Catacombs of Paris

Twenty metres down, the bones of six million Parisians, stacked

Area 14th arrondissement
Type Landmark
Time needed 1h 15m

Catacombs of Paris — Photograph: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Catacombes de Paris are a section of the old limestone quarries under the 14th arrondissement, about twenty metres below street level, into which the contents of the city's overflowing cemeteries were moved from 1786. The remains of roughly six million people are stacked along the walls of the visitable route, arranged in walls of skulls and long bones. The entrance is on the Place Denfert-Rochereau, and the visit is a one-way walk of about one and a half kilometres.

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Getting there

Metro line 4 or 6, or RER B, to Denfert-Rochereau; the entrance pavilion is on the square, a minute away. From Châtelet take line 4 southbound, about twelve minutes. RER B from Châtelet Les Halles is quicker still if a train is due. The exit is on a different street from the entrance, several minutes walk away, so do not leave anyone waiting at the door.

What you see

A tight spiral staircase of 131 steps takes you down into the quarry galleries, and you walk some distance through bare, empty tunnels with low ceilings before reaching anything. The ossuary proper begins at a doorway with the inscription Arrête, c'est ici l'empire de la mort — stop, this is the empire of death. Beyond it, the walls are faced with femurs and skulls set in patterns, with plaques naming the cemetery and the year each consignment came from. There are chapel-like arrangements, a barrel-shaped pillar of bones, carved quarry markings, and a well of clear water. The route ends at another spiral staircase of 112 steps back up to the street.

What to pair it with

Tour Montparnasse is about fifteen minutes walk north. Montparnasse cemetery is close by, and the Jardin du Luxembourg is a twenty-five minute walk or a short ride on line 4 or RER B.

When to go

Book a timed ticket for the first slots of the day if you can; arrivals without one face the longest queues. Closed one day a week, so check before travelling. Because it is underground, the season makes no difference to what you see, but summer and school holidays multiply the queue. It is one of the few Paris sights where going out of season is an unambiguous gain.

What is hard about it

This is the hardest of the central sights to get into comfortably. There is a strict daily visitor limit, so slots sell out, and anyone turning up without a timed ticket can face a very long queue outside with a real chance of not getting in at all. The descent is 131 steps and the climb out is 112, both on narrow spiral stairs with no lift and no alternative route, and once you start the circuit there is no shortcut back. The temperature underground stays around 14 degrees all year, so it is cold even in August — take a layer. Floors are uneven and often damp, ceilings are low, lighting is dim, and mobile signal is absent. Large bags are not allowed and there is no cloakroom worth the name. People with claustrophobia, breathing difficulties or trouble on stairs should not attempt it.

Common questions

How long do you need at the Catacombs?

About an hour and a quarter from entering to coming back up at the exit, walking at a steady pace. The queue outside can add far more than that if you have not booked.

Do I have to book in advance?

In practice yes. The daily number of visitors is capped and timed tickets are normally needed; without one you are relying on a long queue and on the cap not being reached.

Is there a lift or a step-free route?

No. The only way in is 131 steps down and the only way out is 112 steps up, on spiral staircases, and there is no lift anywhere on the route.