podtour
The Great Names of Père-Lachaise: from the Main Gate to Balzac
In 1804 this cemetery was a long way out, beyond the city wall, and Parisians didn't want it.
The Père-Lachaise of Memory: from Oscar Wilde to the Communards' Wall: audio walk in Paris
The high, flat part of the cemetery: Callas's empty niche, Wilde's forbidden kisses, an 1870 bronze effigy and its legend, a marshal who may have died in America, Piaf and her daughter, the memorial to the Spanish deportees and the wall where the Commune came to an end.
What this walk is about
You start at the crematorium, the first in Paris, in front of an urn that no longer holds anything. Then you follow Oscar Wilde, moved here and covered up in a scandal, and Victor Noir, the journalist whose murder brought a crowd out onto the streets in 1870. A gastronome who went turkey shooting in Connecticut, a marshal shot by firing squad who, according to an American legend, died of old age in North Carolina, and the photographer who got two million letters out of besieged Paris by balloon. After that, the avenue of memory: the night of the Opéra-Comique fire, Piaf beside her daughter, the camp memorials, the Spaniards of Mauthausen. You finish at the wall where, in May 1871, the Commune lost its last fight among the graves.
- Start
- The empty space
- Finish
- The final battle
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. A walk for anyone curious about 19th- and 20th-century history and memory and Spanish Republican exile.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The empty space
- 2
The kisses that were banned
- 3
The reclining figure of 1870
- 4
The turkey of Hartford
- 5
The man said to be shot who died in America
- 6
Balloons above a besieged Paris
- 7
The night of Mignon
- 8
Marcelle's headstone
- 9
The memorials to deportation
- 10
The Spanish prisoners of Mauthausen
- 11
Gerda Taro's altered headstone
- 12
The final battle
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Paris, before you go
Paris works best a neighbourhood at a time. Combine a walk, a pause and another look: the distances on the map can be deceptive.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
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on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.