Art route at Paris Père Lachaise cemetery: in the footsteps of the great masters

Père Lachaise cemetery is not only a shrine to many remarkable artistic figures, it is also an open-air museum where each grave tells a captivating story about art and culture. 

Your guide will accompagny you to an exceptional historical, bucolic and unusual walk through this immense forty-four hectare garden where, since 1804, a host of illustrious figures from our history have been laid to rest. In the shade of the trees, let's discover together the men and women who have built France's artistic identity, and who are still part of our collective memory today.

We delve into the tumultuous lives of these icons, exploring the links between their earthly existence and their immortal creations. From the melancholy romanticism of Wilde's poems to the electric energy of Morrison's performances and the enchanting passion of Piaf's songs, we'll uncover the secrets and inspirations that shaped their art. We'll also look at many other personalities, including Musset, Rossini, Molière and La Fontaine.

In this out of the ordinary setting, with its luxuriant and omnipresent vegetation, we can enjoy a subtle atmosphere, a fragile balance between the sense of time's inevitable passage and man's eternal aspirations in the face of death.

As well as admiring their talent, this visit also invites us to reflect on the notion of collective memory and the legacy left by these exceptional artists. How do their works continue to resonate in our lives, even after they are gone? How does their influence live on through the generations?

To find out, join us for an enriching and moving experience at Père Lachaise Cemetery, where echoes of the past mingle with our present, inviting us to celebrate the timeless beauty of art and the human soul.

Intermezzo-visites is dedicated to helping the general public discover the cemeteries, gardens and districts of Paris through guided walks with commentary or literary escapades.

Véronique Thierry, your guide, is graduate in Art History and Archaeology (Université Lille III), graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Techniques et Historiques des Objets d'Art (IDETH/EAC), lecturer for the City of Paris for 25 years, and founder of Intermezzo-visites (2009).

If you like strolling through the quiet cemeteries of the French capital, you'll love these tours on Explore Paris, or these walking tours if you're interested in French art and culture.