How to Visit Paris Pet Cemetery (Cimetière des Chiens)

Last Updated on 10th February 2022 by Sophie Nadeau

If you’re looking for an unusual place to visit on a sunny afternoon in Paris, then you need look no further than Paris Pet cemetery (or Cimetière des Chiens in French- literally ‘dog cemetery’), which can be found in a leafy suburb, Asnières-sur-Seine, of the Parisian capital, all the while still in the Île de France region.

Address for the Cimetière des Chiens/ 4 Pont de Clichy, 92600 Asnières-sur-Seine

Spending an afternoon visiting a cemetery doesn’t seem like the most thrilling thing to do. In fact, if I’m honest, it probably sounds pretty macabre. But the Paris Pet Cemetery is where treasured pets and work dogs have been laid to rest for over a century. And lying on the banks of the Seine, it’s in a very serene location…

What is the history of pet cemeteries?

Humans have always held a fascination with mourning their furry (and scaled) animal counterparts. As far back as Ancient Egyptian times, cats were regularly mummified and buried. However, pet cemeteries, as we know them today, didn’t become really popular until the Victorian era (i.e. around the late 1800s).

The largest pet cemetery in the World, Hartsdale, New York was founded around this time and today contains the remains of more than 70,000 animals- woah! Paris has long been known for its hauntingly beautiful cemeteries; with the likes of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrisson and Edith Piaf all finding their final resting places within the Paris peripherique.

The oldest public pet cemetery in the world

But what is little known, is that the world’s oldest public pet cemetery, lies a little outside Paris- less than half an hour by metro. Situated in Asnières-Sur-Seine, the Paris Pet Cemetery was founded in 1898.

Although many might believe that the cemetery was started for sentimental reasons, it was actually founded for health ones. In 1898, a law was passed that meant that Parisians were no longer allowed to bury their pets wherever they liked.

People were even just throwing their bodies away in the garbage or discarding them in the Seine! The new law dictated that animals had to be buried at least 100m away from housing and under at least 1m of earth. And thus, the Paris Pet Cemetery was born.

A history of the Paris Pet Cemetery

Even though the narrow landscaped cemetery is called a ‘dog cemetery‘, it is filled with all sorts of other pets and domesticated animals. From cats to a monkey, to a horse to a chicken and even a fish, there’s over 40,000 animals interred in this peaceful location.

Notable animals buried here include a dog that was a Hollywood movie star in his own right (Rin Tin Tin) and the pet lion of an early feminist. A well-known racehorse and a sheep also reside here. What’s most surprising, is probably the fact that the cemetery looks very much like the ones intended for people (aside from the fact that everything is in miniature).

There’s even a cat mausoleum at the very end of the graveyard. Since 1987, the Paris pet cemetery has been declared a national monument. Today, pets are still interred there. It’s also open for visitors to visit and is easily one of the most unusual activities to do in Paris.

How to visit the Paris Pet Cemetery

If you’re looking to visit the Cimetière des Chiens for yourself, then it couldn’t be easier to go. The nearest metro station is around a fifteen minute walk away along a fairly flat pavement. Gabriel Péri is the station’s name and can be found on metro line 13 (which is light blue in colour).

The cemetery is open from Tuesday through to Sunday 10 AM – 4:30 PM from October 16 – March 15 and from 10 AM to 6 PM March 16 to October 15, though last entrance to the burial grounds is half an hour before closing time.

The cemetery is closed on Mondays and on public holidays and entrance costs €3.50 for adults and €1.50. Dogs are allowed to visit with their owners but must be kept on a short leash.

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