Paris city hall has introduced a unique opportunity for individuals to be buried alongside renowned artists from history. To participate, interested individuals must enter a draw by paying a few thousand euros and showing a willingness to restore neglected tombstones.
The registration deadline for the burial spot draw at Paris’s iconic cemeteries, including Père-Lachaise, was on Wednesday. The fortunate winners will have the chance to revive an abandoned and overgrown grave.
In exchange for their restoration efforts, they will be granted the opportunity to purchase the rights to a burial plot within the cemetery. Père-Lachaise Cemetery, situated in eastern Paris, is a significant burial site known for housing famous personalities like Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and Frédéric Chopin.
With approximately 70,000 graves spread across its hill, Père-Lachaise attracts both tourists and mourners, welcoming over three million visitors annually. Montparnasse Cemetery is the final resting place of notable figures such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Susan Sontag, while Edgar Degas and Émile Zola lie in Montmartre Cemetery.
The municipal authorities have identified 30 graves in need of repair, with 10 in each of the three cemeteries. In Paris, it is the responsibility of the deceased’s families, not the city authorities, to maintain gravestones. Due to the scarcity of new burial spaces in historic graveyards, the cemeteries within Paris have been almost at full capacity since the early 20th century.
Acknowledging this issue, Paris authorities have initiated a scheme where the public can clean up neglected tombstones, balancing respect for the deceased with the opportunity for Parisians to be buried in their city. The lottery draw, exclusive to Paris residents, is set to occur later this month, requiring a registration fee of 125 euros and a subsequent 4,000 euros for the grave’s ownership and restoration.
Selected individuals will have six months to refurbish the allocated neglected tomb with approved stonemasons’ assistance. Upon completion, they will have the option to purchase a burial plot for approximately $28,000 for perpetual rights.