This is a massive grave site! The story behind it is fascinating! Graves were busting open into people's basements and cemeteries were bursting at the seems! The spread of sickness and disease caused the removal of the bodies to be transported in a solemn ritual each night until 6 million bones were piled high and stacked to the sky in the old gypsum mines! Legend says that the souls of the skulls facing outwards are going to heaven, while those facing in will rot in hell! It is about a mile walk, and it is very impressive! Not sure how these souls are resting in peace given that hundreds of visitors pass by to observe them daily! You will have to descend and then ascend 112 stairs in a winding staircase! read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Bones of long lost people! - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

Some tourist spots aren't worth it. Some are. This solidly falls in the must see category. You need to book your tickets in advance and they will check your COVID status at the door. Masks are required. And they are actually enforced! (Sort of). Some people would be reminded multiple times they needed to keep the mask on. I would have preferred people just be bounced instead of reminded the 5th time about a rule they knew was in existence. Anyway, we did the self guided tour with the audio tour. Bring headphones, I didn't know I would need them so I didn't. The audio guide was a little heavy and ended up being annoying holding up to my ear. It had really cool history tho. You have to climb down over 100 stairs and yup....gotta climb back up. So if you aren't super mobile, this wouldn't be for you - there is no handicap option I could see. The tunnels themselves were really cool, they started with just the limestone and then moved to the bones. So cool to see. I'm not sure if I would do it again when back in Paris, but would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the city. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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My sister and I really wanted to check out Les Catacombes de Paris, so we headed over there for first thing in the morning about an hour before it opened. The line to get in was about a half a mile long an hour before it opened, but we patiently waited because they only allow so many people at a time. Tips: 1) Bring a nice jacket or your are going to freeze your butt off. I had a jacket, but my sister did not. She froze her butt off. 2) There are no restrooms when you are down in the catacombes, so in addition to freezing your butt off you are going to be hating life if you have to go to the bathroom too. Take turns visiting a cafe nearby to use their facilities, but don't drink too much. 3) Bring a snack to hold you over until lunch. 4) Wear tennis shoes or something with non-slip soles. It is slick and sometimes slippery down there. 5) If you can buy some sort of a pass or skip the line ticket do it. Waiting in line for two hours was not fun. read more

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Pretty amazing landmark in Paris. I have always wanted to come here and glad to experience it. We paid for tickets ahead of time and you choose a window of time. The line was long and when we got to the front, the guy told me we could have gone to the front since we already had our tickets. Oookay, wish there were signs or instructions saying that! That was my only issue with this place that could be improved. The stairway down is loooooooooooooong. I think I counted approx. 100 steps. On the way back up, we passed people that had to stop and take breaks. It was funny on the way down, not so much on the way up, haha. It's really incredible inside and I loved reading the history placards. Definitely a creepy must see in Paris. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris was a must see during our stay in Paris. We walked here from our hotel (we walked everywhere in Paris) and found it to be a pleasant journey through some of Paris' romantic architecture. The entrance is very unassuming and if you were to drive by you'd likely miss it. The line when we arrived was not terrible, about an hour wait. You have a choice of a guided tour (check the times for this), an audio guide in several languages, or simply the basic admission. We chose the basic admission and guided ourselves. You begin the exploration descending on a spiral staircase some 60 plus feet into the catacombes. Once at the bottom you walk through a fairly long tunnel to the entrance. I don't normally feel any claustrophobia but I did feel a little bit along the tunnel before the entrance. Just breathe, and relax. Once you enter the arrangements of the various remains was incredible. I won't go into the details as it simply should be experienced. Suffice it to say the maze of remains is quite impressive through the quarries and it's quite impressive the care that was taken with the remains. It's a remarkable sight to see, and I highly recommend it. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

The catacombs are an amazing place to visit! It shares a lot of history and culture of Paris. It is very spooky as well. You can see all kinds of different bones and when I went there were hardly any people. You can take your time to look around and see the cool things here! I would recommend this to tourists and anyone in the Paris area! read more

