Why go

Beneath the streets of southern Paris lies a maze of old limestone quarries, and part of it holds one of the strangest sights in Europe. From the late 18th century, when the city’s overflowing cemeteries became a health hazard, the bones of around six million Parisians were moved underground and stacked here in neat walls of skulls and long bones. “Stop! This is the empire of death,” reads the inscription over the entrance to the ossuary.

It is eerie rather than gruesome, and fascinating as a piece of urban history. The route also shows how the quarries that supplied the stone for Paris were mapped and shored up to stop the city above from collapsing. Around 20 metres below the surface, the galleries are quiet, cool and dimly lit, and the contrast with the busy streets above is part of the experience. Most visitors find an hour underground is plenty.

What to see

  • The quarry galleries. The first stretch passes through former workings, with carved stone models and inscriptions left by the quarry inspectors.
  • The ossuary. Walls of bones arranged in patterns, with plaques recording the cemetery each came from.
  • The Barrière d’Enfer. The entrance is in one of the 18th-century toll pavilions of Place Denfert-Rochereau.
  • The audio guide. Narrated by the engineer who created the ossuary, it brings the history to life and is included in the price.

Plan your visit

The Catacombs open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9.45am to 8.30pm, with last admission at 7.30pm. They are closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, but open on 14 July, 15 August and 1 and 11 November.

A full-price ticket costs €31, the reduced rate is €25 and the child rate for ages 8 to 17 is €15, all including the audio guide. Under 8s go free. Book online: only 200 people are allowed underground at once and timed tickets often sell out. When the official site is sold out, it publishes a list of authorised resellers; buy only from those to be sure your ticket is valid. Free tickets for eligible visitors are issued only at the desk on the day.

The route is 1.5 kilometres long, one-way and takes about 45 minutes, starting with 131 steps down and ending with 112 steps up. The site is not accessible to wheelchair users and is not recommended for anyone with claustrophobia, heart or breathing problems. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

It is 14°C all year, so bring a layer, and wear shoes with good grip. Only small bags under 40 by 30 centimetres are allowed, with no cloakroom. Eating, drinking and touching the bones are forbidden, and flash photography is not allowed. From the exit, Mouton-Duvernet station is a few minutes’ walk, and Denfert-Rochereau about ten minutes back along Avenue René-Coty.

Nearby

You emerge on Avenue René-Coty, near the Parc Montsouris. Montparnasse, with its classic brasseries and the Tour Montparnasse viewing deck, is about 15 minutes’ walk north, and the Luxembourg Gardens are a little further.