The Secret Life of a Cemetery

Finalist for the 2025 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards, History Category“The Secret Life of a Cemetery can be read as a memoir of the author, but it may be more accurately understood as a biography of Père-Lachaise—a place of rich history, lore and misunderstanding… . Considering the somber subject, Mr. Gallot’s jovial tone may surprise. His sprightly text, ably translated from the French by Arielle Aaronson, may crack a smile on even the most stone-faced among us.”—Wall Street Journal“The Secret Life of a Cemetery is Gallot’s loving and informative paean to the 110 acre cemetery in which 1.3 million bodies are buried including many celebrities including: Frederic Chopin, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison and Camille Pissarro. Gallot’s informal, almost breezy prose lightens the weighty subject matter as he dissects the many aspects of end-of-life situations.”—The Valley Breeze”[A] kind of love letter … Not only is this a book that answers, fact for fact, everything you ever wanted to know about Père-Lachaise but were afraid to ask, it is also a portrait of a person who truly loves his work.”—Sadie Stein, The New York Times“The Secret Life of a Cemetery is a paean to the renowned Parisian cemetery, Père Lachaise….[A]s crammed with quirky facts as the 110-acre cemetery is crammed with burial plots”—NPR“The Secret Life of a Cemetery is no maudlin reflection on death and remembrance…With its fox cubs and anecdotes (it) allows us a privileged glimpse of Gallot’s world, full of wonder and life”—The Observer“Contrasting solemn resplendence with the vibrancy of renewal, The Secret Life of a Cemetery is a historical and cultural delight.”—Foreword“[An] enchanting portrait of [Gallot’s] otherworldly workplace”—The Bookseller”[D]elightful and thoughtful … A spirited look at life inside Père-Lachaise, as told by its philosophical and funny curator.”—Kirkus Reviews“A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the world’s most famous cemetery, this book unlocks the many mysteries of Père-Lachaise. It’s filled with beautiful anecdotes about the rich meaning to be found in a life caring for the dead and their families.”—Bess Lovejoy, author of Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses“A fascinating, witty, and delightful book about life among the Parisian dead.”—Peter Ross, author of A Tomb With A View“Père-Lachaise, the second international cemetery I ever visited, made me fall in love with the history, the celebrities, the amazing sculpture. This book opened my eyes to Père-Lachaise as a living organism. As much as I’ve read about the cemetery, I see it in a new light now. The Secret Life of a Cemetery made me long to visit again!”—Loren Rhoads, author of 222 Cemeteries to See Before You Die“This book is full of surprises about the world’s most famous resting place—from the fascinating and amusing histories Gallot reveals to the eloquent, page-turning prose. Each chapter took me on a new turn down Père-Lachaise’s famed cobblestone walkways. What a delight to read! The Secret Life of a Cemetery will now occupy a cherished spot on my bookshelf.”—Greg Melville, author of Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries“Paris’s famous cemetery is as full of life and history as the city itself.”—Stephen Clarke, author of 1000 Years of Annoying the French

Benot Gallot has been the curator of Pere Lachaise Cemetery since 2018 and was born into a family of grave stonemasons. His Instagram account, @la_vie_au_cimetiere, has attracted a growing community of followers captivated by his photographs of the animals that have made the Parisian landmark their home. He lives on the grounds of the cemetery with his family.

Arielle Aaronson is a French-to-English translator of books, films, TV, and more. Her translations have been shortlisted for the 2023 Governor General’s Literary Award and longlisted for the 2021 Canada Reads book of the year. She lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her family.