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Plan your Paris Catacombs visit

The Paris Catacombs are one of Paris’ most unusual sights: a 1.5km underground route through former limestone quarries and an ossuary holding the remains of several million Parisians. The visit itself takes around an hour, but with 131 steps down, 112 back up, narrow passages, uneven ground, and a constant temperature of about 14°C, a little planning makes a big difference. Timed entry also means this isn’t an attraction you’ll want to leave to chance. This guide covers when to go, how long to allow, tickets, and what not to miss.

Quick overview: Paris Catacombs at a glance

If the Catacombs are high on your Paris list, the easiest way to visit is to secure your timed entry first, then plan the rest of your day around it.

  • When to visit: Tuesday–Sunday, 9:45am–8:30pm, with last admission at 7:30pm. Earlier slots are a good choice if you want to get the visit done before the rest of your sightseeing day begins.
  • Getting in: Entry is timed and booking online in advance is strongly recommended. Reservations open 7 days ahead, and only 200 visitors are allowed inside the site at one time. Standard adult admission is currently €46.50.
  • How long to allow: Around 1 hour for the 1.5km one-way visitor circuit. Give yourself additional time before your slot to find the entrance at Denfert-Rochereau and get checked in.
  • What most people miss: Don’t rush straight to the walls of bones. The former quarry passages, inscriptions, and transition into the ossuary explain how these tunnels went from supplying stone for Paris to becoming an underground burial site.
  • Is a guide worth it? Yes, especially if you want more than the standard visitor route. The included audio guide covers the history of the quarries and ossuary in English, French, Spanish, and German, while guided tour options can add expert storytelling and access to areas not normally included on a self-guided visit.

Where and when to go

Where are the Paris Catacombs located?

The Paris Catacombs are located on 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France.
Find on Maps

​How to get to the Catacombs?

What are the Paris Catacombs opening hours?

The Catacombs are open Tuesday–Sunday from 9:45am–8:30pm (last admissions are at 7:30pm).

It is closed on Mondays.

​Detailed Paris Catacombs opening hours

How many entrances are there?

How much time do you need?

Visit typeRouteDurationWalking distanceWhat you get

Highlights only

Entrance → quarry tunnels → ossuary entrance → main walls of bones → exit

45–60 min

~1.5km

You’ll see the essential Catacombs route and the most striking bone-lined galleries, but you’ll have little time to stop for inscriptions, quarry details, or the stories behind what you’re seeing.

Balanced visit

Entrance → quarry passages → historic inscriptions → ossuary → major bone displays → exit

1–1.5 hr

~1.5km

This is the best fit for most visitors. You can follow the full visitor circuit at a comfortable pace, stop at the key displays, and use the audio guide without feeling rushed.

Full exploration

Standard visitor route → extended storytelling and restricted sections on a guided tour → exit

1.5–2 hr

~1.5km+

Best if you want deeper historical context and access beyond the standard self-guided experience. A guided tour can include restricted areas and stories you wouldn’t encounter on the regular route.

Which Paris Catacombs ticket is best for you?

Ticket typeWhat's includedBest forPrice range

Reserved access

Timed entry to the Paris Catacombs

Independent visitors who just want guaranteed entry

From €29

Access + audio guide

Timed entry + multilingual audio guide

Visitors who want more context while exploring at their own pace

From €46.50

Guided tour

Catacombs entry + live English guide

Visitors who want deeper stories, expert insights, and access beyond the standard route

From €139

Combo tour

Catacombs entry + another Paris experience, such as a Seine River cruise

Visitors who want to bundle two Paris experiences in one booking

€89.90

How do you get around the Paris Catacombs

Visitor route

The Paris Catacombs follow a 1.5km one-way underground circuit, so there’s very little navigation required once you’re inside. You enter at Place Denfert-Rochereau, descend 131 steps, follow the marked route through the former quarries and ossuary, then climb 112 steps to a separate exit on Avenue René-Coty. You cannot turn back once you begin the circuit.

  • Descent and quarry galleries → descend underground and walk through the former limestone quarry passages before reaching the ossuary.
  • Port-Mahon and quarry sections → look out for historic quarry features, inscriptions, and carved galleries that explain what these tunnels were before they became a burial site.
  • Ossuary → enter beneath the famous “Stop! This is the empire of death” inscription and follow the galleries lined with arranged skulls and bones.
  • Exit route → continue through the final underground sections before climbing back to street level at 21 bis Avenue René-Coty, around a 5–10 minute walk from the entrance.

