Père Lachaise Cemetery Tour, Tales from the Graves and Crepes





Description
Explore the historic Père Lachaise Cemetery and visit the famous graves of Paris including Jim Morrison on this fascinating guided tour. This tour delves into the lives, loves, and lasting contributions of those who shaped our world. More than a cemetery, Père Lachaise is an open-air museum where every stop reveals an unforgettable tale. The tour also includes a delightful French crepe experience at a local Parisian Creperie. As you walk through the leafy, peaceful grounds, your guide will share fascinating stories about the lives and deaths of these influential personalities, painting a vivid picture of their lasting impact on culture and history. This Père Lachaise Cemetery tour paired with a French crepe experience offers a perfect combination of history, culture, and culinary indulgence. It’s an ideal way to explore the famous graves of Paris while enjoying a true taste of the city.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Discover Paris' funeral history, from the eerie Catacombs to the creation of Père Lachaise. How it operates today, and the raw truths behind the city’s evolving approach to death. Your guide will lead you through the serene pathways of the cemetery, stopping at the graves of famous individuals Guest will find out why Oscar was moved from his first resting place after a pauper's funeral in Bagneaux cemetery. Oscar Wilde's friends and fans later raised the funds to purchase a burial plot in the more fashionable Père Lachaise cemetery and to have his body moved. Visit the grave of the most famous Born April 26, 1798 in France, he was one of the most famous romanticism painters. He portrayed among other things, the Muslim world, the result of his travels. He died on August 13, 1863, leaving a large number of works, many of which are in the Louvre in Paris. After seeing "Liberty Leading the People" in a history book at school, it impacted me a lot and I became interested in his work.
Visit the grave of the most famous French singer of the first half of the 20th century, whose singing fame was worldwide and had developed a cult-following among the working class.
The final stand of the Paris Commune in 1871. This wall marks the spot where over a hundred Communards were executed, a poignant symbol of revolution, sacrifice, and the struggle for justice.
Tomb stone of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas Gertrude Stein, the iconic writer and salon hostess, was at the heart of the city's avant-garde movement. Enabling artists to live from their art and therefore allowing us to enjoy their legacy today. This tomb is a tribute to their 40 year old relationship.
Guest will find out why Oscar was moved from his first resting place after a pauper's funeral in Bagneaux cemetery. Oscar Wilde's friends and fans later raised the funds to purchase a burial plot in the more fashionable Père Lachaise cemetery and to have his body moved.
A journalist murdered by the Emperor's relatives during the tumultuous days of the Second Empire. Buried as a martyr to an oppressive regime, Victor Noir has since become symbolised for his legendary fertility powers.
Antoine Parmentier is famous for turning the potato from a feared food into a cherished part of French cuisine. Using reverse psychology, he convinced the French to embrace the potato by making it seem like a prized, forbidden treasure.
Molière, the master of French comedy, and Jean de La Fontaine, the famed fable writer, left an indelible mark on 17th-century French literature. Both were brought to Père Lachaise to entice others to be buried here. Do those tombs truly hold the remains of those two legends?
Tombe stone of Marcel Marceau World-renowned mime who captivated audiences with his unique ability to tell stories without a single word. Known for his iconic character Bip
Find out why one of the world’s top composers decided to be buried here - Because Chopin feared being buried alive (not uncommon at that time), his heart was removed at his request before burial and placed in an urn.
Find out why Jim Morrison buried in a Paris cemetery? According to many accounts, Morrison, who had moved to France, loved walking through the Paris cemetery. His girlfriend, Pam Courson, who later died of a heroin overdose, said he “wanted to be buried there because his idol Oscar Wilde” was interred there.
Visit a local an authentic Parisian Creperie for the perfect finish to a Parisian tour. Guests will enjoy a delicious sweet or savoury crepe cooked in the authentic French way. Choose from Ham/Cheese/Vegetarian/Chocolate or Lemon.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please wear comfortable shoes as this tour involves a fair amount of walking, including over uneven surfaces, cobblestones, hills, inclines, declines and stairs.
- Participants should be in good health - consult first with your doctor if you have any medical condition or are not used to regular exercise.
- Wheelchairs, motorised scooters or any other device to assist mobility are not recommended, as we cannot guarantee: that all footpaths/sidewalks/curbs will have suitable ramps.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
- Anybody under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by somebody aged 18 years or older.
- Not recommended for travellers with limited mobility
- Not suitable for guests with strict dietary requirements and food allergies
Reviews(28)
We had a tour with just us and our guide Becky. She was the BEST!! People wonder why I like to tour cemeteries but there is so much history. We saw Edith Piaf’s sight, Oscar Wilde, and of course Jim Morrison, but we also learned a lot of French history as told about the various tombs.
