Museum/arts/culture
Opened to the public in 1809, the Catacombes de Paris occupy former limestone quarry galleries 20 metres beneath the city. The 1,500-metre route winds past walls of stacked bones and skulls, transferred here as Paris cemeteries closed. Displays cover the site's geology, architecture and history. Advance booking is recommended, and an audioguide is included with tickets.
💡 Good to know
Book tickets online well in advance as reservation is strongly recommended and lines can be long; note the visit involves a spiral staircase descent and roughly 1,500 meters of walking underground.
⏱️ Typical visit
1h30
🕰️ Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Hours
Walking intensity
Booking
What people say
"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
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