This is quite an experience.  You'll walk right past the entrance if you're not looking.  The door, which simply leads to a stairwell that takes you dozens of feet below street level, is hidden behind trees and a bustling sidewalk. Definitely choose your Skip The Line tickets in advance.  Don't be fooled, this is a high demand attraction.  If you don't buy your skip the line tickets in advance, be prepared to stand in a line that is 100 to 200 people deep even on the coldest of days.  Even your skip the line pass line will be 20-30 people deep, potentially, but look to your left and understand the alternative. If you have a fear of spiraling stairs, this will be a challenge for you as once you entire you go straight to a spiral staircase for at least a 5-6 minute walk.  Catacombs lay beneath the streets, water lines, sewage lines, and infrastructure of Paris.  The trek down is not for the light hearted.  The story and history behind what you'll see is just amazing.  No flash photography, so study low-light camera technique in advance.  When you've walked the maze underground, your exit and the giftshop puts you out about 3 or 4 blocks down the street.  Be prepared to navigate back to your starting point along the sidewalks.  Pretty easy, a straight shot, but definitely blocks away from where you started. An incredible story and experience. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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I give this 5 stars before I even talk about it because it's just not every day that one gets to experience walking under the streets of Paris surrounded by millions of bones. That may sound creepy but cast your fears aside and get into it. First, I HIGHLY suggest you purchase your tickets online. We purchased directly through the Catacombs website. Google Translate just translated the page and we scrolled through and entered all the pertinent information. The tickets we purchased came with the audio guide. I suggest you get the audio guide. The tickets were about 29 Euros per person. It may seem expensive but compared to a lot of the other Paris attractions, this one is pretty reasonable. Plus I really wanted to go here so the expense wasn't an option. Listen! We booked our tickets about 1.5 months in advance. I had heard about the long lines and the pace at which people get to enter and go through the catacombs. We were in Paris on limited time so it was best that we book in advance. I suggest the same if you won't have a lot of time in Paris. I think some of the other reviews mentioned 4+ hours waiting in line if you don't. If you book in advance, don't get messed up when you get there either. There is a separate line for people who prepaid which is usually to the right of the much longer line of people who didn't pre-pay. We got there about an hour after they opened so the line was minuscule in the pre-paid line and we were inside the Catacombs in under 30 minutes. It's great that there is a metro station nearby. There are metal detectors just like almost all museums nowadays so don't bring anything that will slow down the process of getting in. After you get in you get your audio guide and get your ticket scanned and head down into the catacombs. The catacombs are not wheelchair accessible just FYI and EVERYONE has to go down several flights of stairs to get into the catacombs. Be aware that EVERYONE also has to come up several flights of stairs, so if you have a weak constitution then maybe skip the catacombs. Also, if you're claustrophobic, it may not be too much of a problem as once you spread out into the catacombs it's wide open spaces but the stairwells going down and up are pretty narrow and there aren't a lot of places to pull off to let people pass. 130 stairs down, 83 or more stairs going up. The going up was what got me winded. My friend has asthma and she did just fine by just taking her time. Anyway, once you get down there it's a cool 57 degrees F all year round. Take your time with the audio tour and check out all the bone formations. It's really astounding the number of bones there are overall. It's jaw-dropping astounding. There are parts that have placards that you can read but it's odd to just walk by all the bones and not hear the stories and give you a bit of a lesson into why all the bones are there. Being below the city kind of reminds me of some of the cities below many of the cities in Italy. I'm not going to bore you with the history of everything but it's actually quite exciting to hear about everything on the audio tour as you slowly move along. You can't get lost as there is signage and workers down there to guide you along. One thing I'll say is to make sure you check the website before you go BECAUSE a lot of things tend to go on strike in Paris with short notice. We were very lucky to be able to see the catacombs because I think the workers had been on strike for several months prior to our visit and luckily we were visiting about a week or so after the strike ended. Everyone comes to Paris to see the key sites like the Eiffel Tour and Notre Dame but put the catacombs on your list if you're really looking for a unique and special experience that some never get a chance to see because they DIDN'T BUY THEIR TICKETS ONLINE. Was that subtle enough? read more

