Montmartre Cemetery – a Hidden Gem

A Cemetery full of famous residents

Edgar Degas was not only a thorough Frenchman but also a typical Parisian, living in Paris his entire life and for the most part in Montmartre. Degas died in 1917 and he is buried in the Montmartre cemetery.

Another less famous but highly talented impressionist, Eva Gonzales, is also buried here.

Off the beaten track, this is a lesser known cemetery than the famous  Père Lachaise. The Montmartre cemetery is also enchanting with old graves in different states of disrepair. It is not a touristy place and there is no entry fee.

The cemetery provides a map at the entrances to help visitors find noteworthy graves. Here you will find the graves of the luminaries such as Degas, Carême, Dalida, Zola, Nijinsky, Offenbach, Stendhal, Truffaut, Picabia, Gonzales and Berlioz along with La Goulue – Louise Weber – (Toulouse-Lautrec’s red haired model – known as the Queen of the Cancan!) and many others.

Tips on how to visit this Cemetery

There are two ways to tour the cemetery.

• Firstly define for yourself the graves of the great people you want to find. Equip yourself with one of the free laminated maps hanging at the cemetery’s entrance. Of course, you will return the map when you finish your visit. Start navigating your way around to the graves of interest. If you can’t find the grave you are looking for, I suggest you retrace your steps and try one more time. 
• The other way (my preferred way) is to just take a leisurely stroll through the cemetery. Stop by the tombs and monuments that attract your attention.

Do you want some help navigating beautiful Montmartre? Below is a fabulous walking tour of the most important Montmartre sites, including the cemetery. Check it out!

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