Le Père Lachaise : Le cimetière est un riche sanctuaire

Cemeteries are surprising reservoirs of biodiversity

Guillaume Bontemps / Ville de Paris

Few might suspect it, but cemeteries are surprising reservoirs of biodiversity. Foxes, martens, birds and rare orchids thrive among the tombstones and graves. Cemeteries are indeed places full of life, as Benoit Gallot, conservator of Père Lachaise and a keen observer of its 43 hectares, recounts.

Why are cemeteries, and Père Lachaise in particular, such reservoirs of biodiversity?

Benoit Gallot: Père Lachaise is somewhat unique. It was designed from the outset as a “cemetery park” by the architect Brongniart, who preserved the landscape aspect of the former Jesuit estate. There was a strong emphasis on the landscape from the beginning and I think there was a significant biodiversity even in 1804 when Père Lachaise was first developed. What has brought Parisian cemeteries, and Père Lachaise in particular, to the forefront in terms of biodiversity in recent years is the phasing out of pesticides. This will be phased out between 2011 and 2015 and will be completely eliminated by 2015.

In Père Lachaise and other Parisian cemeteries, there have always been many trees. There was a rich layer of trees, but the layer of herbs and shrubs was poorer or non-existent. The soil was treated and nothing grew. For a long time, cemetery users and managers believed that everything between the graves had to be dead, so thousands of litres of pesticide were applied between the graves. The first biodiversity action plan in 2011 encouraged us to reduce this practice. Gradually, concerns about glyphosate led the authorities to stop using pesticides altogether by 2015.Over the past decade, we’ve seen a change in Parisian cemeteries. Père Lachaise is becoming greener and greener. Initially, there were a lot of complaints because families weren’t ready for the change and our teams weren’t ready to maintain a cemetery without chemicals. But we are making progress and families are increasingly accepting. In my opinion, and that of many visitors, the cemetery is becoming more beautiful. This change brings a peaceful aspect to the place, which is ultimately conducive to contemplation. In particular, we can see a change in biodiversity, with animals that had disappeared making a comeback. The most emblematic is the fox. Since 2020, we’ve had foxes in Père Lachaise, in the heart of Paris. It’s a first, and they reproduce every year.

We also have many birds, making it a first-class ornithological reserve in central Paris, with more than sixty species observed each year. For example, the only tawny owls in Paris are found at Père Lachaise, something we are very proud of. It’s a real treat for bird lovers. I particularly like the idea of a “living cemetery”. Today, we try to highlight all the flora and fauna. We have quite a lot of wild orchids and quite rare flowers.

Does everything grow spontaneously or do you plant specific species?

Benoit Gallot: There are two methods. In some areas, nature is allowed to take its course. Paths will grow naturally. In other areas, where the soil or sunlight aren’t ideal, our gardeners intervene by planting alfalfa or clover, which work very well. We also use pre-cultivated grass from the greenhouses of the City of Paris in Rungis.

The cemetery is indeed full of life: insects, butterflies, birds, mammals. But the process isn’t over, we’re still in a transitional phase. Our gravediggers are removing the stone slabs from the paths and replacing them with earth. We haven’t finished landscaping, but we’ve made a lot of progress over the last ten years. What I particularly like is that the families appreciate it. It’s not just about making the cemetery look nice or being virtuous about biodiversity. Bereaved families find comfort in knowing that there are so many animals living among the graves. It provides comfort and adds value to their mourning process. I like to think that it completes the cycle of life.

Was Père Lachaise conceived from the outset as a reservoir of biodiversity?

Benoit Gallot: No, the concept of biodiversity didn’t exist at the time. But it was conceived from the outset as a landscape park with nature at its heart.Early images of Père Lachaise show a lot of greenery.It inspired many Anglo-Saxon cemeteries in England and the United States.Because it was so green, Parisians used to stroll there. At that time there were no large parks like the Buttes Chaumont or the Parc Montsouris. Père Lachaise was Paris’s first great park. It also raised curiosity because the concept of a cemetery was new; before that there were common graves. It was quite revolutionary. Tombs, epitaphs and the presence of famous people boosted its success.

Later, the demand for burial space increased so much that the amount of vegetation decreased throughout the 19th century. To optimise space, the cemetery was densified, with the last expansion in 1850 planned in a very orderly manner, with square divisions and straight alignments of the graves. Today we are seeing a resurgence of biodiversity and we estimate that of the 43 hectares of Père Lachaise, 13 hectares can be greened. That’s a significant part of the cemetery.

Is Père Lachaise now as much a park as a cemetery?

Benoit Gallot: I often remind tourists and foreign journalists that it is first and foremost a cemetery. Many people think it’s a museum or a park where we occasionally bury the dead. But as managers, we prioritise the cemetery aspect. Despite its historical, patrimonial and biodiversity importance, burial activities remain our priority.

Père Lachaise is still the leading cemetery in France in terms of activity.There are larger cemeteries, such as Pantin, but we handle 6,000 cremations a year, dozens of ceremonies a day and nearly 3,000 new burials a year.

That’s almost 10,000 burials a year. We maintain a high level of activity that doesn’t disrupt tourism. We’re updating all the signage and adding a welcome kiosk to better accommodate tourists, because their presence disrupts our daily operations. Funeral staff are constantly interrupted by lost visitors.

However, for the residents of the 11th and 20th arrondissements, Père Lachaise is their park. Many locals have shared their strong bond with the cemetery, having visited it since childhood. Schools often come to watch birds with ornithologists or to collect leaves. I like the idea of engaging with life in a place dedicated to the dead, and we try to encourage this.

Key Figures:

3.5. With 3.5 million visitors a year, Père Lachaise is the most visited cemetery in the world.

10,000. With 10,000 funerals a year, Père Lachaise is the busiest cemetery in France.

43. At 43 hectares, Père Lachaise is the largest green space in Paris, with 4,000 trees of over 80 different species.

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