You Can Help Save Van Gogh's Humble Grave

A crowdfunding campaign is calling on Vincent van Gogh’s admirers to gather the resources necessary to restore and secure the painter’s grave in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

How did one of the greatest artists that ever lived come to find his final resting place in a small town just north of Paris? A simple headstone marks the spot, alongside that of his brother Theo, whose destiny was so closely interlinked with Vincent’s. The site was never meant to be visited by so many people – over 200,000 fans make the pilgrimage every year – and is now in dire need of maintenance. Enter the Institut Van Gogh, a non-profit organization that has taken up the challenge to preserve the site and launched a crowdfunding campaign in partnership with the town of Auvers-sur-Oise.

Vincent and Theo Van Gogh’s final resting place

Van Gogh never lived to enjoy the huge success of his work. With characteristic humility, on his arrival in the village in 1890, he wrote to his brother that “Some day or other I believe I shall find a way of having an exhibition of my own in a café.” He was fresh out of the asylum in Saint-Rémy de Provence, and had agreed with his brother Theo that it would be best if he could live close by. So Vincent moved to this small village just north of Paris,where he could be under the care of Dr. Paul Gachet, a fellow artist who was also a psychiatrist. On May 20, he rented a small room in the guest house and painted, and painted… and painted some more. It is almost impossible to comprehend the force of his creativity in these last three months of his life. Some catalogues attribute over 70 paintings to this short period.

Fans of Van Gogh’s art can now became a patron of Vincent and Theo. The campaign aims to preserve the graves of the Van Gogh brothers and make the cemetery of Auvers-sur-Oise more secure and welcoming. The cost of these renovations is estimated to be € 600,000 including the improvement of the surroundings of the church of Notre Dame d’Auvers which is a short walk away and immortalized by Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting.

Detail of ‘The Church at Auvers,’ painted by Vincent Van Gogh in 1890 now hanging in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.