Halloween is the season to see cemeteries in Paris. And that’s just as well, because the City of Light has some remarkable ones. If you’ve never had the chance to visit one, this is the perfect opportunity.
Père-Lachaise Cemetery – One of the most beautiful cemeteries in Paris
It’s impossible to talk about cemeteries without mentioning Père Lachaise. A bucolic and strangely restful place, where foxes and other animals like to enlarge their families. For Halloween, we love to wander around at the end of the day to admire its unusual tombs. This is certainly one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Paris.
📍8 boulevard de Ménilmontant 75020 Paris
Cimetière de Montparnasse – One of the most terrifying cemeteries in Paris for Halloween
Today, the Montparnasse cemetery may seem like a haven of peace, but it wasn’t always so. In 1848, a man terrorized the whole of Paris. Nicknamed “The Vampire”, he desecrated graves with impunity before being arrested by the police. Today, we don’t know if his ghost still haunts the area, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t cross paths with him on Halloween…
📍3 Boulevard Edgar Quinet, 75014 Paris
Cimetière d’Asnières-sur-Seine – The oldest pet cemetery in Paris
Yes, it’s not only humans who have the right to a place of remembrance. Animals have their own cemetery too! For almost a century, this cemetery has been open to all the animals we’ve loved: cats, dogs, horses, chickens and monkeys. Among the best-known animals are Sully,Alexandre Dumas‘s cat, and the actor dogs Rintin and Poilu. In short, an unusual cemetery to see on Halloween or during El dia de los muertos.
📍6 Rue du Ménil, 92600 Asnières-sur-Seine
Cimetière Montmartre – See one of Paris’ most iconic cemeteries on Halloween
Along with Père-Lachaise cemetery, this is certainly one of the capital’s best-known cemeteries. And with good reason: the ghosts of some of the biggest names on the French music scene still linger here… You’ll find the graves of Stendhal, François Truffaut, Emile Zola and the singer Dalida… It is said that her grave (or rather, the sculpture representing her) brings good luck if you touch it.
📍20 avenue Rachel, 75018 Paris
Cimetière de Charonne – A tiny cemetery to visit during Halloween
Less well known to Parisians, the Charonne cemetery is one of the last parish cemeteries in Paris. The start of a horror movie? One thing’s for sure, though, and that’s that this little Saint-Germain church was very dear to the inhabitants. In fact, it almost disappeared, due to its dilapidation.
📍119, rue de Bagnolet, 75020 Paris
Cimetière de Picpus – The cemetery of guillotine victims
You may not have known it, but during the French Revolution, this is where those condemned to the guillotine ended up. Or at least, what was left of their bodies… Perhaps that explains the rather gloomy atmosphere of this cemetery… (Okay, we’re exaggerating a little). Less well known to tourists, the Picpus cemetery, steeped in history, will be the perfect spot for an original stroll in Paris during Halloween.
📍35 rue de Picpus 75012 Paris
Cimetière des Batignolles – A stroll among the tombs and trees
Here, you can stroll among the 900 trees on the estate and the graves of the most brilliant artists of their generations. Paul Verlaine, André Breton, Blaise Cendrars… Over 15,000 graves lie here.
📍8 rue Saint-Just 75017 Paris