Skip-the-Line Paris Catacombs Special Access Tour
2 hours
Max 14 people
Commentary: Guide · en
Paris, France
About this activity
Discover the labyrinth of the Paris Catacombs with a guide. Skip the ticket line and uncover the secrets of the world’s largest underground burial site.
Highlights
- Learn the history and legends of the Catacombs from an expert guide
- Descend 20 meters below the streets to explore the Paris Catacombs
- Get to know why the remains of over 6 million people were transported underground in the 18th century
- Visit two special access tunnels in the Catacombs
- Choose 1:30 PM, 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM time for a smaller group size (6 guests)
Full description
Venture beneath the City of Light to explore the dark underworld of the Paris Catacombs. Skip the entrance lines and head inside this fantastically macabre tunnel system filled with the skeletal remains of more than six million Parisians. Hear about the remarkable construction of the catacombs from an expert guide as you walk past ornate chambers piled with decorative arrangements of bones, and gain special access to chapels and chambers closed to the general public.
Get immediate access to the Paris Catacombs with your skip-the-line admission. Once inside, your knowledgeable guide ushers you through the extensive subterranean network, created when Parisian leaders undertook the greatest civil engineering project of their time to address the overcrowding in their city's cemeteries. Tour the Catacombs' main tunnels to discover a city of dead beneath the City of Lights.
Then, duck inside two exclusive tunnels. Explore a chapel where religious services were once delivered among vestibules filled with bones. Next, see mysterious carvings created by an original tunnel worker. Rather than stacking skulls in the vast warren, this iconoclastic worker began sculpting intricate tributes into the rock. These beguiling artworks swiftly became the first public attraction of the Paris Catacombs.
Get the most out of your visit as you listen to unique insights from your guide and together, navigate this dark but curious space. Along the way, you'll learn the intriguing stories of those who worked, visited, and have been laid to rest here over the centuries, including the secret societies that still visit today.
Please note: Tours at 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM have a group size of 14. Tours at 1:30PM, 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM have a decreased group size of 6 for a more intimate experience.
Then, duck inside two exclusive tunnels. Explore a chapel where religious services were once delivered among vestibules filled with bones. Next, see mysterious carvings created by an original tunnel worker. Rather than stacking skulls in the vast warren, this iconoclastic worker began sculpting intricate tributes into the rock. These beguiling artworks swiftly became the first public attraction of the Paris Catacombs.
Get the most out of your visit as you listen to unique insights from your guide and together, navigate this dark but curious space. Along the way, you'll learn the intriguing stories of those who worked, visited, and have been laid to rest here over the centuries, including the secret societies that still visit today.
Please note: Tours at 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM have a group size of 14. Tours at 1:30PM, 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM have a decreased group size of 6 for a more intimate experience.
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Skip-the-line ticket for Paris Catacombs
- Access to special areas of the Paris Catacombs
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Gratuities
Meeting point
Start Location
2 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 2 Av. du Général Leclerc, Paris, FR
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at 2 avenue du General Leclerc (Café du Rendez-vous).
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- Due to the tight nature of the catacombs, the catacombs are not advised for those with claustrophobia.
- Areas visited during this tour are subject to closure. Your guide may need to modify areas visited on the day of the tour.
- The catacombs are subject to closures due to strikes. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, cancellations may be communicated at the meeting point.
- Please note: This tour has a decreased group size of six people and a modified price on select days to allow for a more intimate experience.
- This tour is in English.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
Know before you go
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time for check-in. Out of courtesy to other guests, we’re unable to wait for latecomers. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows.
- Security measures are enforced to enter the Catacombs. Only small handbags and backpacks are allowed inside. No item larger than 55 x 35 x 20 cm will be allowed. There is no bag check.
- Due to the tight nature of the catacombs, the catacombs are not advised for those with claustrophobia.
- There are 130 steps into the catacombs with no elevator access.
- The catacombs are consistently wet and cool (14°C/57°F) all year long. We recommend bringing a layer in summer for the temperature drop.
- Areas visited during this tour are subject to closure. Your guide may need to modify areas visited on the day of the tour.
- The catacombs are subject to closures due to strikes. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, cancellations may be communicated at the meeting point.
- Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- Walks and Devour comply with all local government regulations. Please refer to local government guidelines for the most up to date information.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts
Cancellations received greater than 24 hours prior to tour commencement are fully refundable. Cancellations received within 24 hours of tour commencement are nonrefundable. Amendment requests are subject to availability and price changes. Late arrivals and no shows are nonrefundable. This is applicable to any tour participant that fails to arrive, or arrives after tour departure.
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
Ticket age ranges:
- Adult (15+)
- Child (2-14)
- Infant (0-1)
- Adult (15+)
- Child (2-14)
- Infant (0-1)