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Great tour! I read about this site on TripAdvisor before I went here so I booked a tour with City Wonders. It was worth it! The line when we got there at 1200 was over four hours long and I hate lines. Our tour started promptly at 1200 and our guide Randa was awesome! I really preferred having an actual guide vs just listening to the audio guide. It was about two hours long and we got to see some places of the catacombs that the regular tour doesn't go on and our group was only about 20 people. I would recommend a stop here, if you don't like lines and want a tour I would suggest paying extra and booking ahead of time. read more

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Definitely one of my favorite Paris experiences even though some find it an odd choice. Did not buy tickets online, just showed up 30 minutes before they were scheduled to open. There was already a (not too long) line and I waited 30 - 45 mins once it opened because people who prebook get to go in a separate VIP line that goes ahead of the regular one. On top of that they only let in a couple hundred people at a time so once it hits that first capacity it's slow going, thankfully I was in the 1st round. Of course you can always spend $30 bucks to buy ahead of time and skip the line but that's a bit expensive for this experience. TIPS: Make sure to pay the extra €5 for the audio guide otherwise the bones will get really boring after awhile and you hear some pretty cool info on how they got there. Also dress warm, I enjoyed the cold down there because Paris was having a heatwave when I went, but my friends complained they were freezing the whole time. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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Armed with nothing but a smartphone flashlight, this brave Yelper stumbled (in TOMS! big mistake) through what could only be described as the MOST eerie tourist attraction in all of Paris. If you don't make it early in the morning, you can expect to wait in line for 2 hours. Still worth it. Ignore the warnings about psychological distress and descend the spiral staircase for what feels like an eternity. Realize you are further underground than you're comfortable with, and that your eyes will eventually adjust, as it doesn't get much brighter than what you'll see. "But Taric, where are the skulls?" Patience, you'll come across those at least half way through your journey. The walls lined with human remains aren't even the creepiest part of this place IMO, it's the dead ends that are closed off, but feel like they extend forever. Or the lower levels that are still flooded. I spied a staircase that led to nothing but a watery grave. Most importantly, remember that what's closed off for tourists is only a fraction of a fraction of what the catacombs have to offer. If you can sneak past the careless guards who leave doors open, or find other secret entrances not so far away, you can get into underground parties...or get lost and die a dark, slow, agonizing death. I said I was done with Paris after my second trip, but a little urban exploration would sway me. Is it illegal? Oh yes. Is it worth it? Yup. Even if you come here for the legitimate tour, DO IT DO IT DO IT. I love this place. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Yeah, this is flash photography. #yolo - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

Really long lines... i suggest getting skip the line tickets if you value time over money. They also have some paid tours, but I stuck to the audio guide included in the "skip the line" tickets. Be prepared to walk down 100+ steps and do lots of walking. You see a lot of bones and skulls... A LOT - if that scares you, maybe this is not the tour for you. After you see a few skulls it all starts to look the same, but it's an interesting experience overall. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

When you think of Paris, you may default to the Eiffel tower, Louvre, Notre Dame or the Champs Elysee. However, missing out on the catacombs would be the greatest mistake. To be honest, the wife and I mistakenly booked a pair of tickets to the catacombs, when we were aiming to visit the crypts instead (which is located right next to Notre Dame). However, this turned out to be our best mistake ever! First of all, you need to buy timed tickets to the Catacombs and I do not think that you need a guided tour, as the audio tour guide is just as sufficient and offers a greater ambiance. Without revealing much of the historical significance of the catacombs, it is like going back in time and going to a movie set, simultaneously! Expect to spend about an hour exploring all of the nook and crannies. My biggest disappointment was the lack of decent souvenirs at the gift shop. It reminded me more of a halloween store than a historical museum. read more

