The Paris Traveler

Catacombs of Paris

by Lynn on May 11th, 2007

Okay so you’ve seen all the sights during your stay in Paris and you’d like to do something just a little bit different, but what?! Well, why not go underground? It is said that there is a whole city under Paris and that there are as many tunnels as there are streets of Paris, with seven levels that go more than 300 feet below.

Almost all of this labyrinth is off limits to the public and are patroled by special police. If you happen to get caught, there is a heavy fine for being down there. Nevertheless, this doesn’t seem to deter many cataphiles from plunging into the darkness.

The overcrowding and improper burial procedures in the cemetaries and mass graves in Paris back in the late 1700’s, resulted in contamination and disease spreading throughout the city. The solution that was found by the government and the church was to exhume the skeletal remains from these areas and place them in abandoned underground quarries. These quarries have now become the burial site for more than 6 million people.

Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that you venture down there on your own. It is quite dangerous and people have been known to have gotten lost in this subterranean maze. Instead you can take a tour of the catacombs at the Denfer-Rochereau Ossuary. The Empire of Death is a sight to behold of walls stacked with human bones and skulls.

It’s right across from the Metro Denfert-Rochereau. Once you come back up, you’ll take in a breath of air, and you’ll be happy to be back on the streets of Paris once again with people who are actually moving about!

Photo Credits: Flickr

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POSTED IN: Attractions, Fun & Quirky Places, Things To See & Do, Tours - Guided Or Self-Guided