Catacombs of Paris Tickets and Tours

Hundreds of kilometres of tunnels full of mystery and history are hidden beneath the ground in Paris. The catacombs are a place that, whether out of respect or ignorance, many people overlook on their visit to Paris, but it is a mistake not to visit them.

Of the more than 300 kilometres of tunnels in the subsoil, only 1.5 can be visited legally. Here's a summary of everything you need to know before enjoying this unusual proposal.

To visit the Paris Catacombs you can either buy tickets directly from the ticket office at the entrance, next to the Montparnasse cemetery, or buy tickets online. The latter option is more advisable as buying them in advance will save you long queues. The normal ticket price with audio guide is around €35.

There is another more risky option, but with which we can save some money. If you come at the last minute you can get a special ticket called "last minute", valid for the same day and can only be bought at the ticket office. These cost from €18 for a normal ticket, from €16 for a reduced ticket and children go free, but tickets are limited and only if capacity allows.

So if you opt for this option, you run the risk of missing out on the visit. You should also bear in mind that this ticket does not include the audio guide and you will have to pay a supplement of €5. In addition to the tickets, you can also sign up for a guided tour. There are several types and the price is around €140.

The visit to the catacombs includes the audio guide with the entrance ticket, which allows you to learn all about the darkest history of the city of Paris through the detailed explanations available in several languages, including English of course.

But there are also different guided tours that can be very interesting to learn more about this place. The best options that you can book in advance are:

• Guided tour of the Catacombs of Paris with special access, from £99.
• No-queue guided tour of the Catacombs of Paris with access to restricted areas, from £116
• Guided tour of the Catacombs of Paris for small groups, from £134.

Exploring the Catacombs of Paris is a powerful and unforgettable experience for a number of reasons. Here are the main ones before you book your tickets:

• It is a place full of stories and mysteries that immerses the visitor in the hidden past of Paris.
• It has a very characteristic aesthetic, as the tunnels are decorated with bones and skulls placed in an orderly and artistic manner.
• It is one of the most famous ossuaries in the world and one of the few open to the public.
• It is a dazzling visit for photography lovers.
• The visit is very well organised.

Before booking your tickets for the Paris Catacombs, you should know that the tourist entrance is located next to the Montparnasse Cemetery, on the Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, which is in the southern part of Paris, about an hour's walk from the centre.

For reference, it takes about 55 minutes on foot from Place de la Concorde. But it is very accessible by other means of transport which are among the best options for getting around Paris and its surroundings:

• By Paris Metro: The nearest station is Denfert-Rochereau station through which lines 4 and 6 pass.
• By bus: Lines 38 and 68 stop near Montparnasse Cemetery.
• By car or taxi: Put the following address in your GPS or ask the taxi driver to take you to Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014.

Technically, entrance is allowed for children over 5 years old. But it's not the best place to visit with little ones. Apart from the dark and gloomy atmosphere of the catacombs and the skulls and human remains that can be seen during the visit, the access and the conditions of the place are not ideal for children.

The catacombs are 20 metres underground and there are numerous steps up and down to get in and out of them. Underground there is little light and many of the corridors are very narrow, which can make them feel cramped, especially for children.

Although it is possible to visit with children, bear these conditions in mind when deciding whether to visit with children at your own risk. Here are some alternative plans to get to know the French capital with children.

Of the estimated 300 kilometres of tunnels in the catacombs, only 1.5 kilometres have been made available for visits. Along this route there is an area of tunnels and a small exhibition explaining the history of the catacombs.

Further on, the main attraction of the catacombs is the ossuary, which houses the remains of more than 6 million people whose skulls and hollows are arranged in very peculiar places and shapes.

There are more than 800 metres of ossuaries, including an area dedicated to the memory of those who died in the French Revolution, the area of the shaft used for the tunnels, and the barrel of skulls. The latter is a pile of bones arranged in the shape of a barrel and is one of the most characteristic elements of the catacombs.

