In the capital, most visitors head to the famous Père-Lachaise Cemeteryfor an original tour, following in the footsteps of famous French and international personalities. But this is not the only place where you can find illustrious writers, politicians, scholars, and singers to pay your respects at theirgraves. In the 14th arrondissement of Paris, close to the train station, lies the Montparnasse Cemetery, covering nearly 19 hectares, the final resting place of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Ionesco, Maupassant, Citroën, and Marguerite Duras.
Opened in 1824, the "southern" cemetery is the second largestnecropolisin Paris. Named by the young students who came here to recite poetry, Mont Parnassewas once a dumping ground for nearby quarries. The site was built on the site of farms, which is why a flour mill tower, classified as a historical monument, still stands today as the only vestige of the past.
Did you know? 3 unusual anecdotes about Père Lachaise cemetery
Père Lachaise is one of the world's most famous cemeteries. Its famous tombs, its mysteries and its fascinating history. But how much do you really know about it? We reveal 3 unusual anecdotes about the Père Lachaise cemetery. [Read more]
Among the graves that dot the landscape, several are covered withunusual objects related to the personality who rests there, such as the poems slipped onto Baudelaire's grave. Discover three personalized graves that are not to be missed during a calm and relaxing stroll in the heart of Montparnasse.
The biggest star in Montparnasse Cemetery, Serge Gainsbourgis buried with his parents and receives a large number of offerings from tourists and passersby. Cigarette butts can be found on his grave, but also subway tickets! The reason? The famous song "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas" (The Ticket Puncher), which immortalized the old profession, lost since the arrival of automatic turnstiles. As a nod to this, the grave is covered with these little pieces of paper, which will tend to disappear with the end of tickets in favor of the Navigo pass.
Famous French writer and playwright Marguerite Duras receives a daily tribute in the form of this unusual collection of pens, markers, and pencils, which accompany her even in her final resting place. These colorful writing implements bring cheer to the grave, alongside the small daisy placed on a flower pot.
You will place a buoy on my grave.
Because you never know.
This is what Robert Desnos wrote in hissurrealist poem "Les grands jours du poète" (The Great Days of the Poet) in 1927. Those around him took the phrase literally and placed a colorful buoy on his grave to prevent the man from sinking into oblivion, which he associated with the sea.
Location
Montparnasse Cemetery
3, boulevard Edgar Quinet
75014 Paris 14
Did you know? 3 unusual anecdotes about Père Lachaise cemetery
