catacombs in Paris
 

Has anyone been to the catacombs in Paris? If so, what was it like? How long did the tour take? I always find brief descriptions of the catacombs in books, but never anything lenthy. Worth visiting, if you are into the unusual?

I think the underground area has been a little enhanced since we went in 1998. It is very clean, austere, quiet. You pay the cashier, and go down narrow stairwell, and just walk through it yourself. I'm not aware on any tours. There is not much that needs explaining, unless you need more background on why the bones are there. It's just a walk (seems like maybe 30 minutes?) thru a tunnel that has various displays/piles of skeletons and bones, with intriguing signposts (in French) that you might want to write down and translate later. (one translated to "God is not an amateur at Death"). Be aware that you go into the catacombs thru one door, but you end up coming out somewhere else, we got turned around... just have your street map handy. And yes, I thought it was interesting and it doesn't take long to do...

It's a one-mile underground walk past 6 million bones/skulls. Period. I don't know that I'd recommend it or not. Our entire family (at the time my husband and I and our kids who were 13 and 10) thought it was OK, nothing special, fairly boring, except for the historical fact that Paris couldn't accommodate the burial of these guys, so they placed them on top of each other underground to save space. We liked a few of the markers that explained what was going on, but other than that, it wasn't a big educational site or a big entertainment site for my kids, anyway. They vastly preferred the Abbaye Fontevraud in the Loire Valley and Berthillon on the Ile St-Louis, for ice cream. I'd say go for it if you've exhausted everything else, which my kids had.

I walked through the catacombs about a year ago and thought it was interesting. There were no tours available when I was there, but I think it would be more interesting if you were with someone who could translate French so you'd have a better idea of what all the signs said - at least you would get more out of it.<BR> Jim

I didn't go, but my friend went and loved it. Said it was pretty creepy as not super well lit and it was dripping (didn't want to think about what was dripping). Sorry I didn't have time myself as sounded like an unusual site to see.

I was there two years ago, and am planning on taking my girlfriend in May, as it is fasinating. The bones are displayed in an artistic way in what seems like a mile long cave. Dark, damp, and many tunnels. It does dump you out at a different spot then when you started, but you won't get lost. I do speak french, so I agree that you would get more out of it, but not really. The first door you enter reads "You now are entering the world of the dead" I believe, I don't really remember any of the others. It is neat I think to see it, but don't think about taking any skulls are bones, because they check you on the way out, lol!

....yes it takes only about 30 mins, can be faster depending how long you look at certain areas. You cannot get lost in there they have sections roped off so you maintani a certain direction. If your into unusual....go!