Address: 16 Rue du Repos, Paris 20
Metro: Pere LaChaise or Philippe Auguste
Hours: November to Middle of March: Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5:30 PM – Saturday from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm Sundays and holidays from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. From Middle of March – October: Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 6:00 PM – Saturday from 8:30 am -6:00 pm and Sundays are open from 9:00 am to 6 pm. Last admission 15 minutes before closing times.
Phone: 01 55 25 82 10
Fees: Free
Pere Lachaise, the famous park-like setting cemetery is named after Pere Lachaise, the confessor to Louis XIV. In 1803, by the order of Napoleon, the boundaries were extended extensively, and it was turned into a prestigious cemetery.
Pere Lachaise opened in 1804 with a 5 year old girl being the first person buried there.
Because it was far from the center of Paris, not many people buried loved ones at Pere Lachaise. (plus it was not blessed by the church)
In order to make this cemetery more attractive, the graves of Moliere and La Fontaine were transferred to this location. Within few years other notables were transferred thus making it more desirable for other people.
Consequently, Pere Lachaise is home to many famous, notable and French aristocrats, making it one of the most visited cemeteries in the world.
You can expect to find many ornated tombs stones and the tombs of Moliere, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Yves Montand, and Delacroix.
There is a section devoted to famous and notables of other countries such as Jim Morrisson and Sadegh Hedayat.
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