Patricia, Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We completely agree — Père Lachaise is far more than just a cemetery; it is truly an open-air museum filled with extraordinary stories, history, art, culture, and some of the most fascinating figures in French and world history. We are delighted to hear that Becky made the experience so memorable for you. From Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde to Jim Morrison and so many lesser-known but incredible stories along the way, our goal is always to bring the history of Paris to life through the remarkable people buried there. Private and small-group experiences like this allow for a much more personal, engaging, and immersive tour, and we are thrilled Becky delivered such a special experience for you. Thank you again for choosing LetzGo City Tours, and we hope to welcome you on another one of our Paris experiences in the future!
Père Lachaise was an unexpected experience. Who would’ve thought that a cemetery would be my favorite tour in Paris next to Giverny. A peaceful stroll full of historical famous people buried here whose stories were brought to life by our guide Becky. She was phenomenal. A fantastic storyteller and a great personality. Highly recommend this tour. Think beyond « cemetery tour »
Our tour guide, BECKY, was amazing. Great personality and a walking encyclopedia. Would definitely recommend this tour and hope you have Becky as the guide.
Hi there, Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that Becky made such a strong impression—“a walking encyclopedia” is exactly how we’d describe her too! Her great personality and depth of knowledge are what make our tours so engaging and memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are delighted you had such a positive experience. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Becky—it will absolutely make her day! We hope to welcome you again on another LetzGo City Tours experience soon. Kind regards, The LetzGo City Tours Team
Our tour of Père Lachaise with Benedicte was truly captivating. From start to finish, she brought the cemetery to life—blending stories of its famous residents with the rich political and social history of Paris. Her warmth and storytelling made the experience unforgettable, and ending with crepes was an especially sweet touch. Highly recommended.
Emma was our guide. It turned out that we were the only two guests on the tour. Emma went above and beyond in all ways. My wife and I are older and the cemetery has stairs and Hills but Emma was very kind and keeping the tour at the pace that it made it easier for us. We learned a lot about the famous French stars who were buried in the cemetery. We found that Chopin is actually buried in two separate places. Jim Morrison of course is buried there and we come to see his grave and learn why he is buried in France. We would highly recommend this tour which ended with crepes.
Robert, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star rating! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our curated content, engaging experience, and the extraordinary inclusions—and especially delighted that your guide made the tour truly stand out. We’d be absolutely delighted to welcome you back on another one of our tours in any of our other destinations. Until then, thank you again for choosing to explore with us!
Becky was very kind and knowledgeable about the grounds. She customized our tour to accommodate our daughters “must see” list. The Creperie was excellent too! Highly recommend 😊🇫🇷
Hi, and thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a great experience with Becky. She truly is one of our exceptional professional guides — always kind, knowledgeable, and attentive to each guest’s interests. It’s fantastic that she was able to customize the tour to fit your daughter’s “must-see” list and make the experience extra special. We’re also so glad you enjoyed the Creperie stop — a delicious way to round off a perfect day! Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you again soon on another LetzGo City Tour — perhaps one of our authentic food or cultural experiences across Europe or the USA. Warm regards, The LetzGo City Tours Team
Becky was a terrific and customized our experience. She guided us with knowledge and humor. The cemetery is vast and without a guide we would have been lost. It was an excellent experience
Kelli, Thank you so much for your 5-star review. We are delighted that you enjoyed the tour so much. We really appreciate your high recommendation. We look forward to seeing you again on tour very soon. Best Regards, LetzGo City Tours Team
Guide Roger Vanni should be avoided. He cancels the visit 4 hours before it because there are not enough registrants. We arranged to visit accordingly. It's really unprofessional. Guide to avoid.
Victoire was an excellent guide. We happened to be the only 2 on the tour so in effect had a private guide. Because the cemetery is so large she asked us what we wanted to see and tailored the tour around our interests. What made the experience so special was the background she gave on each person and the historical context of their lives. Exceeded our expectations. Highly recommended.
We spent the afternoon in Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris. Our tour guide, Becky, made our visit incredible! We were the only 2 on the tour and Becky gave us a knowledgeable and unique visit to this must see piece of Parisian history. We were given an opportunity to visit many well known tombs, as well as lesser known ( at least to us) historic figures’ resting places. The weather was cool and overcast, giving a little extra bonus to the day. I appreciate that Becky could tolerate our weird humor and silliness. We will definitely search out our ancestors to hopefully get us an in to our final resting place. We finished the tour off at Brocéliande for an amazing crepe!! So delicious! Merci Boucoup, Becky



