Catacombs of Paris — Attraction in Paris

Les Catacombes. Paris, France

We were fortunate to know someone with an apartment in Paris. While they were out of the country the allowed us to stay in their place. It was located 15 minutes walking from the “Catacombs of Paris”. Our friends said it was worth to visit and many online reviews concurred. Many reviews talked about long line ups and we witnessed just that. Our first encounter was on a Saturday afternoon, it wasn't peek season yet we quickly understood that we should arrive first thing in the morning.

They open at 10am so we decided that 9am should be sufficient. Well if you can imagine a line up, already at 9am on a rainy Sunday morning. By 10 am, we were still waiting and the line made its way around the Place Denfert-Rochereau block, which represents roughly 250m.

They don't let everyone in one shot, once the Catacombs open they allow smalls groups at a time, similar to entering a dance club. So, if you are planning to visit the Catacombs “Be Patient” ! Second, it's true what the reviews say “ get ready to wait in line - we arrived at 9am and our first pictures inside show 12noon!! Lastly, “Check their website" for one it looks like it’s not 100% guarantee you will make it in. Also, make it a point to review comfortable attire and rules about acceptable bag sizes.

In case you are still wondering, yes - we made it in ! After almost 3 hours standing in the rain, we finally got inside! The fee to enter was roughly $17 CAD per person. It might seem expensive, but we deemed it a reasonable price for the experience. We opted without a guided tour. But if you would like the multimedia package, where you can follow a numbered tour by listening to background information feel free to take it.

At the entrance, there is a long corridor with kind of medieval stone walls. Almost like a small museum that displays some fossils found in the area. Finally, once you are inside the long tunnel, you will see where the ossuary were carefully organized. They are presented in a form of art. We found out there are kilometre long tunnels underground, which started being built around the 1700’s. They were created as part of the effort to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries and looks like the ossuary remained largely forgotten until it became a novelty-place for concerts and other private events in the early 19thcentury. Now renovated, it’s one of the most visited places in Paris.

At the end of the Catacombs you will find a gift store where you can buy some interesting souvenirs.

Our Ratings Serge: 5 Eli: 5

Recommend: Yes, it’s a really interesting place to visit.

Tips:

You will walk a lot inside of the tunnels, so be sure you are wearing comfortable shoes. If you are claustrophobic and are unable of being enclosed in a small and dark space for a long time, we think you should think twice to visit there. It's a surprisingly long underground walk. This place is cool, please be respectful ! Be mindful of other visitors- don’t scream, don’t run, don’t use cameras with flash. It's not a place to eat. Don’t touch anything and leave your “Backpacks” at home ! Most importantly, enjoy the experience ! We are happy, blessed and fortunate to...

This review isn't based on the Catacombs themselves, but the interaction with the staff to get into the Catacombs (we thought the Catacombs themselves were very interested and it had a good audio guide). To start off, our daughter is disabled and primarily uses a walker to get around. Our daughter can walk and go up and down stairs without the walker though. We checked the FAQ on the website and it stated, "Visit not recommended for wheelchair users The Catacombs are committed to offering services to the widest possible audiences. However, they are not accessible to wheelchair users and others who need step-free access due to the site’s underground constraints. We do not recommend visits by : individuals with a motor disability individuals with cardiac or respiratory insufficiency Based on this info and our knowledge of our daughter's capabilities plus the catacombs being one of her top sights to see in Paris we purchased tickets. When we arrived in line the guy checking tickets told us what we expected that we couldn't use her walker. His reaction was not customer service friendly and wouldn't let us explain that she could still walk without the walker, him and the other two people in "line control" stared all yelling out "impossible" which definitely made our daughter sad and uncomfortable. None of the line control staff wore uniforms or name tags and were not a good representation of the Catacombs. Eventually he said we could put the walker in the cafe and she could go on the tour but was short in his explanation and for a time walked away in the middle of the conversation before coming back and pointing to a cafe and said people leave the walkers and wheelchairs there all the time. The cafe staff had no idea what I was talking about but at least they accommodated us and let us leave the walker there. Once I came back he changed his story again and said the security staff said she couldn't go in the catacombs. I asked to talk to his supervisor or the security staff and said I couldn't because none of them spoke English which I didn't believe and continued to insist that I talk to someone else. Eventually someone came and explained it was unsafe for her to go into the catacombs. They also explained that it was cramped, unlevel, and was impossible for someone with disabilities to go into. They made us have our daughter demonstrate that she could walk without her walker like a spectacle. Eventually, after we promised to not give her a piggy bag ride or help her in anyway they begrudgingly let us on the tour. The hallways could have easily accommodated her walker because it was pretty flat and compacted except for some pea grave and at most locations were about 3-4 wide. When compared to many of the castles and sites in Normandy we had also checked out on our trip that were way more unlevel and difficult for her to use her walker with, none of these properties tried to prevent us from letting our daughter access those properties. The staff were rude and had no desire to accommodate an individual with...

Review of the Paris Catacombs – Visited February 27, 2025 On February 27, 2025, I ventured into the Paris Catacombs for the first time, and the experience left me in awe of its haunting beauty and profound history. This subterranean ossuary, tucked beneath the bustling city, feels like a portal to another era, where the bones of millions silently narrate Paris’s past. For first-time visitors, prepare for a journey that’s as humbling as it is unforgettable, capped by a quirky gift shop. The descent began at a modest entrance in the 14th arrondissement, down 131 narrow, spiral steps into a cool, damp world 20 meters underground. The dim lighting and faint drip of water set an eerie tone as I entered the former limestone quarries, mined centuries ago to build Paris’s landmarks. Informational panels detailed how, in 1786, these tunnels became a solution to overflowing cemeteries, with remains from places like Les Innocents relocated in nightly processions—a grim yet fascinating chapter of the city’s history. The ossuary itself was a breathtaking shock, marked by the inscription: “Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la Mort” (“Stop! This is the empire of Death”). Walls of meticulously arranged skulls and femurs, the remains of over six million Parisians, stretched nearly a kilometer. Some bones formed patterns—crosses, hearts—adding an eerie artistry. Standing among them, I was struck by the weight of lives lost to plagues and revolutions, with plaques tying the site to events like Napoleon’s era and World War II Resistance efforts. Visiting in late February meant fewer crowds, letting me linger in the 1.7-kilometer tour’s timeless atmosphere, which took about 45 minutes. The audio guide, a must for first-timers, enriched the experience with insights into the site’s geological and cultural significance. Photography without flash was allowed, though no image could capture the catacombs’ haunting aura. The narrow passages and low ceilings made the history feel intimate, as if the walls were sharing their secrets. After climbing 112 steps to the surface, I emerged into modern Paris, where the small gift shop near the exit offered a playful contrast to the tour’s gravity. Packed with catacomb-themed souvenirs—skull keychains, postcards, T-shirts, and even replica plaques—it was a fun way to commemorate the visit. I grabbed a €5 keychain and a postcard, charmed by the staff’s enthusiasm and the shop’s quirky vibe. Practical tips: Book tickets online to avoid lines, wear sturdy shoes for uneven floors, and bring a jacket for the 14°C (57°F) chill. The Paris Catacombs are a profound encounter with mortality and history, made memorable by the lighthearted gift shop. As a first-timer, I left with a sense of wonder, a few souvenirs, and a deeper connection to Paris’s...