5.0(17 reviews)
Skip-the-Line Paris Catacombs Tour with Special Access
2 hours
Max 19 people
Commentary: Guide · en
Paris, France
About this activity
Skip notoriously long lines and delve deep into one of Europe's largest catacombs as you explore Paris's 'Empire of the Dead' with a local historian.
Highlights
- Submerge yourself beneath the surface of the city streets
- Explore the intricate network of tunnels which comprise the Paris Catacombs
- Learn more about the events which led to the creation of one of Europe's largest communal burial grounds
- Step inside parts of the Catacombs rarely seen by the public
- Immerse yourself in the 'Empire of the Dead' and hear the story behind the structure
- Choose 1:30 PM, 4:30 PM or 5:30 PM time for a smaller group size (6 guests)
Full description
Explore Paris's 'Empire of the Dead' with a local historian. Skip the notoriously long entrance lines and delve deep into one of Europe's largest catacombs to see macabre arrangements of bones and strange sculptures in rooms that usually sit behind locked gates. Along the way, you'll learn the improbable history of this enormous burial ground and how it literally saved the city from disaster.
Take a (special access!) walk through Paris's eerie City of the Dead
The Paris Catacombs stretch beneath the streets of the city and are the final resting place of some six million people. How they were transformed from abandoned quarries into one of Europe's largest communal burial grounds is quite a story, to say the least. You'll learn the whole tale as you explore their underground tunnels with our expert historian, including special access areas usually closed to the public.
The Paris Catacombs stretch beneath the streets of the city and are the final resting place of some six million people. How they were transformed from abandoned quarries into one of Europe's largest communal burial grounds is quite a story, to say the least. You'll learn the whole tale as you explore their underground tunnels with our expert historian, including special access areas usually closed to the public.
Your Paris Catacombs Tour begins by skipping the long entrance lines that routinely stretch around the block. Instead, your guide will lead you and your small group, directly into miles of subterranean tunnels lined with bones.
As you pass strange sculptures made of human remains and crucifixes fashioned from skulls, your expert guide will tell you the story of how, as the cemeteries of Paris literally overflowed with bodies, city planners hatched an audacious plan to empty every last one and relocate the remains to a series of underground quarries - themselves already threatening to swallow entire blocks of the city.
How they pulled it off is just as impressive as what they created; miles of tunnels, stacked floor-to-ceiling with human remains. Since our Paris Catacombs Tour has special access, you'll step off the well-worn tourist path and go behind locked gates to see special rooms; areas like a small chapel that, until surprisingly recently, hosted religious ceremonies; and the Catacombs' first tourist attraction - a set of stone carvings created by a bored quarryman before he was killed in a rockfall.
Our Paris Catacombs Tour takes you on an insiders' visit to one of the city's most famous and sought-after attractions with an expert guide and an intimate group. There's no better way to immerse yourself in this completely unique site.
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.
Sites Visited:
- Paris Catacombs
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Skip-the-line ticket for Paris Catacombs
- Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off
- Gratuities
Meeting point
Start Location
2 Av. du Général Leclerc, Paris, FR
2 avenue du General Leclerc (Café du Rendez-vous)
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Due to the tight nature of the catacombs, the catacombs are not advised for those with claustrophobia.
- The catacombs are not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for those with mobility limitations.
- There are 130 steps into the catacombs with no elevator access.
- Women who are visibly pregnant will not be given clearance to enter the catacombs by the guards.
- 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.
Know before you go
- This tour is in English.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- This tour meets 15 minutes prior to the start time. 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.
- The catacombs are not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for those with mobility limitations.
- There are 130 steps into the catacombs with no elevator access.
- Women who are visibly pregnant will not be given clearance to enter the catacombs by the guards.
- 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.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: All sites in Paris that we visit during our tours are requiring clients and guides alike to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test within the past 48-hours for entry. You can read more about it on the French Government website (https://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19). If you have any questions regarding your tour, please reach out to us prior and we can help answer any questions you may have.
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.
Reviews
5.0(17 reviews)
Matthew
Jun 20265.0
If you’re reading this, book it now! You’ll be one of the first on the boat and get the best spot before anyone else. Daniela (aka “Daniel”) treated us exceptionally well from start to finish. Her knowledge of the falls and the stories behind them was the perfect balance of informative and entertaining. She keeps you laughing throughout the tour and enjoys the experience right alongside you as if it were her first time seeing it. 10/10 — I would recommend this tour to anyone. As an added bonus, our group had only four people, which made the experience absolutely incredible and much more personal. Thanks again, Daniel! 😉
Lisa
Jun 20265.0
The tour was great and having priority on the boat was excellent
Lisa
Jun 20265.0
The tour was great and having priority on the boat was excellent