Catacombs of Paris
Inspite of being somewhat morbid, the Catacombs are a burial plot with a rich and fascinating history and draw crowds of visitors year round
The Catacombs of France is a tourist attraction for those who like to add a little spookiness to their vacation activities. The catacombs are literally a burial plot of astronomic proportions. However, they are a burial plot with a rich and fascinating history.
Before Christianity came along, it was common practice to bury the dead outside the city walls. Christianity dictated that the dead should be buried in consecrated ground around churches and this time it was difficult to do so since the areas around the churches were already well built up and there was no space to put in large cemeteries. Those that were available soon became overcrowded and a mass burial plot was opened near the St. Opportune church. This burial plot caused a lot of sanitation problems but was still used even when the ground was saturated with human remains.
Eventually the inner city cemeteries were closed and new ones were opened outside the city limits. Even the long abandoned stone quarries outside the city were pressed into use as burial places. The transfer of the dead to these quarries started in 1786 and finished in 1788. The catacombs hold the remains of around six million people. Land was bought from a local property named "La maison de la Tombe Issoire" and many sets of bones were deposited in the underground caverns in this area along with crosses and urns and other memorabilia.
When you visit the catacombs you will travel down a staircase and then through a long tunnel to find yourself faced with a stone portal inscribed with the words Arrete! C'est ici l'empire de la Mort ('Halt! This is the Empire of the Dead'). It is beyond this stone portal that the tour truly begins. There are halls and walls of carefully arranged bones. Some of the bone arrangements are actually really artistic although they are macabre.
If you plan to visit the Catacombs then you will need to know that the site limits visitors to 200 at one time. There are also no toilets or cloakrooms and it is also good to keep in mind that it will be cooler in the underground passages. It is vital that children who are younger than 14 years of age are accompanied by at least one adult and the parents of young children are advised against bringing their children into the catacombs. If you are not very mobile then you may also want to consider other activities as there are many steps to go up and down. You do not need much time for the actual tour as it is only 2km long (around 45 min) but the queues can get rather long and entries can be stopped to ensure the 200 visitor limit is adhered to.
Nearby attractions: Rue Mouffetard Market
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: YesCatacombs of Paris Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
- Wednesday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
- Thursday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
- Friday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
- Saturday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
- Sunday: 9:45 AM – 8:30 PM
Address: 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France
Official Website: Catacombs of Paris
Catacombs of Paris Reviews
Rated out of 5
Loved it!!! If you like one of a kind experiences that's a little creepy, you will love this. The walk took about an hour at a slow leisurely pace.
Some parts of the path are a little narrow with low ceilings, the floor is pebbly so wear comfortable shoes, it was dimmly lit but very safe, I was walking alone for part of the path so the timed entry tickets really spaced everyone out for the experience.
If you get scared easily, walk with a group.
I loved this over every other museum visit in Paris and can't wait to go again!
Casey Z - a month ago
As someone who studies history and pays close attention to how museums handle interpretation, I was genuinely impressed. The Catacombs are a difficult site to present well: you're dealing with human remains, a long and layered history, and a space that could easily tip into spectacle. Instead the curation strikes a really thoughtful balance between the engineering history of the quarries, the public health context that led to the ossuary, and the memorial dimension of the space itself.
The audio design deserves special mention. The headphones that updated automatically as we moved through the route were a smart, immersive choice. It let the interpretation stay tied to the physical space without the usual fumbling with keypad numbers, and it kept the pacing intuitive.
One note for the staff: we went as a group of 5 and 2 of our headphones stopped working partway through. If that hardware reliability gets sorted out, the experience would be close to flawless. Highly recommend for anyone interested in urban history, memory studies, or just exceptional spatial storytelling.
Lauren Hagan - 2 months ago
I’ve been wanting to visit here for a while. The whole experience is amazing. Firstly visiting and learning about how the limestone was quarried from deep underground, creating a labyrinth of tunnels. Then learning and visiting the catacombs, created as Paris expanded and cemeteries were reclaimed for building on. It was much larger than I expected. Very moving to see the remains of so many people beautifully arranged. The whole experience is managed brilliantly. I would thoroughly recommend. However once you are underground you’re there until the end of the walk, which pops you up a short distance from the entrance.
Jason Reynolds - 2 months ago
I am so happy I did the self guided walk. It was really interesting listening to the commentary while walking through the passages with the interesting way of how the skeletal remains are packed. Learning about the history behind this massive underground ossuary was really great. Highly recommend to experience! Book tickets in advance.
Celest Venter - 2 months ago
Very very cool, with an excellent audio tour. I appreciated the way that you could go with your own pace. The history of this place is so fascinating. It was on my must-visit list and I'm so glad I did.
Tickets can be purchased on the site up to 7 days ahead of time. Don't count on buying tickets at the door, they sell out far in advance.
lauren chalas - a month ago
Directions
| Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| M4, M6, RER-B | Denfert-Rochereau | 1 minute |
How to get to Catacombs of Paris by Metro / RER
By Metro or RER: exit at Denfert-Rochereau Station and look for the small green building (and probably a queue) directly across the street from the station.
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Photo Gallery
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There are over 7 million of these buried in the Catacombs of Paris cc licensed photo by CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK
