Paris Cemetery Offers Lottery for Burial Near Famous Figures
The Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, known as the final resting place of iconic personalities like Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Marceau, and Frédéric Chopin, is giving people a unique chance to secure burial plots near these legends.
Opportunity to Rest Among Icons
In addition to Père Lachaise, historic French cemeteries such as Montparnasse and Montmartre are also included. Montparnasse holds notable figures like Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Chirac, while Montmartre is the resting place of impressionist painter Edgar Degas and Charles-Henri Sanson, the executioner of Louis XVI.
Graveyard Restoration and Purchase Conditions
Thirty gravestones in these cemeteries are currently in disrepair and available for purchase at €4,000 (about $4,500). Buyers are required to restore the monuments and then acquire the burial plot adjacent to the restored headstone.
Lottery Due to High Demand
The overwhelming interest in these plots has led officials to organize the sale through a lottery system, with the drawing scheduled for January.
"Offering eternal rest next to the stars is a compromise," say Paris city officials, balancing respect for the deceased with residents' desire to be buried within the city where space for graves is scarce.
Summary: Paris cemeteries are holding a lottery to sell restored gravesites near famous figures, allowing fans to secure burial spots in prized locations amid limited city space.