An Unlikely Tourist Stop

By: Caroline Rowland

Where fans come to mourn

While this may seem weird, I've always been fascinated with cemeteries. So while I was in Paris, I had to see one of the world's most famous cemeteries, The Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

Pere Lachaise is now home to Jim Morrison, Chopin and Oscar Wilde, as well as some of the most monumental people in French History.

The cemetery was the largest one I have ever seen, every grave had so much detail, so much thought, and was so gothic looking. It was beautiful. It almost looks like a little town, the way the streets are designed.

In the week we were studying in Paris, I hadn't really seen or met a lot of American tourists, especially young ones. But when I went to Pere Lachaise on Day 5 of my trip, I ended up meeting a group of young men that were backpacking through Europe who had the cemetery on the top of their places to see.

Of course they had come there to pay tribute to one of their favorite musicians, Jim Morrison, and they were not alone. It seemed surprising to me that so many tourists had made a cemetery a destination while on vacation. But after walking around the cemetery I understood.

In fact the crowds have remained permanent at the cemetery partly because of Jim Morrison. When I was there, I did not see any vandalism on the grave but there has been a history of it.

I was told that this has caused tensions of families of less famous people that are buried at the cemetery. When walking through the cemetery there are arrows purporting to indicate the direction toward "Jim," but many are pointing in conflicting directions.

On the anniversary of Morrison's death, devout fans still come to pay tribute to the former Musician.

While it may be thought of as contradicting to say that a cemetery is beautiful, but something about the Pere Lachaise Cemetery keeps visitors with no connections to the deceased coming back.

I have to say of all the typical tourists sites in Paris, this was one of my favorite sights to explore. If you do travel to Paris, the sight is a must see for a view on how the more fortunate are laid to rest.