Maps and navigation tools

  • Map: The Catacombs provide a downloadable visitor guide with a route map, photos, and information on the main points you’ll encounter underground.
  • Signage: The visitor circuit is clearly defined and one-way, so you won’t need to navigate Paris’ wider underground tunnel network or choose between different corridors.
  • Audio guide: An immersive audio guide is available in English, French, Spanish, and German and is included with standard admission . It plays automatically at points along the route and lasts around an hour.

💡 Pro tip: Don’t expect to exit where you entered. The Catacombs finish on Avenue René-Coty, so check the exit location before planning your next stop in Paris—especially if you’re meeting someone back at Denfert-Rochereau.

​Get the Paris Catacombs audio guide →

What to see inside Paris Catacombs

Ghostly figure in Paris Catacombs corridor with skull-lined walls.
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The quarry galleries

Before the bones appear, you walk through the former limestone quarries beneath Paris. Look for engineers’ inscriptions, old street-name plaques, and signs of the quarry work that came before the ossuary.

Port-Mahon gallery

One of the most unusual quarry sections, with carved features and galleries linked to the history of the underground workings. Some parts of the Port-Mahon area are outside the standard route and may only be seen on special or guided visits.

The entrance to the ossuary

This is the moment the experience changes completely. You pass beneath the inscription “Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la mort” — “Stop! This is the empire of death” — before entering the bone-lined galleries.

Walls of skulls and bones

The Catacombs’ defining sight. Femurs and tibias were arranged into walls with rows of skulls, while smaller bones were stacked behind them. The layout was deliberately redesigned in the early 19th century to make the ossuary more monumental.

The Samaritan Fountain

An underground water feature incorporated into the historic ossuary circuit and one of several monuments added to turn the space into more than simply a storage place for human remains.

The Sepulchral Lamp

Another atmospheric feature of the ossuary, originally part of Héricart de Thury’s transformation of the Catacombs into a carefully arranged visitor experience.

The Barrel

One of the Catacombs’ most recognizable bone structures, formed as a large circular arrangement of skulls and long bones.

Revolutionary-era memorials and inscriptions

Throughout the ossuary, plaques, steles, and quotations break up the walls of bones and add context to the people, cemeteries, and periods represented underground.

Facilities and accessibility

Visitor browsing books at the 9/11 Museum Store.
  • 🚻 Restrooms: Toilets are available near the entrance, but there are no restrooms along the underground visitor route, so use them before you descend.
  • 🛍️ Shop: The Catacombs have a small shop at the end of the visit with books, postcards, and themed souvenirs.
  • 🪑 Seating / rest areas: Seating underground is very limited. The route involves around 1.5km of walking, uneven surfaces, and 131 steps down followed by 112 steps up, so expect to stay on your feet for most of the visit.
  • 🎧 Audio guide: A multilingual audio guide is available in English, French, Spanish, and German, making it easy to follow the history at your own pace.
  • 🎒 Bag restrictions: Large bags and suitcases are not suitable for the narrow underground route, and storage options are limited. Travel light if possible.
Skulls and bones stacked in the Paris Catacombs with an inscription dated 1804.

The Catacombs are not wheelchair accessible because the visit involves steep staircases, narrow passages, uneven floors, and no lift access. The underground route may also be difficult for visitors with reduced mobility, heart or respiratory conditions, or severe claustrophobia.

Skulls and bones in the Paris Catacombs.

Children can visit, but the experience may not suit everyone. The dim passages, narrow tunnels, long staircases, and real human remains can feel intense for younger visitors.

  • Children under 14 should be accompanied by an adult.
  • Strollers are impractical because of the stairs and uneven ground.
  • Older children and teens who enjoy history or unusual attractions are likely to get more out of the visit.
  • If your child is sensitive to dark spaces or skeletal remains, it’s worth preparing them before you go.

Rules and restrictions

What you need to know before you go

  • Bring only a small bag. Bags must be no larger than 40 × 30 × 20cm, and there is no cloakroom or luggage storage at the Catacombs. Suitcases, large bags, and motorcycle helmets are not allowed.
  • Dress for the underground conditions. It stays around 14°C year-round and can be humid, while the floors may be uneven and slippery, so comfortable closed shoes and an extra layer are useful even in summer.
  • Plan to complete the circuit in one go. The 1.5km route is one-way, with 131 steps down and 112 back up, and you cannot simply exit midway and re-enter.
  • Leave the stroller behind if you’re visiting with a baby or toddler. Strollers are not permitted, so the official site recommends using a baby carrier instead.