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I'm a history and trivia buff, so l research everything to death. Good for grad school, even more useful when traveling. Glad JL continues to be my partner in crime while on our adventures. During said adventures, I like to visit cemeteries. There is just so much to learn about how people lived and how others choose to remember them. So of course, a trip to Paris wouldn't be complete without visiting the Catacombes or Père Lachaise. The former, located south of the old city gate (the "Barrière d'Enfer" at today's Place Denfert-Rochereau) hold the remains of about six million people and fill a renovated section of caverns and tunnels that are the remains of historical stone mines. Hence, giving it its reputation as "The World's Largest Grave". Watch your step after going down the narrow spiral stone stairwell of 19 meters to dark and dimly lit aqueduct. Pass through about 1.5 km swerving hallway of mortared stone and you'll see a sculpture that existed from before the mines became an ossuary. Keep on walking and you'll hit the ossuary entry, with the inscription Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la Mort ("Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead"). I cannot say enough about this wonderful landmark. A must-do for history nuts and people that love digging beyond the surface.Vive la France read more

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The catacombs of Paris hold the remains of more than 6 million people, moved from cemeteries so Paris could be expanded in the metropolis it is today. We knew we wanted to tour the catacombs and I read many reviews saying the line is like a 2 hour wait, so I bought our tickets in advance for 13 euros directly from there website. http://b12-gat.apps.paris.fr/accueil.aspx Upon entering the catacombs you walk down a spiraling staircase for axp 140 steps, so being somewhat physically healthy helps because not only do you walk down all those steps, it's about a 2 mile walk through the catacombs and you get to climb many steps (I lost count after 80) up a spiraling staircase to exit. It's definitely an experience to tour the catacombs, somber and eerie ( but not in a scary eerie way). You tour the catacombs at your pace following the audio tour guide. An interesting fact I learned (learned many but this one stuck) back in August 2004 Police discovered a fully equipped movie theater with giant cinema screen, seats for 20, fully stocked bar and complete restaurant with table and chairs and the parties responsible never found. We did the tour in about 2 hours, have to say I am not really sure if I would do that again, not that it was bad, I just don't think I'd need to go twice. **since my tour I have learned that the catacombs are closed until further notice due to strike, sorry to those who wanted to tour but can't at this time. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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I recently saw the movie As Above, So Below (2014) which is a horror flick about the Catacombs of Paris so for my recent trip to Paris, I had to check it out. The site opens at 10AM so if you don't want to wait like 2 hours in line (don't arrive past 10AM), plan to get there at 9AM and just chill in line with the comfort knowing that you'll get in early and be able to take a lot of pictures with less people in the way. For those non-morning people, there is a nearby cafe that will be open for your caffeine needs. Yes, it's erie down there especially if you've never been exposed to human remains so if you're squeamish about that stuff think twice about going. Albeit, this might be one of the the coolest things you'll see if your life. Where else in the world (in a modern controlled setting) can you see thousands of bones stacked in artistic ways. The Catacombs are for any adventure seeker in Paris. There is no access for wheelchair folks (sorry). Also, this was not a part of the Paris Pass. Watch the movie (As Above, So Below) before/after checking it out to get an interesting fictional (?) perspective of what's beyond what tourists are allowed to see. Very highly recommended thing to do during your stay in France! read more

Truly amazing to see in person, I made it a point to have to see this on my first trip to France. My friend and I purchased tickets before our trip so we one waited in line about 15 minutes. The line for no tickets wrapped around the block. I highly suggest buying tickets before you go. The tour was about an hour long, you are able to take pictures as long as you do not use a flash. I highly suggest a visit if you are in Paris and are a history buff like myself. read more

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Really neat experience and highly recommend. We couldn't book a guided tour so opted to just get tickets and do the audio guide. Getting the tickets were a little tricky since I just had to keep checking the website for when they were released. Seeing the catacombs tied in well to other tours we went on. Only took 45-1 hour so easy enough. read more

