France Burial Lottery: Win a Chance to Be Buried Near Famous People
Paris residents now have an opportunity to rest beside celebrated artists and cultural icons in the city’s most renowned cemeteries — Père-Lachaise, Montparnasse, and Montmartre. The Paris city council has introduced a unique lottery to distribute a limited number of burial plots located near famous graves.
The Lottery and Its Conditions
Each lottery winner will be entitled to purchase a grave site for €4000. The participants must restore the gravestone they acquire, and the final draw will take place by January 2026. Burial rights are exclusive to registered residents of Paris only.
- Cost per restored grave: €4000
- Burial fees: €976 for 10 years, or €17,668 for perpetual rights
- Failure to renovate the site will lead to loss of both the plot and deposit
Burial Among Legends
Well-known figures such as writer Oscar Wilde, singer Edith Piaf, and musician Jim Morrison from The Doors rest in these cemeteries. The initiative allows ordinary Parisians to secure a small place in history alongside them.
“There is a finite amount of burial land and an infinite amount of dead people.”
Cultural Influence
The idea of celebrity burials continues to fascinate the public. Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, who faced controversy throughout her life, is often cited as one of the early figures to set the trend of burial fame.
Author’s summary: Paris launches a lottery offering locals a rare chance to buy and restore graves near iconic figures in its historic cemeteries, blending heritage with modern exclusivity.