Step inside Père Lachaise for a 2-hour-15-minute English-language walking tour built around the scandals, intrigues and true stories of famous, controversial and influential people buried in Paris's best-known cemetery. The route treats the cemetery as an open-air museum where art, politics, war, revolution and popular culture meet. The stories range from a French Romeo-and-Juliet tale dating back to the twelfth century to figures who helped shape the modern world's political and cultural landscape. Alongside the best-known tombs, the guide provides the historical background needed to understand Père Lachaise and the events commemorated there.
Format: guided walking tour with five mapped itinerary stops and further historical stories along the route.
Stories and historical themes
The history of Père Lachaise Cemetery and its place in Paris.
Holocaust memorials and stories of World War II resistance.
The Paris Commune and the 1871 Revolution.
A scandalous twelfth-century French Romeo-and-Juliet story.
Artists, poets, playwrights, celebrities, political figures and other people whose lives shaped history and culture.
Five mapped itinerary stops
Jim Morrison: visit the tomb of the singer and frontman of The Doors.
Oscar Wilde: discover the writer's monumental tomb and the stories attached to his legacy.
Victor Noir: see the recumbent effigy of the journalist whose death became connected with opposition to the Second Empire.
Édith Piaf: visit the resting place of one of France's most celebrated singers.
Frédéric Chopin: stop at the grave of the influential composer and pianist.
The tour also covers tombs of former French presidents and further artists, poets, playwrights and celebrities beyond these five mapped stops.
Meeting point
Meet at the main gate of Père Lachaise Cemetery, in front of 21 Boulevard de Ménilmontant, 75011 Paris. The nearest station is Père Lachaise, served by Metro lines 2 and 3. Look for Prince at the cemetery's main gate holding an orange flag.
Accessibility and group conditions
The route is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Pets are not accepted.
Large-group bookings are accepted for up to ten people.
The tour can operate from one participant.
No paid entrance or additional attraction cost is announced for the itinerary.
Price and booking
Total price: €19.99 per participant.
Online deposit: €9.99 is paid through Billetweb to secure the booking.
Balance: €10 is paid directly to the guide in cash after the tour.
Refund conditions
The ticket is non-refundable unless cancellation insurance was purchased during checkout.
The ticket can be transferred to another person free of charge.
About your guide
Prince is a history enthusiast and storyteller with more than a decade of experience in tourism. After making Paris his home, he developed immersive tours that connect travellers with the people, events and stories that shaped the city. His approach combines major landmarks with less obvious stories and presents the history in an engaging, accessible way.
Traveler reviews
★★★★★
“Interesting Tour & Great Guide!” the guide is an amazing story teller! He is a very generous and very knowledgeable guide! Full of interesting facts and gossips about the scandalous lives of the people buried at the cemetery! In between gossips you get history detailed in a fun and interesting story telling! Highly recommended!
★★★★★
“Scandals, Gossips and History” the guide was a wonderful guide. Informative, knowledgeable and with a great sense of both humour and respect towards the dead. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to anyone.
★★★★★
“Great tour!” I’m French, and I had never visited Père Lachaise Cemetery before. Thanks to the guide, I learned stories and anecdotes about famous people from my country — both celebrities and historical figures. He covers both tragic and joyful stories, which makes the tour really lively and interesting. Don’t hesitate to choose him as your guide!
★★★★☆
“Great way to spend a couple of hours” Looking for a unique experience ‘off the beaten path’? This tour is for you. I very much enjoyed learning about some of the famous ‘residents’ in this iconic graveyard in Paris. Our guide, the guide, was lovely, funny and informative. Although the length of the tour is perfect at a little over 2hrs, I left thirsty to learn more. I recommend and would do it again.
★★★★☆
Really fun and interesting, I enjoyed it very much, the tour guide was nice.
★★★★★
I visited Père Lachaise cemetery with our guide the guide, and it was truly very insightful. He made the tour fascinating with his knowledge and stories. On top of that, we got to see all the main tombs. I highly recommend this experience!
★★★★★
I spent a very nice time during this tour. the guide knows how to catch people attention by paying tribute to characters who are too often forgotten.
★★★★★
I recently joined the 2-hour walking tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery with the guide as our guide, and it was an absolutely outstanding experience. the guide’s storytelling skills, deep knowledge of history, and passion for the cemetery’s rich heritage made the tour truly unforgettable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Paris. the guide makes the experience exceptional and memorable!
★★★★☆
I had an amazing experience visiting Père Lachaise! The tour was both fascinating and beautifully organized. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, bringing the history of the cemetery to life with stories about famous figures and hidden gems I never would have discovered on my own. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Paris!
★★★★★
the guide is a great tour guide, who is knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. I recommend visiting with him and I will definitely choose him as my tour guide again.
★★★★★
I had a lovely time touring the cemetery with the guide! We've seen some of the most important resting places of a lot of famous people and some very interesting, probably not so well known, people as well! Very informative and interesting! I wholeheartedly recommend it!
★★★★★
I had the pleasure of joining a cemetery tour with the guide, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. He is incredibly passionate about his work and brings history to life with every story he tells. His charm and genuine love for what he does shine through in every moment. Highly recommended!
★★★★★
I really enjoyed the free walking tour at Père Lachaise. the guide was an excellent guide — very kind, attentive, and always making sure everyone was following along. He explained the history clearly and with a lot of interesting details that made the visit even more meaningful. Highly recommend this tour!
★★★★★
Great tour of Pere Lachaise! Our guide the guide was knowledgeable, engaging and full of anecdotes. Thank you for making this tour as fascinating as moving.
★★★★★
the guide was a wonderful tour guide. Full of good energy and positivity. The tour visited many famous graves but also some less known ones with fun trivia on the way. He made the histories fun and engaging.
★★★★★
Real talent for bringing history to life while keeping the atmosphere light and fun! Loved it.
★★★★★
A fantastic guide! He knows how to share history in a way that’s both informative and fun, keeping everyone engaged the whole time. His enthusiasm and friendliness make the tour really enjoyable. I definitely recommend him!
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