When you think of Victorian picnics, you might imagine lush parks and charming countryside settings—but for some Victorians, the perfect picnic spot was a bit more… morbid. Believe it or not, during the 19th century, it became fashionable to picnic in cemeteries and even at Catacombs, places filled with human remains!

Why Picnic with the Dead?

The Victorian era was marked by a deep fascination with death and the afterlife. They held elaborate funerals, wore mourning clothes, and spent a lot of time contemplating mortality. But instead of avoiding places like cemeteries, they saw them as beautiful, peaceful spaces for reflection—and apparently, for dining!

One of the most famous spots for these eerie picnics was the Paris Catacombs, a vast underground labyrinth lined with the bones of over six million people. Victorians, always curious and a little eccentric, would visit the Catacombs as a tourist attraction. Some took it a step further and enjoyed picnics right among the neatly stacked skulls and bones! It wasn’t just Paris—Victorians were known to picnic at graveyards and other macabre locations across Europe.

A Mix of Morbid and Whimsical

To the Victorians, these morbid picnics were seen as a blend of curiosity, spirituality, and even whimsy. They believed that being near the dead provided a sense of connection to the afterlife and gave them time to reflect on their own mortality. Meanwhile, they enjoyed sandwiches and tea, often bringing along family and friends for what they saw as a serene day out.

Cemeteries, especially those with grand monuments like Père Lachaise in Paris or Highgate Cemetery in London, were beautifully landscaped, making them prime picnic spots. Victorians treated these spaces like public parks, lounging, socializing, and even engaging in graveyard games!