Paris Catacombs Tours and Activities

Paris Catacombs which includes heritage elements
Choose one or more items to build your trip:
This chilling underground graveyard opened as a tourist attraction in 1874, and houses the remains of more than 6 million Parisians.

With its eerily ornate bone formations, the Paris Catacombs seems like some macabre artwork but it actually spawned from practicality. Overcrowded graveyards in the late 1700s were causing health problems in the city, including the spread of disease through contaminated water. From 1786 to 1814, the exhumed bones from the city’s cemeteries were transferred to the abandoned underground limestone quarries, and the result is the haunting catacombs. The passageways are more than a mile long (1.6 kilometers), with wall-to-wall skeletal remains neatly arranged around memorial plaques. The bones are arranged according to bone type – skulls, femurs, tibias. Some bones are more than a century old, with some that date back to the French Revolution.

Visitors enter in the 14th arrondissement, descend underground via 130 steps and then wind through the low-ceilinged, dimly lit tunnels. The walls feature intricate carvings, known as the Sculptures of Decure. Dating back to 1777, the works were created by Decure, an army veteran and quarry inspector, who perished when a sinkhole opened on an upper level of the tunnel.

Rent a personalized audio tour, which walks you through the winding passages and provide background on some of the ossuary’s highlights. These include the Fountain of Samaritan, a small spring encircled by a wall of bones. The oldest artifact in the catacombs is the Sepulchral Lamp, which was lit by quarrymen working in the corridors.

Allow an hour to wander through the tunnels, which are open every day except Mondays. Adults must accompany children under the age of 14.

The entrance to the Paris Catacombs is nondescript, tucked away in a patch of trees on the Place Denfert-Rochereau. Be prepared to wait an hour or more in line to enter the catacombs. Take a sweater as it gets cold underground even in summer. It can also be slippery so take care, especially on the many stairs in and out of the tunnels. Stay on track, as you don’t want to find yourself lost in the further 180 miles (290 kilometers) of quarry tunnels. There is paid parking nearby, and public transportation stops nearby as well.

Plan a trip to see Paris Catacombs

Hotel Legend Saint Germain by Elegancia
Hotel Basile
Hôtel Moliere

Popular places to visit


Best Lodging Options Near Paris Catacombs

hotelF1 Paris Porte de Châtillon
hotelF1 Paris Porte de Châtillon
1 out of 5
23 Ave de la Porte de Chatillon, Paris, 75014
hotelF1 Paris Porte de Châtillon
Pullman Paris Montparnasse Hotel
Pullman Paris Montparnasse Hotel
4 out of 5
19 Rue Commandant Rene Mouchotte, Paris, Paris, 75014
Pullman Paris Montparnasse Hotel
Hôtel Vacances Bleues Villa Modigliani
Hôtel Vacances Bleues Villa Modigliani
3 out of 5
13 rue Delambre, Paris, Paris, 75014
Hôtel Vacances Bleues Villa Modigliani
Hotel Renoir Saint Germain
Hotel Renoir Saint Germain
3 out of 5
39 Rue Du Montparnasse, Paris, Paris, 75014
Hotel Renoir Saint Germain
The People Paris Marais
The People Paris Marais
17 Boulevard Morland, Paris, 75004
The People Paris Marais
Victoria Palace Hotel Paris
Victoria Palace Hotel Paris
4 out of 5
6 Rue Blaise-Desgoffe, Paris, Paris, 75006
Victoria Palace Hotel Paris
Novotel Paris Les Halles
Novotel Paris Les Halles
4 out of 5
8 Place Marguerite De Navarre, Paris, Paris, 75001
Novotel Paris Les Halles
Apostrophe Hotel
Apostrophe Hotel
3 out of 5
3 Rue De Chevreuse, Paris, Paris, 75006
Apostrophe Hotel
Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse
Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse
4 out of 5
17 Rue Du Cotentin, Paris, Paris, 75015
Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.