Montparnasse Cemetery Guide: Famous Graves & Walking Route

From the top of the tower, looking East, you saw a large patch of green and stone. That is the Cimetière du Montparnasse, the second largest necropolis in Paris (after Père Lachaise). It is a 5-minute walk from the tower exit.

Why Visit?

It is an open-air museum of sculpture and history. It is far less crowded than Père Lachaise and easier to navigate (it's flat and grid-like).

The Famous Residents

1. Jean-Paul Sartre & Simone de Beauvoir: The power couple of existentialism share a simple grave near the entrance. Visitors often leave lipstick kisses on the stone.
2. Serge Gainsbourg: The legendary French singer. His grave is often covered in cabbage heads (a reference to his album L'Homme à tête de chou) and used Metro tickets (reference to the song Le Poinçonneur des Lilas).
3. Charles Baudelaire: The tortured poet lies in a family grave (hated by him, as he lies with his stepfather). There is also a separate cenotaph (statue) dedicated to him nearby.
4. Samuel Beckett: The Irish playwright (Waiting for Godot) rests here in a simple grey granite plot.
5. Man Ray: The surrealist photographer. His epitaph reads: "Unconcerned, but not indifferent."

The "Kiss" Sculpture

Look for the grave of Tatiania Rachewskaia (Division 22), adorned with The Kiss by Constantin Brâncuși. It is a masterpiece of modern sculpture, though obscured for preservation.

Tip: Download a map of the cemetery on your phone before entering, or take a photo of the large map at the entrance gate. It is divided into two parts by Rue Émile Richard.