Paris city hall is providing a unique opportunity for individuals to be laid to rest alongside some of history’s most renowned artists. To secure a burial spot in one of Paris’s iconic cemeteries, like Père-Lachaise, interested parties had until Wednesday to enter a draw.
Those selected in the draw will have the chance to revive a neglected and overgrown grave. In exchange for their restoration efforts, they will be able to purchase the rights to a burial plot within the cemetery.
Père-Lachaise Cemetery, along with Montmartre and Montparnasse, is among the three primary cemeteries in Paris, attracting millions of visitors annually. Notable figures such as Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and Frédéric Chopin are among those laid to rest in Père-Lachaise.
City officials have pinpointed 30 graves in need of repair across the three cemeteries, with 10 requiring attention in each location. Families of the deceased are typically responsible for maintaining gravestones in Paris, where new burial spaces have been scarce since the early 20th century.
The initiative to involve the public in restoring tombstones is aimed at striking a balance between honoring the deceased and affording Parisians the opportunity to be interred within the city. The lottery draw, exclusive to Paris residents for now, is set to occur later this month. Registration costs 125 euros, with winners expected to pay 4,000 euros to secure and refurbish the allotted grave.
Upon completing the restoration work with approved stonemasons within six months, individuals will have the option to purchase a burial plot for around $28,000.