Now most people wouldn’t automatically think of seeing a cemetery on their weekend away in Paris (or in any other location come to that). But in reality it is more than worth going to see the Montparnasse Cemetery, because it reveals a side of Paris you may otherwise miss out on.

It is here that so many famous names and figures from Parisienne history now lie. While cemeteries do not usually feature on lists of the best places to visit in any locale, you will find many other tourists respectfully walking around this one, purely because of the links it has with the city’s history. There are many famous people who have been laid to rest here, and some of them have a degree of fame that is known well beyond Paris itself.

For instance one of the Montparnasse Cemetery’s most famous residents would have to be Guy de Maupassant. The French writer wrote many short stories during his rather short life (he died aged 42 in 1893) and many of them are famous today. Elsewhere in the cemetery you will find the grave of Camille Saint-Saens, who composed Danse Macabre among other compositions.

The cemetery itself is an extremely large one and the prevalence of the famous residents here means that many tourists make a point of seeing it while they are in the city. The caretaker of the cemetery has a map which points out the graves of the most famous inhabitants, so you can more easily find those which interest you.

Not all cemeteries have the same depth of feeling as this one does. But as probably the most famous cemetery in Paris (if not all of France) it definitely begs a visit. Jean-Paul Sartre, Samuel Beckett and many others have all found their final resting places here.

The cemetery is easy to find as it is located in the Montparnasse area of the city. This is in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, to the south of the river and the city itself. Even if the idea of visiting a cemetery on a weekend away still feels strange, make sure you give it a try.