A guide to Parisian cemeteries

Offering natural beauty, rich history and striking sculptures, the cemeteries of Paris are serene places for a stroll. There are 14 within the city limits, home to the graves of famous names. For our guide to Paris cemeteries, we've selected 6 of the best, from iconic places to insider secrets.

PÈRE LACHAISE CEMETERY

Opened in 1804, the largest and most famous of Paris' cemeteries is Père Lachaise, in the east of the city. Music fans should visit the grave of American rocker Jim Morrison, which attracts a huge following. Wander the cobbled paths of this sprawling garden-style cemetery to discover ornate tombs, moving memorials and atmospheric trees. The list of 'famous dead' includes composer Frédéric Chopin, singers Édith Piaf and Maria Callas, playwright Molière, artist Camille Pissarro and writers Honoré de Balzac, Marcel Proust, Colette, Gertrude Stein and Oscar Wilde.

16 rue du Repos, off boulevard de Ménilmontant, 75020

MONTMARTRE CEMETERY

Dotted with trees, Montmartre Cemetery, founded in 1825, is the third largest cemetery in Paris, officially known as the Cimetière du Nord. Set in an abandoned quarry, it was a mass grave during the French Revolution, but is now the resting place of the artists and writers of this creative district. Stroll through the 11-hectare park to spot legendary names among the 20,000 graves, including those of French novelists Émile Zola and Stendhal, artists Edgar Degas and Gustave Moreau, composer Hector Berlioz, film director François Truffaut, dancer Vaslav Nijinsky and singer Dalida. It is just a few steps west of the Sacré-Coeur basilica.

20 avenue Rachel, 75018

MONTPARNASSE CEMETERY

Take a stroll through the peaceful Montparnasse cemetery on the Left Bank. The French philosopher-writers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are buried here, as are the poet Charles Baudelaire, the writer Guy de Maupassant, the industrialist André Citroën, the Irish writer Samuel Beckett and the singer Serge Gainsbourg. In the 14th arrondissement, the city's second largest necropolis is home to more than 35,000 graves, including memorial tombs for victims of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune in the 19th century. Opened in 1824 on former farmland, it contains a listed tower from a former flour mill.

3 boulevard Edgar Quinet, 75014

PASSY CEMETERY

Enjoy views of the Palais de Chaillot, the Seine and the Eiffel Tower from Passy Cemetery, one of the smallest cemeteries in Paris, behind the Trocadero Gardens. Commissioned by Napoleon 1st in 1820, it became popular with aristocrats and has a heated waiting room! Shaded by chestnut trees, it is filled with monumental 19th-century tombs housing illustrious names, including French composers Claude Debussy and Gabriel Fauré, Impressionist painter Édouard Manet and fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy. Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam, and American newspaper publisher James Gordon Bennett Jr. are also buried here.

2 rue du Commandant Schloesing, 75016

PICPUS CEMETERY

Hard to find, Picpus Cemetery in the 12th arrondissement is the largest private cemetery in Paris, hidden behind an innocuous wooden door. It was created from convent land during the French Revolution and contains the collective graves of nobles and nuns guillotined during the Terror (this section is closed to the public). Lafayette, a French aristocrat and military officer who fought for the Continental Army in the American War of Independence, is buried in the soil of Bunker Hill, in a walled corner plot, under an American flag. The architect of Versailles, Richard Mique, is also buried here. Afterwards, take a stroll along the nearby 4.5 km Promenade Plantée.

35 rue de Picpus, 75012 Paris

BATIGNOLLES CEMETERY

In the north of Paris, the large and leafy Batignolles cemetery, which dates back to 1833, is dotted with interesting tombs and sculptures. Just a short walk from Porte de Clichy metro station in the 17th arrondissement, it is home to some famous names but is less visited than many of Paris's better-known cemeteries because it lies next to a major motorway. Culture lovers will find the graves of poets Paul Verlaine and surrealist André Breton, as well as painter Édouard Vuillard. Combine your visit with a excursion at the Porte de Clignancourt flea market.

8 rue Saint-Just, 75017

Would you like to discover all these wonderful cemeteries? Opt for an original and unique tour of Paris with Parisitour.