Not allowed

  • 🚫 Do not touch the bones or surrounding structures. The ossuary contains fragile human remains and touching them is strictly prohibited.
  • 🍽️ No eating or drinking is allowed along the visitor circuit, and bringing alcoholic drinks onto the site is prohibited.
  • 🚬 Smoking is not allowed inside the Catacombs.
  • 🐾 Pets are not permitted. Guide dogs for blind visitors are an exception, subject to the Catacombs’ accessibility rules.
  • 🧳 Large luggage, motorcycle helmets, and bulky equipment are prohibited, and there is nowhere on-site to store them.

Photography

Photography for personal use is allowed, but keep your flash off and leave tripods and other bulky camera equipment behind. The tunnels are narrow and dim, so keeping equipment compact also makes the visit much easier.

Good to know

  • The entrance and exit are in different locations: you enter at Place Denfert-Rochereau and emerge at 21 bis Avenue René-Coty, so don’t leave belongings or companions waiting at the entrance expecting you to return there.
  • The Catacombs are 20m underground, with narrow passages, low lighting, humidity, and uneven floors. The site is not recommended for visitors with severe claustrophobia or certain cardiac or respiratory conditions.
  • Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult, and the official Catacombs guidance suggests the experience is generally best suited to children around age 10 and above.

Practical tips

→ Book as soon as your date opens if you’re visiting in summer, on a weekend, or during school holidays. Entry is timed and capacity is limited, so the most convenient slots can disappear quickly.

→ Arrive around 15 minutes early for your time slot. You’ll need time for ticket checks and security, and late arrivals may not be guaranteed entry.

→ Wear proper shoes. The route includes uneven floors, damp patches, 131 steps down, and 112 steps back up, so this is not the place for uncomfortable footwear.

→ Bring an extra layer even in summer. The temperature underground stays around 14°C year-round, which can feel noticeably cold after coming in from a warm Paris day.

→ Travel light. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed, there’s no cloakroom, and a small bag is much easier to manage through the narrow passages.

→ Don’t rush the quarry section just to reach the skulls. The old quarry galleries, inscriptions, and Port-Mahon area give you the context that makes the ossuary much more interesting.

→ Use the restroom before you descend. There are no toilets along the underground route, and the circuit takes roughly an hour to complete.

→ Choose a guided tour if you want more than the standard circuit. It’s the better option for restricted areas, hidden details, and stories you’re unlikely to pick up from simply walking through on your own.

What else is worth visiting nearby?

Panthéon

A neoclassical mausoleum that honors French heroes like Voltaire and Marie Curie. Its crypt and stunning dome make it an essential stop for history enthusiasts.
Distance from the Catacombs: 1.7 km

Book Now

Rodin Museum

Home to Auguste Rodin's masterpieces, including The Thinker, the museum beautifully highlights his artistic legacy -. Look out for the serene sculpture garden and intimate galleries.
Distance from the Catacombs: 2.4 km

Book Now

Eiffel Tower

An iconic landmark offering spectacular views of Paris. Whether admired from the ground or its observation decks, it’s a must-visit symbol of the city.
Distance from the Catacombs: 3.5 km

Book Now

Sainte-Chapelle

Famous for its intricate stained-glass windows, this Gothic chapel offers an unforgettable view of biblical stories through vibrant, intricate designs.
Distance from the Catacombs: 3.6 km

Book Now

Shop at the Paris Catacombs

Visitors examining frescoes in the Roman Catacombs during a guided tour.

The Paris Catacombs shop is located at the end of the visitor route and sells themed souvenirs, books, postcards, stationery, and gifts inspired by the ossuary and its history. It’s the easiest place to pick up a keepsake after your visit, without carrying anything through the underground tunnels.

​Shop now at the Paris Catacombs

Where to grab a quick bite?

For a bite before or after the Catacombs, you have plenty of easy options around Denfert-Rochereau and Avenue René-Coty.

  • Quick and close: Le Lakanal is right by the Catacombs and works well for a coffee, sandwich, or casual brasserie meal.
  • Pizza: I Grappoli on Place Denfert-Rochereau is a convenient option for pizza and a relaxed meal.
  • French meal: L’EMPREINTE is a good pick if you want a more sit-down French lunch or dinner nearby.
  • Casual local stop: Au P'tit Zinc is another neighborhood-style option for a simple meal.
  • Coffee and café stop: Hexagone Café is better if you just want coffee, pastries, or something light.

For more choice, walk toward Rue Daguerre, where you’ll find bakeries, food shops, cafés, and casual bistros clustered along the street.

Frequently asked questions about visiting the Paris Catacombs

A standard visit lasts about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your pace, interest, and choice of ticket.