Rest in Style: Paris Offers Residents the Chance to Secure a Burial Spot Next to Famous Artists
Paris is offering residents the opportunity to win a burial spot next to famous artists like Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Edith Piaf through a lottery. The city is aiming to restore ten gravestones at each of the overcrowded cemeteries of Père-Lachaise, Montparnasse, and Montmartre for €4,000 each. This initiative allows individuals to restore the monuments and secure a burial plot beside them, addressing the scarcity of burial plots within the city limits since the early 20th Century. The program, approved by the Paris council in April, aims to preserve the historical monuments in these renowned burial grounds, which have become popular tourist attractions over the years. Applications for the lottery are open to Paris residents, and the draw will take place in January. Winners must restore the monument they purchase within six months and acquire a nearby burial plot within a specified timeframe, or risk losing their investment. The cost of a burial plot lease ranges from €976 for a 10-year term to €17,668 for perpetuity.