Luxury, glee, tender romance, good food, fine wine, and a series of exhilarating experiences are what cumulate to be a rewarding time in Paris. But there is a missing piece in the aforementioned, which connotes almost the opposite- the Catacombs- a chilling visit among dry bones under the city. It is a bone-chilling affair that grips even the most audacious adults.

Made at the end of the 1700s, the Paris Catacombs contain the remains of more than six million locals, whose bones were conveyed from cemeteries that were labeled insanitary and overcrowded between the late 1700s and mid-1800s.

The section that visitors can access is a small stretch of Paris’ expansive Catacombs complex that is made up of 2 km of long, straight corridors dug from limestone quarries under the ground. The underground tunnel offers visitors an intriguing view of countless numbers of human skulls and bones that are arranged in expansive parallel piles.

Appearing to emphasize how highly the French value artsy expressions, the ossuaries are quiet tell us something: a number of the chambers are adorned with wall sculptures, and reflective poems about life and death are showcased for visitors to ruminate on as they walk through the galleries.

The Catacombs are worth visiting, whether you are attracted there for the archaeological and historical interest of the site or for a bizarre pleasure trip underground. Note that it is not a perfect excursion for kids or differently-abled visitors. This is because visitors are required to go down via a spiral staircase with over a hundred stairs before climbing 83 stairs on the way back to the exit. Also, the ossuaries may be disturbing for younger children. The average duration of the visit is around 45 minutes.

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Here Are A Few Things To Know About The Catacombs of Paris

Location Of The Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs are situated in the city’s 14th district, close to the famous Montparnasse neighborhood where writers and artists like Tamara de Lempicka and Henry Miller flourished in the 1920s and 1930s. The address is at 1, Avenue Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy, 14th-arrondissement.

Tickets, Opening Hours, and Other Details 

Until recently, the Catacombs do not offer evening visits. This will excite tourists who think the creepy underground setting is an attraction that fits in their night wanderings. Except on Mondays, they are open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. While 19:00 is the admission cutoff point, visits are strictly for 200 people. This is enforced due to significant space constraints. That is why I recommend that you go earlier than 19:00 not to be denied entry.

Tickets: Individuals can buy tickets without reservations at the green ticket stall outside the Catacombs. Meanwhile, Visa, MasterCard, and cash are accepted.

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History and Visit Highlights 

In the late 1700s, a cemetery near the market area called ‘Les Halles’ and the Saint-Eustache church was pronounced unhealthy and a danger to the health of the public by authorities. In 1786, the exhumation of bones in the ‘Innocents’ Cemetery- which had been functional for ten centuries and was overcrowded by then- was done.

This continued through 1788. The quarries where the Catacombs can be found today were hewed out, and the exhumed bones were conveyed there following late-night religious ceremonies managed by the priests. The Catacombs were reopened to the public in 2005 after they went through thorough renovations for many months.

Highlights of the Catacombs

Going down the long spiral staircase and entering into the mazy corridors of the Catacombs, visitors tend to feel a little dizzy from the climb. The first things you might see are the low ceilings, and for the first few minutes, you will be walking through empty corridors with no bones to see.

The moment you reach the ossuaries, expect to feel a little skeptical at the massive heaps of bones, symmetrically arranged on each side in fascinatingly artsy manner, and followed by written French poems centering on mortality.

Also in the Catacombs is the Port Mahon gallery that has many sculptures from a quarryman who decided to hew out a model of the Port-Mahon fortress in Menorca. There, he was a prisoner after been captured by the English army for fighting for Louis XV. You should visit here as it holds more surprising elements for a place that is mighty creepy.

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Advice and Restrictions 

• Adults must accompany kids under the age of 14.
• Visits to the Catacombs are not recommended for people suffering from anxiety, respiratory, or cardiac disorders. As earlier stated, the Catacombs do not have elevators, making them inaccessible to differently-abled visitors.
• No cloakrooms or restrooms in the Catacombs.
• The tunnels underground can be incredibly chilly, so bring along your coats.

Some Interesting Facts About the Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs Were Used by Both Sides Throughout WW2

Under the ground, the Catacombs span so many miles that it was hardly a surprise that both sides used them during the war. While members of the French Resistance were using it to take cover and orchestrate attacks against the Germans, the Nazis built different bunkers for their use. Vestiges of the war can still be seen today.

Farmers Used Them to Grow Mushrooms

This practice commenced in the 1800s when a local named Monsieur Chambery went into the tunnels and noticed a swath of wild mushrooms growing in the chamber. He concluded that he would use the deserted tunnels to grow his own button mushrooms. Not long after, the Horticultural Society of Paris approved this practice.

In no time, farmers came in their droves to begin planting mushrooms, and it became a flourishing enterprise. The darkness and humidity down there make it conducive for plants like mushrooms to bloom. And who knows, the bones there might have added a sort of fertilizer to the plants as well.

The Bones Are Arranged in ‘Decorative’ Displays

The bones of the dead were first transferred to the tunnels through carts in the 1780s. The old bones were then arranged into shapes and decorations, like circles and arts, and they mark the walls with different ghastly remains and skulls.

One of the most imposing displays is called the Barrel. It is made up of a gigantic circular pillar encircled with skulls and tibiae that also serve as support for the area’s roof where it is housed. It is known as the Tibia Rotunda or the Crypt of the Passion.

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The Catacombs Was Used For a Vintage Wine Heist

As history books have it, decay, bones, and death are not the only elements related to the Catacombs. Some brilliant wine within the depths of the tunnels used to be a thing as well. A gang of thieves is said to have drilled through the limestone walls of the tunnels into a close vault that was situated under an apartment and had close to 300 bottles of vintage wine. The thieves stole the entire wine collection, which was valued at 250,000 euros.

Cataphiles are Still Making Communities Inside the Tunnels

The cataphiles are urban explorers with a habit of spending lots of time in the depths of the Catacombs for their own leisure and adventure. While they may appear as a modern-day cult, the cataphiles are reverential of both the dead and the tunnels. They even make maps, so visitors do not get lost in the large necropolis.

These people are insiders, and information about how to get access to the tunnels is kept as a secret in the group. For years, the group has been making and building their own community in the ancient tunnels and quarries. Some of them decorate rooms, paint art, or party with fellow tunnel-inhabitants; some just visit to take a break from the external world.

A Flood of Dead Bodies

Les Innocents was Paris’ initial hot spot to be buried prior to the creation of the Catacombs. It is the city’s oldest and most active graveyard. There was an issue with it. By the 1700s, many people had been buried there to the point that it became overcrowded. Residents staying close to there began complaining of the strong and sharp smell from the corpses. Soon, the entire city had the same complaint.

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Are the Catacombs Dangerous? – Summary

The Catacombs are Paris’s secret that has their own layered secrets too. And even though the ossuaries conjure a morbid vibe, the Catacombs are surely a place to visit to see what lies beneath the glam, romance, fashion, and culture of Paris. They can be scary, but the Catacombs are not dangerous.