It’s a place that definitely required an article, but let me stop you right there…
For years, the Catacombs have been listed as one of those “haunted” spots, but in reality, it’s just a massive museum of bones. Yes, the atmosphere is strange and potentially heavy, but unless you’re breaking in illegally via the cataphile tunnels — which we don’t support at all — or working there as a night guard, it’s almost impossible to find yourself alone and feel truly uneasy.
We can’t recommend it as a “haunted” itinerary, even though the visit is absolutely worth the trip.
Arranged into walls of bones by Héricart de Thury, the catacombs span 1.7 km of former quarries, representing only a tiny fraction of Paris’s underground network, which covers nearly 800 hectares worth of labyrinths.
The first tours took place in 1787, following the transfer of remains from the Cimetière des Innocents.
Back then, these visits were only for the members of the court, like Charles X. It wasn’t opened to the public until 1809. A guestbook was placed at the end of the tour to collect impressions : it filled up very fast, as the site became an instant hit with both locals and foreigners.
Completed in 1861, they were named “Catacombs” in memory of the underground necropolises of ancient Rome, although they never officially served as a burial ground.
They were blessed on April 7, 1786, thus becoming the largest visitable underground ossuary in the world, housing no fewer than 6 million Parisian bones!
The Paris Catacombs welcome about 505,000 tourists every year.
Access is by reservation only and they are often sold out. They are open tuesday to sunday, from 9:45am to 8:30pm.
We highly recommend this “underground hike” as it perfectly blends historical interest with the eerie vibe of a museum made exclusively out of corpses.
One word of caution though : every year, a few “clever” individuals try to steal skulls or femurs.
This is, of course, completely illegal, and bags are searched at the exit. Touching the bones is also strictly forbidden.
And it goes without saying, but don’t lick them either.
On a brighter note, you might have some unusual encounters down there, like us during our last visit.
With Pamplelune, we ran into American actor Charles Michael Davis, who plays Marcel Gerard in The Originals tv show.
After a quick photo, we actually gave him and his girlfriend travel tips for Normandy after they asked us about the Mont Saint-Michel.
Becoming a tour guide for a vampire-werewolf hybrid surrounded by 6 million dead bodies.. that has to be in my top 10 weirdest life anecdotes.
Ready to face the bones ? Visit The Paris Catacombs
