The Essentials:
WEBSITE: https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en
ADDRESS: 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France
HOURS: CLOSED ON MONDAYS. Tues-Sun 9:45 am- 8:30 pm
Tickets:
The official website: https://www.billetterie-parismusees.paris.fr/content?lang=en
Timed Tickets can only be purchased 7 days in advance- they do sell out quickly- so if you want to see the catacombs- set that alarm for one week in advance! Your ticket will be for a specific day and time- be sure you can arrive at least 15 min before your timed entry begins and no later than 30 min after it starts. NO TICKETS ARE SOLD ON SITE! You can also purchase tickets from a tour operator. You need at least one hour- perhaps 90 min to cover the exhibit. There is no such thing as “skip the line”- you are only skipping the ticket purchase line- you will still need to stand in line to pass security and enter the catacombs. Many tour operators will have you meet at a nearby location and then walk to the catacombs as a group. Do you need a guide? Guides are always nice since they have information that you might otherwise not know- but guides also move at a set pace, stop at certain locations – so there is little room for individual touring styles. Audio guides Tour operator tickets are often available more than 7 days in advance- make sure you choose a reputable tour operator by verifying reviews on sites such as Trip Advisor- don’t just read the 5 star reviews- read a few from every level so you get a well rounded picture before making a decision. Many tours offer access to a “special” room- the value of this room is mixed- some feel it offered a lot and others felt is was repetitive.
Accessibility:
You must be able to CLIMB DOWN 131 steps to enter and CLIMB UP 112 steps to exit. This is a 1.5 km (approximately 3/4 of a mile) walk on cobblestones in a low light setting underground.
Due to architectural constraints the Catacombs are NOT wheelchair accessible. Anyone needing mobility assistance should skip this exhibit.
Temperature:
The temperature is cool all year long at 52 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius). Humidity can be high. So dress appropriately.
Resources:
You can print out a brochure here: https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/visit/please-read-your-visit
Whose bones are here?
- Maximilien Robespierre: A controversial figure from the French Revolution who was executed by guillotine
- Jean-Paul Marat: An influential figure from the French Revolution
- Charlotte Corday: A victim of the French Revolution who died on July 18, 1793
- Jacques Pierre Brissot: A victim of the French Revolution who died on October 31, 1793
- Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud: A victim of the French Revolution who died on October 31, 1793
- Salomon de Brosse: An architect who designed the Luxembourg Palace
- Charles Perrault: A famous French writer of fairy tales and fables
- Nicolas Fouquet: Louis XIV’s superintendent of finance
- Simon Vouet: A painter
- Jean de La Fontaine: A writer
Review:
I found the Paris Catacombs to be a mixed bag-although other members of my party loved the experience. The process of purchasing tickets was annoying. It meant getting up at midnight one week before our tickets were on sale- which happened to be the day we arrived , dealing with time change exhaustion and waiting for midnight to purchase tickets was just a headache. The term “catacombs” makes me think of people who suffered persecution, practiced an illegal religion at the time, or perhaps there is limited cemetery space so bodies are removed after a certain period of time to another location-a room, tunnel etc. to free up space for the recently departed. These are bones from cemeteries around Paris that needed to be relocated due to expansion. The number of bones is impressive and they are tastefully displayed. For me, it was just too many- I didn’t really need to go the full distance to get the tunnel concept or the number of bones. The audio-guide was temperamental so that didn’t help. All in all- since I have explored other catacombs- the exhibit just didn’t add anything. While the cost was not exorbitant, the time lost was valuable. Which brings me to my intense dislike of the timed ticket- it is hard to know how long it is going to take you to explore something, travel to the next destination, clear the security line, etc. when planning ticket purchases. While I have nothing against online ticket purchase (and in fact prefer them because I can clear those expenses before travel)- I hate being limited to a time slot- it would be much more preferable to have a morning (9-12) option or an afternoon (1-5) selection- to allow one more leisure to explore, transfer to a new destination, grab a bite to eat, stroll the streets, etc. It is possible that if I hadn’t been pressed to leave Les Invalides to get to the Catacombs because of a stupid time slot- I might have enjoyed the experience more. The bottom line- if you have never done anything like this- go for it, if you have- then you might want to pass and put your time somewhere else.
Note: some children might be adverse to seeing bones- and find the attraction “haunting”. It is not intended to be “haunting” or “scary”, but children may not share that perspective- so talk it over with them- be certain this is something they want to do- you don’t want to end up on vacation with a child suffering from nightmares!
Onward Trip 