Guided tour

Paris Catacombs: Skip-the-Line Special Access Tour

Activity provider: Walks
Guided tour

Paris Catacombs: Skip-the-Line Special Access Tour

Activity provider: Walks

From US$ 111.24 per person

Skip the long lines to the Paris Catacombs where millions of Parisians were buried in the underground ossuaries. Learn about the past in a small group and benefit of special access to restricted areas.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 2 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Skip the long lines to the Paris Catacombs
  • Get exclusive access to areas of the catacombs usually closed to the public
  • Learn about how 6 million people came to be buried in this city of the dead
Full description
Get fast track entry to the underground cemetery of the Paris Catacombs, composed of miles of underground tunnels lined with the skulls and bones of some 6 million Parisians. Join a local guide and explore the catacombs in a small group of no more than 19 people. Each room reveals ever more ornate and macabre bone decorations. Hear the unbelievable story of how the catacombs were built, and the massive project that was undertaken to move bones from around the city to this point. Your special access status means the guards will also open gates just for your group, letting you into areas such as a secret chapel decorated with skulls and femurs. The Paris Catacombs contain bones representing some 2,000 years of history, and their construction was a unique civil engineering project that helped give rise to the modern-day city.
Includes
  • Skip-the-line entry to the Paris Catacombs
  • Access to special areas of the Paris Catacombs
  • Small group tour of no more than 19 people
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Not suitable for
  • Pregnant women
  • People with mobility impairments
  • People with claustrophobia
  • People with heart problems
  • Wheelchair users
  • People with respiratory issues

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet in front of Café du Rendez-vous, 2 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 75014 Paris. Directions by metro: Take Line 4 or 6 to Denfert-Rochereau Metro Station. Upon leaving the train, follow the "sortie" (exit) sign. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Warm clothing

Not allowed

  • Baby strollers
  • Luggage or large bags

Know before you go

  • There are 130 steps to the Paris Catacombs. Unfortunately, there is no elevator access
  • The Paris Catacombs tunnels are often wet and cool (14°C/57°F all year long)
  • Please note that there are neither toilets nor cloakroom facilities at the Paris Catacombs
  • Only bags smaller than 55 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm are allowed
  • The tour partner complies with all local government regulations. You may need to wear a mask or provide proof of vaccination to enter certain venues. Please refer to Paris government guidelines for the most up-to-date information
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 450 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Value for money
    4.5/5
  • Service
    4.9/5
  • Organization
    4.8/5

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Very informative and fun! If you go on your own without a tour guide you will miss out on the stories and the secret locked spaces that will only be shown on a private tour. Our guide Leo was super informative. Had great stories and a binder of history and photos to share to show details that you wouldn't be able to "hear" on an audio tour.

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March 31, 2023

The guide was from Canada- sadly I forget her name as I did not do this review. She was very engaging and an excellent story teller. We had lots of photo ops and the tour was excellent for the private access sections- they were the highlight of the tour

March 31, 2023

Highly recommend. Kaitlin was such a great guide and a true story teller - I could have listened to her for hours - and was also quite funny. It’s worth it alone for the easy fast access into the catacombs but you also get to see some hidden areas too. Just over 100 stairs up and down but not bad, the area is low but certainly manageable (my partner is 6.3 feet and managed fine

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March 31, 2023

Product ID: 88340