Skip-the-Line: Paris Catacombs Tour with VIP Access to Restricted Areas
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From $94.34
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Free cancellation before July 11. Learn more
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2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the darker side of the City of Lights with this skip-the-line tour of the famed catacombs of Paris. Explore these fascinating underground passageways lined with the bones of thousands of former Parisians and learn the history of the mesmerizing and macabre labyrinth. Bypass the long lines for this popular attraction and enjoy personalized attention in a small group limited to 19 people.
- Small group guided walking tour inside the Paris catacombs
- Personalized small group tour (maximum 19 people)
- Skip the line to enter the catacombs and avoid two-hour queues
- Expert English-speaking guide
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The Paris catacombs consist of an extensive underground network of tunnels originally dug as limestone quarries during the building of some of the city’s famous monuments. Beginning in the late 18th century, remains from Paris’ overcrowded cemeteries were exhumed and transported here for storage, with thousands of bones neatly arranged into piles along the walls.
Delve into this eerie underworld with an exclusive small-group tour. Lines to enter the catacombs often exceed 2 hours, but you’ll head to the front of the queue with your knowledgeable guide. A group maximum of 19 people provides a more personalized experience.
Wander through the dimly lit labyrinth that winds beneath the city’s famous streets. Marvel at the stacks of human skeletons that greet you at every turn while your guide illuminates the history of this soul-stirring ‘empire of death.’
Delve into this eerie underworld with an exclusive small-group tour. Lines to enter the catacombs often exceed 2 hours, but you’ll head to the front of the queue with your knowledgeable guide. A group maximum of 19 people provides a more personalized experience.
Wander through the dimly lit labyrinth that winds beneath the city’s famous streets. Marvel at the stacks of human skeletons that greet you at every turn while your guide illuminates the history of this soul-stirring ‘empire of death.’
Itinerary
Why wait in a long line to see less of the Catacombs? Your guide, an English-speaking local expert, will lead your group straight past the lines and down into the 200-mile labyrinth of bone-lined galleries and former quarry tunnels. An inscription at the entrance reads “Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”, or “Stop! Here lies the empire of death”. In this eerie empire, you’ll encounter the remains of such dignitaries as Rabelais and Robespierre, among more than 6 million other former Parisians.
While individual ticket holders must remain on the public routes, your guide will lead you off the well-traveled path. As well as other significant remains, like the hidden Gilbert’s Tomb, here you’ll find monuments to those who made their living in the empire of death. In the Port Mahon Gallery, you’ll see sculptures that an 18th-century quarry worker spent five years chiseling secretly from the tunnel walls, before being crushed in a cave-in. You’ll see the Quarryman’s Footbath and the Sepulchral Lamp, whose constant flame reassured the living that there was enough air in the tunnels.
As you wind your way around the Catacombs, you’ll hear all about the history of this parallel city – and the many legends surrounding it. Once you’ve seen what lies just 65 feet below the city, your view of Paris will be forever changed.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Included
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Traveler Tips
- "Wear comfortable shoes as it’s 2 hrs long and the stairs back up can be challenging - just take it slow." See review
- "It is chilly as you're underground, so consider your needs there, and wear good walking shoes." See review
- "This tour gets you to skip the line which is important since they really control the number of people in the catacombs and without it you would probably have to wait a long time in line." See review
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Skip-the-Line: Paris Catacombs Tour with VIP Access to Restricted Areas
2 hours
Free Cancellation
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