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The Famous Dead: 12 of the most famous graves in Paris

Visiting a cemetery while on vacation seems a bit daunting, maybe even ironic. However, if it is a cemetery that entombs the remains of iconic cultural figures and famous celebrities, it becomes less of a somber activity. Any anthropologist, historian, or social scientist will concur that cemeteries are a great avenue to observe local culture, religion, art, and history.

Paris has 12 main places of burial (not including the catacombs), of these there are only two outdoor churchyards within the 20 arrondisements:  Charonne and Calvaire. The most well-known and frequented is the Le cimetière d’Est, which is normally called by it’s nickname Pere-Lachaise.  It opened in 1804 on a former Jesuit sanctuary and welcomes over 1.5 million visitors per year. Situated …