Paris Authorities Launch Unique Cemetery Lottery
Paris city officials have introduced an unusual lottery offering eternal resting places in historic, abandoned tombs in exchange for their restoration. The city’s cemetery system contains 634,000 plots, yet burial near notable figures like American musician Jim Morrison at Père Lachaise or French writer Simone de Beauvoir at Montparnasse has been unattainable, as these cemeteries have been full since the early 20th century.
Lottery Details and Response
Starting Monday, the Paris city hall is putting 30 monuments up for sale by lottery: 10 in Père Lachaise, 10 in Montparnasse, and 10 in Montmartre. These monuments are abandoned graves with historic value, preventing their demolition.
“In the first 24 hours we had 1,000 clicks on the application forms,” Paul Simondon, deputy mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo in charge of funeral matters, told AFP.
Purchase and Restoration Conditions
Applicants must provide certificates from specialist stonemasons to demonstrate their understanding of renovation costs. If restoration and purchase conditions are unmet, the sale is canceled and the buyer loses their investment.
Paul Simondon said, “That restoration mechanism allows families for the first time to anticipate purchasing a burial site within city limits.”
Significance of the Initiative
This lottery presents a rare chance to secure a burial place in Paris's historic cemeteries by preserving heritage sites, blending respect for history with practical solutions to spatial limitations.
Author’s summary: Paris introduces a lottery offering burial plots in historic tombs, requiring restoration by winners to preserve heritage while granting rare access to coveted cemetery spaces.