Last Updated: 9/30/20 | September 20th, 2020
Paris may be known as the City of Lights but it hides a dark and disturbing history.
Underneath the city, there is a gigantic honeycomb of tunnels. The system is a giant maze and no one knows quite how many tunnels or chambers there are out there (that’s how big it is). (Paris is, after all, a very old city that has been built and rebuilt many times.) What we do know is that there are at least 320km (200 miles) of tunnels under the city. It’s a literal maze.
These tunnels and chambers are what is left of rock quarries that used to be on the outskirts of the city. Much of the limestone that built the city was extracted from these mines, but as the city grew it expanded to where the quarries were and quarries had to be abandoned.
The French resistance used these tunnels during World War II, and rave parties flourished there during the 1990s. Victor Hugo used his knowledge about the tunnel system when he wrote Les Misérables. In 1871, communards killed a group of monarchists in one chamber.
Yet, in this maze of tunnels, one part open to the public: the famous Catacombs of Paris.
The Catacombs of Paris were “created” at the end of the 18th century. As the cemeteries filled up and had to be moved outside the city, a portion of the tunnels was turned into an ossuary (a place where human skeletons are stored) that contains the remains of millions of Parisians, who were gradually transferred here between the late eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries. (Fun fact: The bones were always moved at night to a ceremony made up of a procession of priests who sang along the way to the Catacombs.)
At first, they were deposited in a rather haphazard manner and the ossuary simply piled up. Eventually, the bones were organized and displayed in the way that you see them today.
Since the first day they were complete, the Catacombs have been an object of curiosity, even for royalty. In 1787, Lord of d’Artois, who became King Charles 10, went down there with the ladies from the Court. In 1814, François 1st, Emperor of Austria, went to visit and explore them while he was in Paris. In 1860, Napoleon III went there with his son. The catacomb walls are also covered in graffiti dating from the eighteenth century. Everyone has left their mark on this place. Towards the end of the 18th century, the catacombs became a tourist attraction and have been open to the public on a regular basis from 1867.
In the dark galleries and narrow passages, you’ll see bones arranged in a macabre display. Catacombs are eerie. They are quiet, dark, damp, and a bit downright depressing. There are lots of bones around and most of them are just stacked up on each other. You’ll never know who is who – that skull you are looking at could be someone who died from the plague or be a wealthy aristocrat. You never know!
I’ve visited this site multiple times and I always find it super creepy yet super interesting. I’ve been to many unusual places over the years, and the Catacombs of Paris is definitely one of the best. The history is fascinating and you can see the markings and initials from the centuries of visitors on the walls.
Interesting Facts About the Catacombs of Paris
Here are a few interesting facts about this unusual tourist attraction:
- The depth of the Catacombs is equivalent to a five-story building.
- The area is 2 kilometers long.
- It takes at least 45 minutes to explore the Catacombs.
- The constant temperature in the Catacombs is 14 Celsius.
- The surface area of the ossuary is 11,000 square meters.
- There are over 6 million dead Parisians here
- Both sides in WWII used the Catacombs for clandestine operations. The Germans built hidden bunkers while the French Resistance used the tunnels for navigating the city unopposed.
- There are secret, unmapped pools in the Catacombs that explorers visit and swim in (but people have also gotten lost down here and died so don’t go exploring by yourself!)
How to Visit the Catacombs
To get to the Catacombs of Paris, you can take the subway and the RER to Denfert-Rochereau or use Bus 38 and 68. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-8:30pm (closed Mondays).
The number of visitors is limited to 200 at a time so the line can get really long. I highly recommend reserving your space in advance to avoid the line. (Seriously, the line gets to be hours long!). If you can’t reserve a spot online, make sure you get there as early as possible.
Advance tickets cost 24 EUR while last-minute tickets at the door cost 14 EUR (last-minute tickets are currently unavailable due to COVID; you need to book in advance until the pandemic ends).
There are audio guides available in English, French, German and Spanish for an extra 5 EUR. They are definitely worth the money if you don’t have a guide as they add a lot of historical context to your visit.
Visiting the Catacombs is one of my favorite activities in Paris. It’s something I highly recommend you don’t skip. It only takes about an hour to wander through it completely and will give you a much more nuanced understanding of Paris.
Don’t skip it.
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Dave and Deb
I definitely believe that the catacombs are depressing and eerie. But I still wish that I would have gone there when I had the chance. Another great reason to go back to Paris. Thanks
jen laceda
Really raves? That’s such a bad idea, but I would have loved to experience that!
Paddy
I see dead peeps!
I wouldn’t fancy being there overnight
Lilliy
thats a real depressing story. But very intresting as well. To have all those bones stacked ontop of each other like that, creepy.
Stevo
Sounds super-cool, Matto. I like being underground. There’s a similar attraction in Beijing, dating from the cold-war.
If I ever get to Paris…
Corbin
Great post,
I remember seeing a documentary on them once, and thought, hey, thats neat. But never knew about all the famous “A-list historical figures” who visited them. That alone is a cool enough reason to go. I’m hoping to someday live in Paris, or at least in France somewhere, I’ll be sure to check this out once I get there. Looks very intriguing.
NomadicMatt
it is! reminds me a lot of the kuta hora bone church in prague
Carrie
This is an absolute must-see! The one thing I didn’t like was the 80-something stair walk-up after you’ve been roaming around the eerie maze of skulls and bones for quite awhile! The walk down was longer, but it’s obviously easier to go down. I was also amused to see so many people getting busted for removing remains. Too many people attempt to take a little something with them when they leave the Catacombs.
Scott
@jen I agree, a rave in the catacombs would be eerie but interesting… big basslines bouncing off of skulls and bones… could have a unique sound to it! You’d have to have a pirate theme to it.
I find it funny King Charles 10 took ladies down in the catacombs.. “c’mon my darling, lets sit down and gaze at the femurs and ankles, it’s so sexy”
All in all I look forward to visiting the catacombs when in Paris!
NomadicMatt
raves would be interesting down in the tunnels!!! creepy but really cool!
Gray
Very cool! Creepy, but cool. This is going on my to-do list for an eventual trip to Paris.
Theresa
On our 12 hour jaunt through Paris on our layover between Santiago and Johannesburg, we made time to tour the catacombs. It was my second visit, Jeff’s first. The first time I was there the lights went out halfway through our visit. I think they were probably out for less than a minute but it felt like an eternity.
Spencer Spellman
I was a little skeptical of visiting the Catacombs, but glad I did. Just a fascinating place and a great story behind it. At the end I was perplexed that we had to be searched, but the Security Guard said that people have tried to steal bones before, going at great lengths, including putting arm and leg bones down their pants or shirts.
Erica Connolly
Worth adding to a 2.5 day itinerary?
NomadicMatt
No, you’re itinerary will be packed already.
Lizzy
I think the catacombs are a little scary! I also think the bones are freaky
Ryan Biddulph
My wife visited a decade ago. Creepy, sobering and fascinating. Different feel methinks, but seeing those skulls takes me back to my days visiting the Killing Fields in Cambodia. Sobering, sad and just an experience unlike any other. Moving stuff.
Ryan