The Catacombs of Paris or Catacombes de Paris are a famous underground ossuary in Paris, France. Organized in a renovated section of the city's vast network of subterranean tunnels and caverns towards the end of the 18th century, it became a tourist attraction on a small scale from the early 19th century and was open to the public on a regular basis from 1867. The actual name for the catacombs are l'Ossuaire Municipal. I was there a few years ago, and just got around to this review. We got to the Catacombes around 11:00 am and saw a long line. The line only took 1/2 hour and went rather quickly. It cost about 7 euros for adults, 3,50 for students/teachers, but the price may have fluxuated. They only allow 200 people at a time, so as people were leaving the catacombs, they were letting people in. From the entrance you walk down 133 steps. There's pictures of the tunnel, the people, and the history, and then you walk (for what it seems like) miles until you finally reach the area before the catacombs.. As you decend down, you'll see signs asking you not to touch anything and to refrain from flash photography. FINALLY... You're entering the catacombs! There were miles of wall to wall bones, each section with dates of which era it belonged to. Eventually the wall of bones ends and you're leaded up 88 steps to the top, back into civilization and on the opposite block of where you started. After exiting the catacombs, if you turn right and then right at the boulevard, you'll get back to the entrance. read more

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I found a couple of beat the line tickets online and found it to be the way to go. It saved us 2 hours of standing in line and we were able to get in and get out. Walking through takes a couple of hours, depending on how fast you move and read. Tons of bones and skulls, which was to be expected. What I didn't expect was there to be missing skulls from the rows as I walked through. It explains why there is such security presence and checking of bags on the way out. For me, an old skull from a succumber of the black plague is not a great souvenir, but who am I to judge? I did find a great souvenir for a family member to put their drink in, which is a large glass skull with a cork topper. Cool find in the gift shop. Would recommend, especially with a beat the line ticket. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - I wonder who this was. Didn't appear to get what he wished for Christmas, which was two front teeth. - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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Definitely a unique experience. I highly recommend anyone visiting to buy their tickets online or come an hour before they open. The line can get really long in a span of just 15-30minutes. The admission was a bit overpriced and the audio guide did little to fully explain what was displayed in the catacombs. There was a wall with descriptions of the history behind the catacombs inside so I wouldn't worry about paying extra for the audio guide. It took us about 40 minutes to see everything. Definitely worth the experience, but I wouldn't go back for another visit at the price that they're charging for admission and the amount of people that come. read more

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We got there 30 minutes before opening and waited until 12:00 to get in (that's 2 hours after opening!). Line was about "half way around the block" (you will understand when you get there) If you thought le tour Eiffel was bad...you ain't seen 'nothin Ok, this is a really interesting trip. It is short and not too dynamic but the audio guide is worth the extra 3€. It contains a fair number of descriptive passages about why the catacombs were built in the first place and why they ended up using them for the remains of people. Also, how the remains were originally just tossed down a shoot but later organized into the structures we now see. If you're a fan of this sort of history and/or seen the catacombs of Rome, this is a must see. Remeber, the line is LONG! It may pay to get in line an hour before it opens at 10am. They only let about 10-12 people in at a time so being in the first groups could really cut the line time down. Cost was 8€ pp + 3€ for the audio. read more

When you walk around the city, it's hard to imagine six million people being buried in a mass grave directly underneath you, but that is exactly what is going on when you walk along the city streets. I purchased the audio guide and made it most of the way through before I decided I would be better off just paying reverence to the people here on my own and reading about the history bits later on. Honestly, even though the huge "Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead" sign made me want to turn around, as my group pressed on I developed kind of an eerie peacefulness. I will say that the place is not as creepy as the movies make it seem, that's for sure. Although the last room was probably the most interesting to me, it was definitely hard not to gape at all the piles and piles of bones that are carefully stacked in various patterns. It only takes about 45 minutes to walk through, and honestly the stairs down and then back up were the only parts that really gave me anxiety. But when it's done you just kind of poof! and pop out onto the street like nothing happened and it's time for lunch. Ps. Get tickets online and you can cut the line to get in! read more

