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The Paris Catacombs — Catacombs entrance framed by stone pillars and a doorwayPhoto: Joe deSousa · CC0 · edited
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The Paris Catacombs

Historic sites ·Paris ·Open now
4.119.8K
#1Historic sites in Paris#6Historic sites in FranceTravelers' Choice 2026
  • Visit: about 1 h
  • Not step-free

Enfants (8-17 ans) EUR 15

Tickets from EUR 15
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About

The Paris Catacombs are an underground ossuary in former limestone quarries beneath Paris’s 14th arrondissement, holding more than six million people’s remains.

More photos 11

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The Paris Catacombs — Stone tomb beneath a cross, surrounded by stacked bones Rijin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
The Paris Catacombs — Stone tomb beneath a cross, surrounded by stacked bonesThe Paris Catacombs — Narrow underground passage leading toward an arched doorwayThe Paris Catacombs — Carved miniature fortress displayed in a chamber of the catacombsThe Paris Catacombs — Memorial tomb behind iron gates and walls lined with bonesThe Paris Catacombs — Carved stone figures displayed in a low underground chamberThe Paris Catacombs — Looking down into a circular well with a metal railingThe Paris Catacombs — Overhead view of a circular well beneath the catacombsThe Paris Catacombs — Stone corridor with overhead pipes and a wall lightThe Paris Catacombs — Skulls and bones arranged in rows along a chamber wallThe Paris Catacombs — Three skulls among scattered bones in the ossuaryThe Paris Catacombs — Rows of skulls set into a densely packed bone wall

What's on here

Nadar : inventer Paris, des profondeurs au ciel Nadar : inventer Paris, des profondeurs au ciel Until 31 Jan 2027

Why go

  • The ossuary galleries lie twenty metres beneath Paris.
  • Sections previously restricted to visitors became visible after the 2026 renovations.

Plan your visit

Prices

Enfants (8-17 ans)EUR 15

From the venue's website · checked 27 Sep 2026

Opening hours

Today09:45 – 20:30Show all
MondayClosed
Tuesday09:45 – 20:30
Wednesday09:45 – 20:30
Thursday09:45 – 20:30
Friday09:45 – 20:30
Saturday09:45 – 20:30
Sunday09:45 – 20:30

Don't miss

  • The warning inscriptionRead “Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la Mort”—“Stop! This is the empire of Death.”Above the entrance to the catacombs

Know before you go

  • At most 200 visitors can be inside at one time.
  • Strollers are prohibited; use a baby carrier.
  • Large bags, suitcases and motorcycle helmets are prohibited. Bags up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm are allowed.
  • Eating, drinking and alcohol are prohibited on the circuit. Animals are not allowed.
  • Do not touch the bones.

Tips for your visit

  • The circuit is about 1.5 km and takes around an hour. Underground, it averages 14°C and can be very humid.
  • Buy tickets online through the Paris Catacombs’ own website.
  • Allow for a walk after resurfacing: the exit is nearly 700 metres from the entrance.

With kids

  • Admission for children aged 8–17 is €15.
  • The visit passes through an ossuary containing exposed human skulls and long bones.

Interesting facts3

1/3
  1. 400 kilometres

    The publicly visited ossuary occupies only a small part of Paris’s underground quarry network, whose tunnels extend roughly 300–400 kilometres.

    Katakomben von Paris - Wikipedia

  2. The Cemetery of the Innocents was the largest source of transferred remains, with about two million people buried there.

    Catacombs of Paris - Wikipedia

  3. Remains transferred from Errancis Cemetery included those of Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier and Maximilien Robespierre.

    Catacombs of Paris - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

For centuries, the quarries supplied building stone for Paris. By the late 18th century, overcrowded cemeteries and poor sanitation prompted plans to move remains underground. The selected quarries lay beyond the Barrière d’Enfer, beneath the Montsouris plain.

  1. 1774A cemetery wall collapsed, prompting preparations to move human remains.
  2. 1785The city and religious authorities prepared the quarries, and transfers from the Cemetery of the Innocents began.
  3. 1788Covered wagons carried remains from city cemeteries to a mine shaft near Rue de la Tombe-Issoire.
  4. 1810Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury oversaw the caverns’ conversion into a visitable mausoleum.
  5. 1833The catacombs closed amid church opposition to displaying human remains.
Show all
  1. 1850They reopened for four visits a year.
  2. 1861Transfers of remains from Paris cemeteries ended.
  3. 1874Visits took place on the first and third Saturdays of each month, with an additional opening for Toussaint.

How to get there

  • On footEnter at Place Denfert-Rochereau, at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. Exit at 21 bis, Avenue René-Coty.

Accessibility

  • Step-free access The route descends 131 steps and climbs 112 steps. It is not accessible to wheelchair users or visitors who need step-free access.
  • Exit stairwell The exit stairwell is steep and may challenge elderly or less-fit visitors.

On the same route

  • Former quarries, then the ossuaryThe public route passes through former quarries before reaching the ossuary.

Hidden gems nearby

  • Count of Artois visitThe Count of Artois, later Charles X of France, visited the catacombs in 1787.
  • Concerts and private eventsIn the early 19th century, the catacombs hosted concerts and private events.

Sources: Catacombs of Paris - Wikipedia · Paris/14th arrondissement - Wikivoyage (see) · The Paris Catacombs | Official website · Visit | Catacombes de Paris · Please read before your visit | Catacombes de P… · Katakomben von Paris - Wikipedia · Catacombes de Paris - Wikipedia · The Paris Catacombs: tickets (its own site) · The Paris Catacombs: prices (its own site) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Where
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris, 75014

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What are the Paris Catacombs’ opening hours?

Tuesday–Sunday, 09:45–20:30.

Can I take photographs in the Paris Catacombs?

Private-use photography is allowed; flash and tripods are prohibited.

Can visitors explore the whole Paris Catacombs network?

Most of the underground network is inaccessible to visitors because it carries utility lines.

What changed in the Paris Catacombs’ 2026 renovations?

The work added lighting and ventilation, restored bone walls and prepared new audio guides.

Were the Paris Catacombs tunnels used during World War II?

French Resistance members used tunnels as a headquarters for Colonel Rol-Tanguy.

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