Were cemeteries built for the living, or for the dead? This is what we’ll explore during this fascinating tour of Père Lachaise cemetery, which mixes music, stories and poetry.
The Famous Graves of Père Lachaise - Self-Guided Audio Tour
Summary Description
Highlights
- Offline Mode: Download tours and listen without WiFi
- Location Aware: GPS map allows you to enjoy the sites
- Instagram Hotspots: We find the perfect picture spots
- Enjoy a private experience in a COVID-19 safe environment
Description
Come along and enjoy a walk through Père Lachaise, the largest cemetery in Paris and the most visited necropolis in the world, with this immersive walking tour!
Founded by Emperor Napoleon, Père Lachaise cemetery resembles a miniature Paris and is now home to over 1 million corpses. Some famous people that were buried in this cemetery include Frédéric Chopin, Marcel Proust and Sarah Bernhardt.
Narrated by a local historian, you will discover the graves and stories of famous people including Edith Piaf and her tale of love and loss, Jim Morrison and his unconventional life, the tragic tale of Oscar Wilde and the bittersweet love story of Heloise and Abelard.
Our audio guide will be there every step of the way to bring the dead to life... and save you from getting lost in this labyrinth!
The tour starts at Père Lachaise’s main gates. Colm gives us some context and explains how Napoleon’s sweeping reforms led to the creation of this cemetery. We’ll walk up the Avenue Principale and learn how the cemetery has become a microcosm of Parisian society.
We’ll try to spot some of France’s most famous names, from former Presidents to forgotten Artists, disgraced Poets to deified Rock Stars.
We’ll learn about the tragic tale of Heloise & Abelard, considered to be the French Romeo & Juliette. We’ll navigate the labyrinth of graves to bring you to Jim Morrisson’s resting place and we’ll try to explain the weird traditions that have sprung up around his grave.
We’ll also learn more about the symbolism of the various tombs, many of which are universal and, quite frankly, fascinating. We’ll also explore the cemetery’s (and, more generally, France’s) relationship with religion and the issues that has caused over the centuries.
We’ll weave into the more “unkept” parts of the cemetery to discover the tomb of the mighty Marcel Marceau - the man behind Michael Jackson’s moonwalk. We’ll also learn more about Géricault and the beautiful mural that adorns his tomb.
Lovers of literature will be in for a treat. We’ll uncover the stories of the “Man behind the Mask”, and hear about Proust and Balzac. We’ll listen to tales and poems from Oscar Wilde and pay respects to the brilliance of Gertrude Stein and her partner, Alice B. Toklas.
We’ll listen to music from Chopin and learn all about the career and bravery of Edith Piaf. This tour is truly a celebration of the life of the amazing people who rest in the Père Lachaise.
Vidi Guides creates immersive audio experiences that sound like podcasts. This is a self-guided audio tour that can be started or stopped at your own convenience. Download the Vidi Guides app & your Père Lachaise tour to explore the area independently and safely! Make sure to download your tour before your visit to streamline your trip!
- A multi-sensory experience that celebrates the lives of the amazing people who rest in the Père Lachaise
- Go beyond the tourist favourites and explore all the aspects that make this cemetery fascinating
- Lose yourself amongst the natural beauty of the Père Lachaise cemetery with this self-guided podcast tour
Included / Excluded
- Access to your self-guided audio tour
- Audio tour provided by a local or historian
- Offline Mode: Download tours in advance to listen without WiFi
- Location Aware: GPS map allows you to enjoy sites, without getting lost
- Instagram Hotspots: We find the spot for your perfect picture
- Earphones
- Mobile device
Start / End Locations
Start Location: Paris
Commentary
Audio : English
Important Information
Know Before You Book
- This product is suitable for all ages
- Do it at your own pace. This product is suitable for all fitness levels
- English speaking Audio guide only
- You will need to bring your own mobile phone
- You will need to bring your own headset/earphones
Cancellation
Cancellation Cutoff: 24 hours
Cancellation Notes: Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Options and Pricing
| Pere Lachaise Audio Podcast | RETAIL PRICE |
|---|---|
| Adult (5 - 100 years) | £12.99 |
Points of interest
- Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, 75020 Paris, France
- La Colline, Rue Malte Brun, Paris, France
- Tombe de Théodore Géricault, Avenue de la Chapelle, Paris, France
- Sépulture Michel Petrucciani, Chemin Denon, Paris, France
- Oscar Wilde's tomb, Avenue Carette, Paris, France
- Pierre-Emmanuel naturel Garden, Rue de la Réunion, Paris, France
- Tombe de Ahmet Kaya, Avenue Circulaire, Paris, France
- Frédéric Chopin's tomb, Chemin Denon, Paris, France
- Tombe d'Eugène Delacroix, Avenue Transversale n°1, Paris, France
- Tomb of Édith Piaf, Avenue Transversale n°3, Paris, France
- Tomb of Jim Morrison, Chemin Lesseps, Paris, France
- Comédie Oberkampf, Rue du Chemin Vert, Paris, France
- Tombe de Yilmaz Güney Mezari, Paris, France
About operator:
Too many people visit places without discovering anything about them. And we can’t let that happen.
We believe that the true essence of travelling lies in the joy of discovering the authentic face of cities, neighbourhood and cultural sites, and unlocking the many tales they hold.
With that spirit in our hearts, we started out in search of these stories hidden in the nooks and corners of Paris, London, Cambridge and Oxford's most iconic spots. We then dived into each place’s culture, history, and traditions by collaborating with historians, famous architects, photographers, street artists, and many more. What we ended up finding was a treasure trove of stories that we have meticulously tied together just for you!
But how to deliver this information? We didn’t want to create another Wikipedia, with people looking at their phones instead of the sites. And let’s face it, audioguides and headsets belong to the 20th century.. This is why we’ve created our own storytelling format. Podcast-style tours, enriched with photos and videos, that keep you wanting more.
Our goal is to create a form of travel that will make you truly discover the places you visit.
Basic Information
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Trip difficulty: Easy
- Category: Tours & Sightseeing
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