The Montparnasse Cemetery is the final resting place of many of France's great intellectuals, although it also contains the graves of many celebrated foreigners. While not as large or popular as Père-Lachaise on the eastern side of Paris, a stroll through the tree-lined alleys of the cimetière du Montparnasse is a pleasant and historic excursion in Paris's highly modern Montparnasse quarter (made quite clear by the imposing Tour Montparnasse, which can be seen from inside the cemetery's walls).

When you arrive, pick up a map (plan) at the entrance. These xeroxes point out the final resting places of Charles Baudelaire, Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, Man Ray, Simone de Beauvoir, and Tristan Tzara, among many others.

Take your time, don't rush from one grave to another, walk along the lanes and take a look at the sculptures. The cemetery opened in 1824, so the sculptures vary in style, some of them dating to the 19^th century with others barely ten years old.

In the center of the cemetery, on the circle, stands Horace Daillion's "Le Génie du sommeil éternel" (The Spirit of Eternal Sleep) given to the city in 1902 by the artist. In the 4^th division of the cemetery is "La Séparation du couple" (The separation of the couple) which depicts a man crying as his love enters her grave. This piece was actually made for the Jardin du Luxembourg, but was moved to the cemetery in 1965 after it was considered too obscene.

For a slightly more upbeat work, go see T. Rachevskaïa's grave in the 22^nd division. While you won't know who Rachevskaïa is, you will recognize Brancusi's stone scultpure "Le Baiser" (The Kiss), one of his first cubist works produced in Paris (Brancusi is buried in the 18^th division, in a much less adorned grave). Be sure to go see the monument by Niki de Saint-Phalle, who also did the Fontaine Tinguely at Beaubourg. The guard can tell you where to find it, or you can just look for the sculpture that's covered with mirrors.

As you wander around the cemetery, check your map to see if there are any graves nearby you want to visit. This is especially important if you want to see Baudelaire's grave. While there is a large monument, his actual grave is much smaller, and he shares it with his mother and stepfather.

So read your map! If you don't do this, you'll find yourself wandering aimlessly, looking at the graves of people you've never heard of. You'll still come across some of the tombs that you wanted to see, but you're more likely to get tired and then run from one side of the cemetery to the other trying to see all of the stars.

It's a good idea to come here earlier in the day as the gates to the cemetery close early. Don't worry about getting locked in, a guard with a handbell will walk through the entire cemetery informing you that it is time to go 10 minutes before the gates are closed. Give yourself at least an hour to visit, although you could easily spend two or three.

Useful Information

Address:

3 boulevard Edgar-Quinet
75014 PARIS
Metro station: Raspail

Hours:

Open seven days a week

From November 16^th through March 15^th:

Monday-Friday: 8am-5:30pm

Saturday: 8:30am-5:30pm

Sunday and Holidays: 9am-5:30pm

From March 16^th to November 15^th:

Monday-Friday: 8am-6pm

Saturday: 8:30-6pm

Sunday and Holidays: 9-6pm

Click here to read Patti Cassidy's feature on the Montparnasse Cemetery.

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David Emanuel is a talented contributor to Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com. Should you like him to write professionally for you, please contact him at  .