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Catacombs Review
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Catacombs
- Address: 1 pl. Denfert-Rochereau, Montparnasse, Paris | Map It
- Phone: 01-43-22-47-63
- www.paris.fr/musees
- Category: Archaeological Sites
- Location: Montparnasse
Fodor's Review:
Perhaps the most interesting parts of the catacombs are the ones you won't see. Cataphiles, mostly art students with a macabre twist, have found alternate entrances into the 300 km of tunnels to make art, hold parties, and generally raise hell. What you will see, after a descent through dark, clammy passages, is Paris's principal ossuary. Bones from the Cimetière des Innocents were the first to arrive in 1786, when decomposing bodies started seeping into the cellars of the market in Les Halles, bringing swarms of ravenous rats with them. The legions of bones dumped here are arranged not by owner but by type -- rows of skulls, stacks of tibias, and piles of spinal disks. Be prepared for stairs and a long underground walk; the floor can be damp, so wear appropriate shoes. You won't be shrouded in tomblike darkness, though; the tunnels are well lighted. Among the nameless thousands are the bones of Madame de Pompadour (1721-64) laid to rest with the riff-raff after a lifetime spent as the mistress to Louis XV.
- Cost: EUR 5, guided tours in French only EUR 3 extra
- Open: Tues.-Sat. 10-5
- Metro: Metro or RER: Denfert-Rochereau
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