Paris Cemetery Launches Lottery for Burial Near Icons
In Paris, admirers have the rare chance to secure a final resting place beside legendary figures such as Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frédéric Chopin. The renowned Père Lachaise cemetery, home to many cultural icons, is opening limited burial plots to the public.
A Coveted Resting Place
Père Lachaise already hosts some of history’s most celebrated names, including rock musician Jim Morrison of The Doors, author Oscar Wilde, mime artist Marcel Marceau, and composer Frédéric Chopin. The initiative extends beyond this famed necropolis to other historic Paris cemeteries like Montparnasse and Montmartre.
- Montparnasse: resting place of Jean-Paul Sartre and former French president Jacques Chirac.
- Montmartre: home to impressionist painter Edgar Degas and Charles-Henri Sanson, the executioner of Louis XVI.
The Lottery and Restoration Requirement
Officials managing these cemeteries are offering thirty gravestones currently in disrepair for approximately €4,000 (about $4,500). Buyers must commit to restoring the monument and then purchase the adjacent burial plot.
"People are dying for a chance to rest near Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frédéric Chopin," organizers remarked, noting the mix of fascination and reverence that continues to surround these figures.
Due to unexpected demand, the city will allocate plots through a lottery, scheduled for January. Representatives say this plan honors both the memory of the deceased and the city’s residents, all while addressing the challenge of limited burial space in Paris.
Officials’ Perspective
“Offering eternal rest next to the stars is a compromise that respects the dead and allows Parisians to remain within the city limits,” said local administrators.
This initiative merges cultural heritage preservation with the modern struggle for space in crowded Parisian cemeteries.
Author’s Summary
The Paris lottery offers a symbolic bridge between celebrity admiration and urban tradition, letting people rest eternally beside the icons they once admired.