Paris Cemetery Offers Lottery for Burial Near Famous Figures
The Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, known as the resting place of iconic figures, is offering an unusual opportunity for the public. Fans can now compete for a chance to be buried close to legends like Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Marceau, and Frédéric Chopin.
Historic Cemeteries Included
Besides Père Lachaise, the offer extends to other notable Parisian cemeteries:
- Montparnasse, where Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Chirac lie
- Montmartre, home to impressionist painter Edgar Degas and Charles-Henri Sanson, the executioner of Louis XVI
Purchase and Restoration Conditions
The body managing these cemeteries has identified about thirty gravestones in need of repair. Each tombstone is sold for €4,000 (about $4,500), with the buyer required to restore the monument and then purchase the adjacent burial plot.
Lottery Due to High Demand
Given the strong interest, the sale of these plots will be conducted by lottery, scheduled for January. This system aims to manage the demand fairly while preserving the cemeteries' heritage.
The authorities describe this offer as "a compromise that respects the dead and allows residents to be buried within the city limits, where space for graves is extremely limited."
Author’s Summary
Paris cemeteries are using a lottery system to offer burial plots near famous figures, combining heritage preservation with public demand for resting places in the city.