Catacombs of Paris
What to See

Paris Catacombs: What to See

Explore the most captivating highlights of the Catacombs of Paris. From the haunting ossuary with millions of arranged bones to the ancient limestone quarries, discover what makes this underground labyrinth one of Europe’s most unique attractions.

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Paris Catacombs: What to See

Top Highlights at Paris Catacombs

The headline sights and experiences most visitors want to see first.

The ossuary — bones, arrangements & meaning
OssuaryBone patterns

Ossuary Bones & Wall Patterns

The ossuary’s bone walls are the centrepiece of the Catacombs visit — six million remains arranged into crosses, hearts, and geometric patterns with carved mortality inscriptions. The sheer scale and deliberate artistry make this the most visually striking and emotionally intense section underground.

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Sculptures & artworks in the Paris Catacombs
SculpturesHidden artworks

Sculptures & Artworks, Paris Catacombs

Among the bone-lined corridors, hand-carved sculptures like the Port-Mahon fortress model and the Fontaine de la Samaritaine reveal centuries of quarry craftsmanship predating the ossuary itself. These unexpected artworks add historical depth that most visitors walk right past.

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The History Behind Paris Catacombs

How millions of bones ended up beneath the streets of Paris.

History of the Paris Catacombs
HistoryOssuary origins

History: Quarries to Ossuary

Discover how Roman-era limestone quarries transformed into the world’s largest ossuary when Paris needed burial space. Six million skeletons were carefully arranged between 1786 and 1809, creating an intricate underground monument to the city’s past.

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The 2026 renovation — what changed?
Renovation updateAccessibility

Reopening: New Route & Features

The 2026 reopening brought major upgrades to your visit. Explore a newly designed route with an enhanced audio guide and advanced climate control that creates a more comfortable, immersive experience of this historic site.

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The Catacombs in popular culture
CulturalEntertainment

Catacombs in Popular Culture

From the horror film *As Above, So Below* to Queens of the Stone Age’s live album, the Catacombs have captured cultural imaginations. Discover how this underground ossuary appears in film, music, literature, video games, and visual art worldwide.

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Exploring the Paris Catacombs Underground World

The quarries, tunnels, and secret explorers beneath the city.

The underground quarries beneath the Catacombs
QuarriesUnderground geology

Paris Underground Quarry Network

The Paris Catacombs are just a tiny secured section of a vast 200–300km limestone quarry network beneath the city. Learn how medieval miners cut these tunnels, why their extraction caused street collapses, and what remains unexplored.

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The cataphiles — exploring the forbidden underground
Underground explorationForbidden access

Cataphiles & Forbidden Tunnels

Cataphiles are urban explorers who illegally venture into Paris’s vast quarry network to map tunnels and uncover hidden spaces. Learn what drives them, the dangers they face, and how their underground world differs from the official Catacombs tour.

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How to Choose What to See at Paris Catacombs

A quick guide based on your interests and visit style.

First Time Underground

Never descended into the Catacombs before? Focus on the essentials that make this place unlike anything else in Paris.

Start with: Ossuary Bones & Wall Patterns

Architecture & Engineering Fans

The Catacombs sit inside a Roman-era quarry network that literally holds Paris up — and the engineering story is extraordinary.

Best pick: Paris Underground Quarry Network

Dark History Seekers

If you’re drawn to the macabre, the rebellious, and the hidden side of Paris, the Catacombs deliver on every level.

Start with: Cataphiles & Forbidden Tunnels

Only Have One Hour

The standard visit takes about 45 minutes — here’s how to make every minute count underground.

Best pick: Ossuary Bones & Wall Patterns

Continue Exploring Paris Catacombs

Book your tickets and plan the practical details of your visit.

Tickets & Tours

Tickets & Tours

Compare all Paris Catacombs tickets and tour options.

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Plan Your Visit

Plan Your Visit

Essential visitor information and practical tips.

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Ready to see Paris Catacombs for yourself?

Book your guided tour today to discover the highlights of the Catacombs of Paris.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about what to see and prioritise.

The Paris Catacombs tour begins with a narrow spiral staircase descending 20 metres (130 steps) into the former Tombe-Issoire quarries. The first stretch passes through bare limestone tunnels lined with informational plaques before you reach the ossuary entrance, marked by the famous inscription ‘Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la Mort’ (Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead).
The ossuary is a 1.5-kilometre underground corridor containing the remains of roughly six million Parisians, transferred here from overflowing cemeteries between 1786 and 1860. The bones are arranged in meticulously stacked walls of femurs and skulls, interspersed with decorative patterns such as heart shapes and crosses designed by quarry inspector Héricart de Thury in the early 19th century.
The most notable artwork is the Quartier de la Tombe-Issoire sculpture carved directly into the limestone by François Décure, a quarryman who between 1777 and 1782 recreated a miniature version of the Port-Mahon fortress in Minorca where he had been held prisoner. Nearby, visitors can also see the Samaritan Woman’s Fountain, a small water feature built into the rock, and the Sacellum Crypt, a barrel-vaulted chamber with a stone altar used for private ceremonies.
A typical visit to the Paris Catacombs takes 45 minutes to one hour to walk the 1.5-kilometre marked route through the ossuary. Allow an extra 10–15 minutes for the descent staircase and the 83-step exit staircase on Rue Rémy Dumoncel.
Photography without flash and without tripods is permitted throughout the Paris Catacombs, including in the ossuary. Flash photography and video tripods are prohibited because the artificial light can damage the limestone and disturb the bone arrangements.
The Paris Catacombs occupy a small section of roughly 300 kilometres of former limestone quarries that run beneath the Left Bank of Paris. These quarries, mined from the 12th century onward, supplied the stone used to build Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and much of Haussmann-era Paris. The Inspection Générale des Carrières (IGC) has maintained and mapped these tunnels since 1777 to prevent surface collapses.
Cataphiles are urban explorers who illegally enter the sealed-off sections of the 300-kilometre quarry network through hidden manholes and basement passages across Paris. Entering the restricted tunnels carries a fine of €60 enforced by the cataflics, a dedicated police unit that patrols underground. The only legal way to see the Catacombs is through the official 1.5-kilometre museum route at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy.
The 2026 renovation of the Paris Catacombs introduced improved LED lighting along the ossuary corridor to better illuminate the bone arrangements while preserving the underground climate. The project also added new multilingual informational panels throughout the tunnels, upgraded accessibility at the entrance building on Place Denfert-Rochereau, and improved ventilation systems in the narrowest gallery sections.
A standard Paris Catacombs entry ticket includes access to the full 1.5-kilometre ossuary route, from the descent staircase at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy to the exit on Rue Rémy Dumoncel. An audioguide is available for an additional fee and covers the history of the quarries, the bone transfers from Les Innocents cemetery, and the stories behind Décure’s Port-Mahon sculpture.
The Paris Catacombs have featured in the 2014 found-footage horror film ‘As Above, So Below,’ which was filmed partly in the real tunnels beneath Paris. Victor Hugo referenced the quarry network in ‘Les Misérables’ during Jean Valjean’s journey through the Paris underground, and the tunnels served as a headquarters for the French Resistance during World War II, with a bunker built beneath the Lycée Montaigne on the Left Bank.
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