Montmartre cemetery

Constructed in abandoned gypsum quarries, once exploited for making
plaster, this charming haven is now preserved under its status as a historic monument. After a visit to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Place du Tertre, slip away from the bustle of Montmartre’s main shopping streets and discover this charming cemetery located behind the Montmartre hill.With its 11 hectares of land and 20,000 concessions, it is one of the most important Parisian cemeteries with Père Lachaise and Montparnasse.

Illustrious inhabitants

The writers Alexandre Dumas fils and Stendhal, the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, the composers Jacques Offenbach and Hector Berlioz, the New Wave filmmaker François Truffaut, the impressionist painter Edgar Degas, as well as La Goulue, the star of the Moulin Rouge and inventor of the French Cancan, are just some of the many celebrities buried here. Emile Zola has one of the most beautiful memorials in the cemetery, though his ashes have been preserved in the Pantheon since 1908. Another favourite attraction is the tomb of the popular singer, Dalida. She now lies in the neighbourhood she adored, not far from her former home.

A free map is offered at the entrance, but the best way to appreciate the cemetery is to get lost in it. Under the shade of its 783 trees, you can observe the fascinating parade of fans making the pilgrimage to the graves of their idols.