When I went to Paris a couple years back, the top of my list on things to see wasn't the Mona Lisa, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe or Moulin Rouge..... It wasn't even the Eiffel Tower!...
...It was the underground ossuaries that hold the remains of more than 6 million people... the Catacombs!
A little strange I know but these underground tunnels that lie beneath Paris have always fascinated me! The ossuaries themselves only make up a small section of the underground but locals refer to the whole network of tunnels as the Catacombs. This ossuary was made to help relieve the overflowing cememtries... I find this a very interesting way of doing so hence why I just had to see it with my very own eyes!
The ossuary section that you can visit is 1.5km in length and takes about 45 minutes to walk through.
Only 200 visitors are allowed in the tunnel at one time, this can sometimes cause long waits especially in peak times so keep this in mind when deciding on time of day and or time of year of your visit.
At the entrance you descend 130 steps below street level and then have to climb 83 steps to return to street level at the exit point. If you suffer from heart or breathing problems or get nervous in dark, enclosed spaces or have reduced mobility this unfortunately might not be a suitable place for you to visit.
The Catacombs are closed every Monday and some holidays for more info and opening hours check out -