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The Paris Catacombs are unlike anything you will ever experience in your life. It is not for the faint of heart or anyone who is claustrophobic. With that being said, I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. For starters buy the fast pass online ahead of time. The normal line is multiple hours of waiting and they can only allow a certain amount of people per hour. Making the appointment guarantees you entry and skipping the line. Also keep in mind that you will not exit where you entered. You will be walking across the city underground so make sure you only bring what you can carry. You begin your self guided tour walking down a never ending spiral staircase. The head clearance is pretty low (I'm 6'5 and needed to duck for about 10% of my walking) so be careful! Once you walk down below the city and subway lines you arrive into the cold dark tomb of the dead. Your next hour will be filled with sadness, sorrow and history. You slowly walk through millions and millions of remains of Parisians. Skulls, femurs, and everything in between. Before becoming a government run tourist attraction the catacombs were continuously vandalized and many remains were stolen. This is visible as you walk around. Because of this artists were later hired to neatly organize the remains and that is what you see today in my pictures. Please do not touch or take anything when you are down there. Have respect for the dead and allow them to rest in peace. This somber and historic self-guided tour is a must do when in Paris. I don't believe you can experience anything like this in the world. read more

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Have some respect people and read the signs. Selfies with dead peoples bones, flash photography and touching the bones are strictly prohibited but that does not stop young wannabe influencers from totally ignoring the sign and carrying on like it is nothing. Wonderful place under the city of Paris that I have been meaning to visit for years. If you can afford it skip the queue and buy the more expensive ticket. It's an incredible experience and hard to believe so many peoples remains are under here. It's a long set of caves so take time to really experience it. read more

This was one of my favorite things to see in Paris, I highly recommend getting tickets ahead of time so you can skip the long lines. You get a headset so when you enter different rooms and hallways you can listen to the history which is really fascinating. If you are claustrophobic you may want to skip this or be prepared for a small tight staircase just to get down to the catacombs. It's dark and damp but nice and cool. My whole family had a great experience. read more

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On our first trip to Paris a few years ago, we completely missed the catacombs. Access to the legal areas is not near the rest of the typical attractions. And, this wasn't listed as one of the top things to do. But, I would definitely recommend a visit to anyone touring Paris (though not for families with young children). And, as the line can get long (3+ hours during the tourist season), I recommend purchasing a small-group tour (10 people or less) where your guide will wait in the line for you. Make sure to bring a sweatshirt or light coat as it can get a bit chilly inside. And wear comfortable flat-soled shoes as the ground can get wet and is uneven. Also be prepared to go up and down a long series of stairs via a spiral staircase, both to renter and exit the catacombs. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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Excellent adventure into Paris' Empire of the Dead! History, mortality, and the oddity of the keen arrangements of the the remains of 6 millions dead. Enjoy the ever creeping darkness and looming designs of the dead. Experience the unknown fate of hundreds and thousands of the once living residence of Paris! *Get your tickets online and avoid the wait in a very long line! *Take your time in the catacombs *Find memorable items in the gift shop at the end *Staff friendly, Speak English, and are professionals read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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When one thinks of Paris, they think of baguettes, Bordeauxs, and the Eiffel Tower. My coworker, on the other hand, instantly thinks of the Catacombes. While we had several of the same recommendations from different people, this one was the most unique. We were going to be in Paris on Halloween so naturally we planned to visit the Catacombes that day. What better way to spend a Parisian Halloween than with 6 million dead Parisians and their bones? Of course, everyone else had the same idea so the wait was (almost) unbearable but we managed to suck it up and made it to the front... 2.5 hours later. If you're in a hurry, you can go online and buy skip the line passes for about double the price to get in. If you have time to kill, the line isn't that bad. We weren't in a rush so we were fine... plus I sent Chris across the street to PAUL for hot dogs and espresso shots, lol. I recommend you do the same. It's a long underground tunnel of bones artistically arranged. Really beautiful, interesting, and morbid at the same time. We slowly walked through to admire the different designs... and towards the end, the idea that we were inside a grave/burial site starts to sink in and we began to rush through it, lol. Would recommend this if you're looking for a unique experience. Full post with pictures on blog -- www.losangelysse.com read more

