Paris Catacombs Ticket + Audio Guide
The Paris Catacombs ticket with audio guide gives timed, skip-the-line entry to the underground ossuary holding the remains of around six million Parisians, with a self-guided audio commentary included. It costs from around €32, holds a 4.6-star rating from nearly 12,000 reviews, and the visit takes about an hour. The route runs 1.5km underground, with 131 steps down and no lift.
The Paris Catacombs are one of the city’s most-booked attractions and one of its hardest to get into on the day. The official timed tickets are released only a week ahead and sell out fast, so a reseller ticket that bundles the audio guide and opens up more booking dates is often the practical way in.
This guide explains exactly what the ticket-plus-audio-guide includes, what you’ll see underground, and how it compares to buying direct from the official site.
Paris Catacombs Ticket at a Glance
| Detail | Ticket + Audio Guide |
|---|---|
| From | €32 per person |
| Rating | 4.6 stars (11,962+ reviews) |
| Duration | About 1 hour |
| Includes | Timed skip-the-line entry + audio guide |
| Audio guide languages | English, French, Spanish, German |
| Route | 1.5km, 131 steps down, no lift |
What’s Included in the Ticket
The ticket includes a pre-booked, timed entry slot that skips the main ticket queue, plus a self-guided audio guide that leads you through the tunnels and the ossuary. The visit takes about an hour underground. It does not include a live guide — for that, a guided or small-group tour is the alternative — and it isn’t suitable for very young children or anyone with mobility, breathing or heart conditions.
The value here is twofold: the audio guide, which turns a walk past walls of bones into the story of why six million Parisians ended up down here, and the booking flexibility. The official tickets release only seven days ahead and vanish quickly, so a reseller slot can be the difference between visiting and missing out.
What is included: Timed skip-the-line entry, self-guided audio guide (four languages)
Duration: About 1 hour
Rating: 4.6 stars, 11,962+ reviews
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before (on standard options)
Best for: Independent visitors who want the story at their own pace and flexible booking dates
Buy This TicketIf you’d rather have a person explain it all, compare the options in our guide to guided tours of the Paris Catacombs, or weigh the two approaches in self-guided vs guided tour.
What You’ll See
The route descends 131 steps into former limestone quarries, 20 metres below the streets, then winds through around 1.5km of tunnels to the ossuary itself. The ossuary is the heart of the visit: walls built from the neatly stacked skulls and femurs of some six million people, moved here from Paris’s overflowing cemeteries from 1786 and arranged into patterns from 1809.
Since the 2026 renovation, the underground experience has been upgraded with a new audio guide, educational displays and short films along the galleries, and climate-controlled air. The full backstory — from Roman quarry to revolutionary-era bone store — is told in our history of the Paris Catacombs, and the 2026 renovation guide covers exactly what changed.
This Ticket vs the Official Ticket
The official Paris Catacombs ticket costs €31 for adults with the audio guide included, but it’s sold online only, released just seven days ahead at 10am Paris time, and sells out quickly. This reseller ticket costs a little more but usually offers more available dates and the same audio-guide experience. The Paris Museum Pass is not valid at the Catacombs either way.
If you can catch the official release the moment it opens and your dates are flexible, buying direct is cheaper. If you’re planning further ahead, travelling in peak season, or the official slots for your day have gone, the reseller ticket is the reliable route in. Our guide to how to book Paris Catacombs tickets walks through both, and skip-the-line tickets explains how the timed-entry queue actually works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Paris Catacombs ticket with audio guide?
The reseller ticket with audio guide starts from around €32 per person, with the timed entry and audio guide bundled together. The official ticket is €31 for adults with the audio guide included, but it’s online-only and sells out fast. Reduced rates apply for ages 18–26, and under-5s are free. The extra on a reseller ticket buys booking flexibility when official slots have gone.
Is the audio guide included?
Yes. The audio guide is included as standard, in English, French, Spanish and German, and it’s what makes sense of the tunnels — the walls carry almost no signage. You collect it as you enter and follow it at your own pace through the ossuary. If you prefer a live explanation and the chance to ask questions, a guided tour is the better fit.
Is this ticket skip-the-line?
Yes. It’s a timed ticket that lets you enter at your booked slot rather than queuing for on-the-day tickets, which is essential at the Catacombs — walk-up availability is very limited and often gone by mid-morning. You may still wait a few minutes at your entry time, since the site admits visitors in controlled numbers, but you skip the main ticket queue entirely.
How long does the visit take?
Plan for about an hour underground. The route is 1.5km through the tunnels and ossuary, with 131 steps down at the start and 112 steps up to the exit, and there is no lift. Most visitors move at a steady pace and are back at street level within an hour, though you’re free to linger in the ossuary. There’s no way to shortcut the route once you’re in.
Is the Paris Catacombs suitable for everyone?
No. The visit involves 131 steps down and 112 up with no lift, a 1.5km walk, and cool, enclosed tunnels at 14°C. It isn’t suitable for very young children, pregnant women, or anyone with mobility, respiratory or heart conditions. It’s also not wheelchair accessible. For a family view, see visiting the Paris Catacombs with kids.
Where do I collect the audio guide and enter?
Entry is at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy on place Denfert-Rochereau, and you collect the audio guide as you go in. The exit is elsewhere — at 21bis Avenue René-Coty — so you don’t return to the entrance. The nearest metro and RER is Denfert-Rochereau, about 50 metres away; our guide to how to get there has the details.
Can I use the Paris Museum Pass instead?
No. The Paris Museum Pass is not valid at the Catacombs, so you need a dedicated ticket whichever way you book. Our guide on the Paris Museum Pass and the Catacombs explains this in full and what the pass does and doesn’t cover, so you don’t arrive expecting entry it won’t provide.
Should I book in advance?
Yes, always. The Catacombs cap the number of visitors underground at any one time, so entry is strictly timed and walk-up tickets are scarce. Official slots release only seven days ahead and sell out within hours in peak season. Booking a reseller ticket ahead secures your visit for a specific date and time — see the best time to visit to choose a quieter slot.
