🎨MuseumClosed · Opens 9:45 AM

Catacombes de Paris

4.1 ·

Descend 20 metres beneath Paris into the world's largest underground ossuary. Walk the 1,500-metre route past walls stacked with bones and skulls, learning the site's geology and history along the way with an included audioguide.

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Reasons to go

The galleries hold the remains of roughly six million people, transferred here from overflowing Paris cemeteries starting in the late 18th century.
The site occupies a former limestone quarry 20 metres underground, part of a network of tunnels that once supplied stone for building Paris itself.
Visitors reach the ossuary via a narrow spiral staircase before walking a 1,500-metre route lined with skulls and bones arranged in decorative patterns.

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Full description

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.

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Address

1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France · Denfert-Rochereau

Website

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Hours

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Booking

Booking required

Duration

1h30

Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening

Intensity

Active — lots of walking

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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.

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Reviews

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…

Celest Venter

4/5

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