When booking your tickets to the Paris Catacombs, keep in mind that the best time to visit is first thing in the morning to avoid the long queues that tend to form as the day progresses. I recommend that you arrive 15 minutes before opening time.

And, of course, bear in mind that weekdays tend to have fewer visitors than weekends. I also recommend that you avoid the high season, such as summer and the Christmas and Easter holidays.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour. It is important not to exceed this time, as the capacity is limited to about 200 people and they keep a close eye on the capacity and the people entering and leaving the catacombs. However, in three quarters of an hour there is more than enough time to see the whole complex in detail.

The Paris Catacombs are open every day of the week except Mondays. From Tuesday to Sunday, the opening hours are from 10 am to 8.30 pm. The last admissions are at 7. 30pm, so be there early to avoid missing out on admission.

The origin of the catacombs dates back to the early 13th century when the first tunnels were dug to extract stone and materials for the construction of buildings such as Notre Dame Cathedral. After many years of collapse and collapse, King Louis VXI ordered the catacombs to be restored, thus solving one of the problems that Paris suffered at the time. The lack of space in its cemeteries.

From 1786 to 1859, the remains of many Parisians were continuously transferred to the catacombs. In 1814 the catacombs were made accessible and many of the remains stored there were placed in special shapes and places for visitors. In 1955 entry to the tunnels was forbidden, as they were often used for satanic rites and not entirely legal activities. Since then and until today only a small part of the catacombs can be visited.

There are numerous legends about the Catacombs that the tunnels are haunted and that those who walk through them hear voices and can see figures in the shadows. One of the most popular stories is that of a man who disappeared in the 18th century, his body was found years later in the darkness next to his lantern.

Throughout history, the Catacombs of Paris have revealed hidden discoveries, treasures and mysteries. One of the most recent was in 2004, when Parisian police discovered an underground cinema with a projector, a screen, carved stone seats and a collection of films.

Numerous works of art and mysterious symbols have also been found. In fact, several walls of the tunnels have inscriptions and engravings, some of which include emblems and Latin words related to death, philosophy and eternal life. Sculptures and reliefs made by quarry workers have also been found.

Hidden rooms and nooks and crannies that do not appear to have been walked through have also been found. In some cases, these spaces contain quarry workers' tools and oil lamps with a long history.

The number of people missing in the Paris Catacombs is not official. There are numerous accounts of people who got lost in its labyrinthine tunnels.

One of the most famous occurred in the 18th century, when Philibert Aspairt, who worked in a nearby hospital, got lost in the tunnels and his body was found years later along with his extinguished lantern. In addition, over the years, numerous adventurers have explored them without authorisation, which has increased the number of disappearances.

To avoid the risk of disappearances in the catacombs, a large part of the Catacombs has been closed and guarded, and today only a segment of the Catacombs is open to the public, with marked routes.

Yes, there are many hidden sections in the Paris Catacombs. There are 300 kilometres of tunnels in the underground network, although, as mentioned above, only a small part of them are open to the public. Many passages are closed to the public because of the risk of collapse and the lack of signposting.

The Parisian police regularly monitor unofficial entrances to prevent unauthorised access. In fact, fines are imposed on those who try to enter without authorisation.

The Paris Catacombs are a must-see on your trip to the French capital It is very different from other tourist sites, so you should take a number of points into account.

• The first recommendation is to buy your tickets in advance and online. If you don't, you will probably have to queue for more than an hour to get in, as the capacity is limited and demand is usually high. In high season queues can be more than 2 hours long.
• Even if you go in summer, you should be prepared with something warm, as the average temperature at 20 metres underground is no more than 15 degrees Celsius and it is very humid.
• If you are claustrophobic, suffer from a respiratory illness or are several weeks pregnant, visiting the catacombs is not recommended.
• Do not carry backpacks, bags or large items, as you will not be allowed to enter with them in order to preserve the ossuary. At some points it is very narrow and there is no left-luggage service.
• It is not possible to take flash photography inside the ossuary.
• It is not accessible for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
• There are two flights of more than 100 stairs each up and down. Please take this into account when wearing good footwear.