom is for Victor Noir. For some reason, his grave has become a fertility symbol. A few rubs and supposedly you’ll be blessed with babies! 🙂 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Noir
Awesome!
The grave of the man in full outdoor dress with top hat at his side was a journalist called Victor Noir – shot in the street by Pierre Bonaparte and represents how he was found lying in the street.
Death imitating life!
I love Père Lachaise Cemetery. The place is so peaceful and there are many unique tombs. I’m glad I read the comments – I knew nothing about the last grave. 🙂
It’s worth seeing just for the bizarre factor!