Les Catacombes de Paris are located in the former limestone quarries of Paris.

Catacombs ossuaries were designed to protect, reinforce and prevent ground instability of Paris' quarries.

In the same period of the end of Paris limestone quarries utilization in 1780; the main cemeteries were "overcrowded", due to the huge amount of people buried there for public health reasons. Those cemeteries couldn't accept new tenant and they closed.   

So from 1780 to the 2^nd empire extensive urban development carried out by Haussmann in 1850 all bones from the city cemeteries were moved and stored in Catacombs.

By visiting the Catacombs you will see two main parts:

• The Quarries:
  • In the quarries, you will discover the fortress sculpture of Port-Mahon. It represents one city of the Balearic Island where one of the quarryman is believed to have been held prisoner by the English.
  • In the quarries, you will see a Cristal clear groundwater

• The Ossuary:
  This is the creepy part. It's like being in a haunted house basement in which you are surrounded by tons of bones and skulls!
  In the ossuary you are surrounded by the remains of 6 million Parisians.
  Bones were simply thrown in the corridors at the beginning, and had been arranged later in an orderly fashion forming a decorative façade with skulls and bones.

If you are in Paris the Catacombs are a place to see.

Already in the queue of Catacombs?
This will be your last time....look at the people getting in and never getting back....
Have a nice visit!

A sample of the Catacombes de Paris:

How to get to Paris Catacombs: Les Catacombes de Paris, 1 avenue du Colonel Henri Roi-Tanguy 75014 Paris

• M4-6 RERB Denfert-Rochereau
  Bus: 38-68
  Vélib' (City Bike): 14005 Coty – 14033 Froideveaux – 14006 Saint Jacques
  Noctilien (Night Bus): N14-N21-N122 Denfert Rochereau Arago

• Maps:
  
  
• Opening hours and prices of Paris Catacombs