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Up through 50% of the walk through, you're hyper focused and totally keyed in to what your audioguide is telling you. 60% of the walk through, and you start to realize the magnitude of the space you're in. Six million corpses occupy this labyrinth, and just after the halfway mark, the immensity of it all feels overwhelmingly macabre. 75% of the walk through, and you realize this is it: it's simply corridors upon corridors of neatly arranged femurs, artfully positioned skulls inevitably damaged by careless tourists, and a top pile of ribs and pelvic bones that we skeletal repurposers know do not stack well. 85% of the walk through, and you're leaning over to your wife, cracking easy one liners like "You're in the bone zone," "Let's bounce; this place is dead," and "Don't you love pop skullture?" 95% of the walk through, you're either furious you waited in the public entry line to save $18 and tack on an hour plus to your queue stay, or you're clamoring for an exit. 100% of the walk through, you're amongst the living (if that's what you call a sardine can of humans waddling their way through a gift shop of the dead). Search pre-paid tickets online and save the headache, if you're cool with a bit of a premium. Get the audio tour, but pass on the personal guide. Don't wear nice shoes. read more

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The Catacombes are an absolutely must in Paris. There are many things to do and see in the city, but this is not one to skip. We arrived in line on a Saturday morning at about 930/10am. We definitely should have arrived sooner! The line wrapped around the small park near the entrance, and although it wasn't long, a tour guide from the Catacombs said it would be 3 hours until we got in. Low and behold, he was right! But can I tell you, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. There's a bakery nearby called "Paul," and they have great coffee, delicious croissants, and sandwiches for food while you wait in line. Once we got to the ticket booth inside, the tour was about an hour from here, depending on how long you stay in the tunnels. It's haunting, beautiful, sobering, and definitely provides a chance for quiet reflection No questions asked, do it. read more

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This is a definite must see when in Paris especially as a tourist, but it's also a one time seeing it is enough kinda thing. Buy the tickets online, I didn't have to wait in line at all, we went around 5 pm and there was only 3 other people so we went in right away. They search your bags when you go in and again when you come out. Most important tip: do not get discouraged or frightened by yelp reviews. I almost didn't go for this reason and I'm so happy I was convinced otherwise. It says that you get very claustrophobic, anxious, it's dark, long lines, having to wear certain shoes. You'll be perfectly fine, disregard all that. There is plenty of room, you are not squeezed in a tight space at all and there are so many lights throughout the whole walk. I even wore booties which had a little heel in them and I was completely fine. As I already mentioned I didn't wait in line either which some said they waited hours. The audio tour is your best bet. I feel it made walking and listening so much easier...they also offer it in several languages. It is a long walk down 130 steps down a spiral staircase, which you also have to go back up. (I felt going up was way harder) be prepared to have no service on your phone. Keep in mind when you exit it will not bring you to where you originally entered, you will be a couple blocks down and end at the gift shop. Do not psych yourself out- it really is not as scary as people made it out to be, don't even let the movie scare you. It's honestly such a cool and unique experience, you'll learn so much about the history and how the bones made it there in the first place. Just remember to be respectful! read more

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This is such a different experience compared to everything you do in Paris. It's definitely worth doing. I would recommend buying the tickets online. Yes, it's more than twice the door price but at least you skip the ridiculous line that can take hours to go through. Plus the audio guide is included. We were able to go in 15 minutes before our designated time. So worth it. While we were getting our tickets checked there was a girl with a leg injury arguing with the employees to let her in. Honestly, this place really isn't for people on crutches or anything like that. Once you enter the building, you immediately have to walk down a spiral staircase that is pretty long. The floors of the catatombs are also more even so it's easy to trip. After all that walking you'll have to climb up the another spiral staircase. read more

