Walk the City of the Dead While Paris Blooms
On the first of November, the gravel paths of Père Lachaise fill with the smell of wet leaves and cut chrysanthemums. Families arrive carrying pots of bronze and yellow blooms and small glass lanterns, kneeling to scrub headstones in the 20th arrondissement's Ménilmontant neighborhood. This is la Cité des Morts — Paris's largest cemetery, the world's first "garden cemetery," and home to roughly 70,000 burial plots. In 2026, All Saints' Day falls on a Sunday, so the grounds open at 9am and close at 6pm, and the floral tributes are at their densest. You will pass the graves of Chopin, Molière, La Fontaine, Colette, Modigliani, Maria Callas, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison — but the real spectacle is the living: Parisians tending their dead in the amber light of peak autumn foliage.
- Get there: Metro Père Lachaise (Lines 2, 3), Philippe Auguste (Line 2), or Gambetta (Lines 3, 3B).
- Main entrances: 21 Blvd de Ménilmontant (principal), 16 Rue du Repos, and Rue des Rondeaux opposite Ave du Père Lachaise.
- Skip if mobility is limited: the Amandiers and Réunion entrances, which are stair-only.
- Go early or late: the cemetery is large enough that it rarely feels crowded, even on November 1.
Follow the Chrysanthemums Through Paris's Other Graveyards
Père Lachaise is the headline, but the Toussaint ritual repeats across the city's smaller cemeteries. Passy Cemetery is a quieter place to watch the same custom — flowers laid, candles lit, graves cleaned. The Catacombs, that subterranean "Empire of Death," draws visitors on the same day. And one of Paris's five evocative graveyards opens to the public only on Toussaint, making November 1 your single annual window to walk through it.
- Passy Cemetery: a Toussaint viewing spot away from the Ménilmontant crowds.
- The Catacombs: listed among All Saints' Day activities; expect the usual queues.
- Guided tours: small-group walks of Père Lachaise cover the famous graves, and a "haunted" themed tour runs for those who want the darker stories.
Attend a Toussaint Mass
All Saints' Day is a Roman Catholic and Orthodox holy day, also recognized by Anglicans, and Paris churches hold Toussaint Masses and services throughout the day. The observance is distinct from Halloween on October 31 and from Día de los Muertos, though the city also hosts Día de los Muertos celebrations on All Saints' Day itself. If you want the liturgical side of the holiday, plan around a morning or evening Mass at a neighborhood church.
Know What's Open, What's Closed, and How the City Moves
France observes only Toussaint — November 1 — as a public holiday; All Souls' Day on November 2 is a day of prayer for the departed but not a day off. The name comes from Tous les Saints, "All Saints," and the observance grew out of pre-Christian spring traditions honoring the dead — dancing, feasting, and bonfires — that were transformed into Christian holy days between the 6th and 9th centuries.
- Closed on November 1: banks, government offices, and many businesses.
- Open: most stores, restaurants, museums, and attractions — especially in the tourist-centric single-digit arrondissements.
- Toussaint school holiday: a two-week fall vacation across France that always includes All Saints' Day, so family-friendly attractions run busier than usual.
- Weather and light: the holiday coincides with peak autumn foliage in Paris — golden and crimson leaves against gray stone.
Build Your Day Around the Season
Start with a cemetery in the morning while the chrysanthemums are fresh and the light is low. Break for lunch in the single-digit arrondissements, where restaurants and shops stay open on the holiday. Spend the afternoon at a museum or on a guided Père Lachaise walk, then find a church for an evening Toussaint service. The two-week school break means you should book family-oriented attractions ahead, and the November 1 opening hours at Père Lachaise — 9am to 6pm on Sunday and bank holidays — set the shape of your morning. Check Mass times and tour schedules closer to your dates, and let the chrysanthemums lead you through the city.