Purchase tickets online with audioguide before you go, unless you like standing in long lines for hours. Climb down 100+ stairs to explore the remains of millions of Parisians. If this creeps you out or you are claustrophobic, this is probably not for you. read more

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One of the biggest highlights in Paris! I'm surprised I've never heard of this place until this time round despite I've been to Paris a few times (more likely my lack of general knowledge anyway)! Handy tip, general queue is about 2-3hrs, so go first thing (or definitely not last thing of the day)! If you go with ur close partner, you can kinda share one audio guide provided you bring your own headphones! Another tip, if you are under 26 or a student you get a slight discount so make sure you bring your student card or ID! read more

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Catacombs. This place is just one spot in a long list of spots that you have to visit when you're in France. Some say that it's not worth it, but for me I thought it was a very interesting in what they had to offer. One thing that any visitor should know is that they should buy the ticket ahead of time. The line wrapped around the block for those who did not buy the ticket scheduled for that day. But, once you get there at the time your reservation is then you basically walk through. You walk down a long staircase and the beginning part there are no skeletons, but after a while you get to them. And I have to be honest, for a while it doesn't get to you, but after a time of just walking halls and halls of skeletons, it gets creepy. By the end of the walk you'll be excited to get out of there. Definitely worth it if you have the time. It definitely made my life experience list. read more

One of the coolest things I've ever done. It was almost closing about 20 minutes before my friend said that's the best time to go because there's always a line. Nobody was there we were happy so the 3 of us took off down under and started the walk around. There is bones everywhere it's insane how many bones are actually down there. It's not a very long walk maybe 20 but it's something you gotta check out if you get the chance. read more

An amazing tour underground and a bit of an eerie feeling once you're down there. We purchased our tickets ahead of time and only had to wait about 15 minutes to get in. Audio tours available in many different languages and you go at your own pace. It was amazing learning about this history in Paris and I am very happy with our tour. An experience you absolutely should have when visiting Paris if you are into history and can tolerate being up close and personal with the catacombs in a narrow space. Highly recommended!! read more

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Lookout! Skeletons everywhere! This was the best Halloween haunted house that I have been to by far. read more

Les Catacombes de Paris - Local Flavor Near Me - Paris, 75

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This was a MUST for me on our recent trip to Paris. Note: I'm slightly claustrophobic... so if you're not comfy with tight spaces, be warned... there are quite a few of them! Tip #1: You can save yourself some time and pay a little extra and buy your tickets through a site called Headout Reservations. I did it while in line and was able to walk to their pickup location nearby without any issues. Not only were we able to skip the line completely, but we got the audio portion of the tour as well. Definitely worth the extra money spent! Tip #2: Pee before you go in. There are NO bathrooms once you enter. Thankfully, there's some nice ones in a gift shop as soon as you exit! Once you get inside, you go down a set of stairs and then down a long, long hallway. You walk a few street blocks underground until you reach your destination - I'd say about 10-15 minutes in a small corridor. You can stand up and turn around, but the light is dim and it's chilly. When you reach the opening, it's a big space where multiple people can fit (literally). You'll know you're in the right place by the thousands of skulls, bones and other artifacts around you. Out of respect, don't touch, and for the love of it, don't steal anything. I was shocked that they had to do bag checks after your tour because people try to swipe them, but then again, people are crazy. The audio tour was easy to use as they had signs indicated throughout the Catacombs. I think it's beneficial as there is a lot of history behind why they were here and all the efforts made to keep everything in tact. We probably spent about 1.5 hours total inside. You could spend more or less depending on how much you wanted to learn or how closely you wanted to look. Photos are okay, and you probably want to bring a jacket cause it is cold. read more

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